The Marvel cinematic universe’s biggest drawcard is this bromance
The long-anticipated Deadpool and Wolverine finally opened in cinemas over the weekend. It made a modest $205m, making it the eighth highest-grossing movie debut of all time. Got that?
While it’s not at all surprising that a film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe has performed well on opening weekend (Variety reporting Disney’s promotional budget for the film as roughly $100m), the key ingredient for Deadpool and Wolverine’s instant commercial success is undoubtedly the chemistry and commitment between the film’s stars, real-life besties Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
The two Hollywood leading men met back in 2007 in Sydney while filming X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and their bromance has been adored by fans ever since. Their expert levels of trolling each other online and fictionalised feud has made us laugh, swoon and marvel at the relationship, so giving these two their own movie felt absolutely cosmically correct (and a financial no-brainer).
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When the film (initially announced as Deadpool 3) was teased last year on YouTube, fans went absolutely mental at the idea of these two IRL besties teaming up. “This has the potential to be the greatest MCU movie to date,” exclaimed one user. “The fact we are gonna be seeing Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds doing Deadpool 3 together is absolutely the biggest dream I could’ve asked for,” commented another. “The response a production gets when the fans actually want what’s being put out is unbeatable. Nice to still see some real fan service and not just an abuse of their funds,” a presumed mega-fan stated emphatically.
When the actual trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine dropped during the Super Bowl this year, it garnered 365 million views in just 24 hours.
Since the official press tour for the film kicked off this month, Ryan and Hugh have quite literally been everywhere. The dynamic duo have hit up Berlin, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro and London, and returned to LA last week to guest-host Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where they serenaded each other with the theme from Golden Girls and joked about how the movie might just save democracy.
Image Credit: ABC/Jimmy Kimmel Live
While they made the rounds on the traditional talk-show circuit, the pair were also savvy enough to showcase their friendship on beloved spicy shows, Hot Ones and Chicken Shop Date. Ryan mocked Hugh’s aussie accent within seconds of appearing on BBC Radio 1, they took the friendship quiz for GQ and argued over the internet’s biggest debates for LADbible TV. In each appearance, their natural chemistry was palpable, leaving viewers with one question: how do I get involved?
The press tour has also heavily featured the bromance’s supporting players, including Ryan’s wife Blake Lively, and the couple’s besties Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift.
Blake and Gigi attended the Deadpool and Wolverine New York City premiere donning the lead characters’ red and yellow colours, with Blake representing her hubby in a custom red off-the-shoulder Versace catsuit and Gigi repping Hugh in a yellow Miu Miu fit. I personally think the two looked bonkers but it was fun and on theme and they’re both so hot that it definitely worked.
Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere. Image credit: @blakelively Instagram
In a move that would have made Disney execs shit their pants with joy, pop-culture overlord Taylor Swift posted a story to Instagram supporting her mates and the film.
“Over the past few years I have watched one of my best friends on this planet pour every bit of his heart, soul, sweat, time, energy, jokes, pain, joy, rebellion, darkness, and magic into this film. He’s created the best work of his life, and this film feels like an actual joy portal, a wild escape from reality, and an abs sandwich. I don’t know how he did it, but that’s just Hugh for you!” she wrote in a classic bait-and-switch. Taylor went on to commend her “godkids’ sperm donor” aka Ryan, and linked her 283m fans to go buy tickets.
OK.
Image Credit: Instagram/Taylor Swift
Due to the writers’ strike last year, Deadpool and Wolverine will be the only Marvel movie of 2024, but thanks to the magic of Ryan and Hugh, the movie’s opening weekend alone just made the MCU “the first film franchise to cross $30 billion at global box office.”
Let’s hope these insane metrics greenlight many more bromance blockbusters to come, or at the very least, just chuck a couple of hundred million at the Ryan and Hugh and let us fawn over on their friendship some more.
Written by Lil Friedmann, who would like to wedge herself into the Ryan and Hugh bromance baguette. You can follow her at @lilfriedmann on socials.
Image credit: Getty + Punkee