In an unexpected revelation that might surprise fans of the quip-heavy superhero franchise, Ryan Reynolds has chosen a surprisingly dramatic moment as his proudest writing achievement in Deadpool & Wolverine. Speaking at Hamilton’s 13th annual Behind the Camera Awards, the actor-screenwriter bypassed viral one-liners to highlight a more nuanced scene.
“The thing I’m probably most proud of was the Wolverine speech in the van where he just tears Deadpool a new one,” Reynolds shared per Variety. “To me, it’s one of the most beautiful scenes in the movie because you see what a raw, visceral, powerhouse of an actor Hugh Jackman is. But you also see the roles reversed. You see a character who is never verbose, who is a Clint Eastwood archetype, suddenly going, ‘Oh yeah, man? Well, I can talk too.’”
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The revelation came during the exclusive ceremony at the Hollywood Athletic Club, where Reynolds accepted an award for best screenplay. The event celebrated various behind-the-scenes talents, with other honorees including Jon Batiste for musical composition and Gia Coppola for directorial achievement, according to Variety.
During his acceptance speech, Reynolds emphasized the collaborative nature of the project, stating, “So many people came together to make this film what it is. This infusion of joy and emotion and warmth and heart and all the things that we love so, so much.” He playfully added, “I am incredibly proud of this movie, not just because of the film’s performance at the box office, that’s not remotely important. Unless you don’t follow or track box office, in which case let me tell you, it’s extraordinary.”
The film, which marks Disney‘s first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, has indeed achieved remarkable commercial success, accumulating approximately $1.3 billion worldwide. This milestone comes despite careful content negotiations with Disney, including one memorable instance where CEO Bob Iger personally requested the removal of a specific line.
Reynolds humorously described his initial resistance to such editorial suggestions during a September Q&A at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York (via Deadline): “As soon as somebody says something, like, ‘Ryan, Bob Iger here. Would love it if you’d take that one line out. It’s really going to make our life hard over here.’ As soon as they say that, there’s just something in my brain that goes, ‘Must keep line! Precious!’” However, he ultimately conceded to the change, adding, “Can I say something about Pinocchio instead? And the answer is yes!”
Despite such compromises, Reynolds has expressed gratitude for Disney’s overall approach to maintaining the franchise’s mature rating. “I was surprised though, that they let us go as hard R, but very grateful,” he told Fandango. “I mean there’s no other way to do it.” The final product certainly retained its edge, featuring 116 instances of the franchise’s favorite four-letter word.
