Deadpool (film)

Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Wade Wilson / Deadpool. Directed by Tim Miller, in his feature directorial debut, and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, it is a spin-off of the X-Men film series and its overall eighth installment. Ryan Reynolds stars as the titular character, alongside Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, and Brianna Hildebrand. In the film, Wilson hunts the man responsible for giving him mutant abilities and a scarred physical appearance, becoming the antihero Deadpool.

Following a greenlight from 20th Century Fox in 2014 after test footage for a potential film was leaked, principal photography took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, between March and May 2015. Several vendors provided visual effects for the film, ranging from the addition of blood and gore to the creation of the CGI character Colossus. Deadpool premiered at the Le Grand Rex in Paris on February 8, 2016, and was released in the United States on February 12, following an unconventional marketing campaign.

The film achieved both critical and commercial success, earning $782.6 million against a $58 million budget, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2016 and breaking numerous records, including the highest-grossing film in the X-Men series and the highest-grossing R-rated film at the time. Critics praised Reynolds' performance, the film's style, faithfulness to the comics, and action sequences, though some criticized the plot as formulaic. The film received many awards and nominations, including two Critics' Choice awards and two Golden Globe nominations. Two sequels have been released: Deadpool 2 (2018) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), with the latter being part of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Plot

The vigilante Deadpool, Wade Wilson ambushes Ajax and his convoy on an expressway. Throughout the ambush, Wade shows the viewer the events leading to how he became Deadpool. After being dishonorably discharged from the Canadian special forces, Wade works as a freelance mercenary until he meets a sex worker named Vanessa. They become romantically involved, and a year later, she accepts his marriage proposal. Wade is later diagnosed with terminal cancer and is approached by a mysterious recruiter who offers him an experimental treatment that will heal his cancer.

Wade leaves Vanessa so she will not have to watch him die. He is taken to a laboratory run by Ajax and Angel Dust, who injects him with a serum designed to awaken latent mutant genes in his body. They subject Wade to days of torture to trigger any mutation but to no avail. When Wade discovers Ajax's real name is Francis and mocks him for it, Ajax leaves Wade in a hypobaric chamber that periodically takes him to the verge of asphyxiation over a weekend. This activates a regenerative healing factor that counteracts Wade's cancer but leaves him severely disfigured with burn-like tumors all over his body. He escapes from the chamber and attacks Ajax but relents when told his condition can be cured. In the chaos, Ajax subdues Wade and leaves him for dead.

Wade survives due to his new healing factor and seeks out Vanessa but does not reveal that he is alive out of fear that she will shun him because of his new scarred appearance. After consulting with his best friend Weasel, Wade decides to hunt down Ajax for the cure. He becomes a vigilante, adopting the name "Deadpool" (from Weasel picking him in a dead pool), and moves into the home of an elderly blind woman named Al. Throughout the following year, he questions and kills many of Ajax's associates until one, the recruiter, reveals Ajax's whereabouts. This information allows Wade to enact the ambush. He kills all of Ajax's henchmen, subdues Ajax, and demands the cure, but the X-Men Colossus and his trainee Negasonic Teenage Warhead interrupt him. Colossus attempts to convince Wade to mend his ways and join the X-Men, but Wade turns him down. Taking advantage of this distraction, Ajax escapes and regroups with Angel Dust. They then head to Weasel's bar, where Ajax hears of Vanessa.

Ajax kidnaps Vanessa and takes her to a decommissioned Helicarrier in a scrapyard. In response, Wade convinces Colossus and Negasonic to help him get her back. They battle Angel Dust and a group of Ajax's men while Wade fights his way to Ajax. During the battle, Negasonic accidentally destroys the supports keeping the Helicarrier stable. Deadpool protects Vanessa as the ship collapses around them, while Colossus carries Negasonic and Angel Dust to safety. Ajax attacks Wade again but is overpowered. He reveals that there is no cure, and despite Colossus's pleas, Wade kills Ajax. Vanessa angrily berates Wade for leaving her but reconciles with him after she sees his disfigured face and learns the reason why he never came back to her.

In a post-credits scene, Wade imitates the post-credits scene of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, stating they only have enough money left to announce that Cable will show up in the sequel and making casting suggestions for the character.