Ryan Reynolds Says Deadpool & Wolverine Is Not A “Commercial”

Marvel has become notorious for their post-credit sequences over the years, and Deadpool and Wolverine—the first of Ryan Reynolds’ R-rated franchise to be released under the Disney banner — naturally attended. But even though these scenes usually include a tease for the next movie, 2024 box office phenomenon was… a little different. Spoiler alert, but it’s literally just Chris Evans as the Human Torch swearing up a storm. Nothing to preview there, though – if Deadpool and Wolverineis worldwide billion dollar move is something to go for – people would probably watch two hours of it anyway.

Despite D&W‘s obsession with its own meta-narrative (or, in Andrew Garfield’s words, its “fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth wall-breaking kind of vibe”), Reynolds resisted the impulse to parody this specific aspect of the MCU for a reason. “I don’t know what the future holds Deadpool will be, but I know we made the movie to be a complete experience rather than a commercial for someone else,” the star and head writer told Garfield during their Black Actors on Actors interview this week. “The character works very well in two ways. One is scarcity and surprise,” he explained of the decision not to rush straight into a four-quel. The films “consume (his) whole life” and he “never wants to be absent (father)”, he continued. (This motivation clearly runs deep; the actor used almost exactly the same saying while turn down the Oscar hosting gig last month.)

Reynolds and Garfield’s conversation made waves before it even happened. When the pairing was announced, the internet was quick to express their disappointment at the perceived mismatch. “Andrew Garfield talks about playing a husband and father who’s (sic) wife decides to forgo cancer treatment (in We live in the time) and Ryan Reynolds talk about acting Deadpool,” read one (since deleted) tweet, prompting the latter to write a lengthy rant in defense of the challenges of comic acting. In the interview itself, Reynolds further explained why he has been mostly focused on large studio tent poles in recent years. “I’ve spent a long time doing work and roles that were incredibly satisfying and nuanced and different and unexpected and characters and films that were received really well by critics but not audiences,” he said. “I thought, ‘Well, if I’m going to keep doing this, I’m going to have to figure out how to work on both sides of the room and make sure that part of my job is to pick work that will spawn more of this experience that I love.” Wherever you stand on Reynolds as an actor, it’s hard to deny that that particular mission has been a success.