Disney purchased a large portion of 20th Century Fox this week in a massive, industry-shaking $52.4 billion deal. This means Disney, a family friendly company, now owns the decidedly adult Deadpool franchise. Could this mean that Deadpool 2 will have its rating punched down to PG-13? In a conference call discussing Disney’s acquisition of Fox, Disney CEO Bob Iger addressed the Deadpool franchise, saying he’s OK with R-rated films so long as they can get the messaging right.
“[Deadpool] clearly has been and will be Marvel branded,” Iger said, according to reporter Ben Fritz. “But we think there might be an opportunity for a Marvel-R brand for something like Deadpool. As long as we let the audiences know what’s coming, we think we can manage that fine.”
Apparently you can’t actually blow the Matterhorn. pic.twitter.com/2bEAAcZrUv
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 14, 2017
Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds has publicly commented on the Disney/Fox deal multiple times. Before it was finalized, Reynolds wrote on Twitter, “I wonder how the fudge it would affect Deadpool?” And when the deal got closer to becoming finalized, Reynolds quipped, “Time to uncork that explosive sexual tension between Deadpool and Mickey Mouse.” With the deal now done, Reynolds tweeted a silly picture of Deadpool getting kicked out of DisneyLand.
In 2016, Iger said Disney had no plans to make any R-rated Marvel movies. Of course, plans can change; the idea of a PG-13 Deadpool movie probably wouldn’t sit well with fans. Disney also gets Fox’s Marvel properties such as X-Men and Fantastic Four as part of the buyout, bringing them back into the fold at Disney. The recent Wolverine movie, Logan, was rated R and it was a huge hit.
A new poster for Deadpool 2 has also been released. Riffing on Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam,” the poster shows Deadpool as Adam and Josh Brolin’s Cable as God.
Some might call this creation a masterpiece, but to me it’s just well hung art to be shared with the world. pic.twitter.com/O7ezRdGXX2
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 14, 2017
Disney’s buyout of Fox covers the 21st Century Fox film and TV studios, along with FX Networks, National Geographic. One of Fox’s key properties, The Simpsons, predicted that Disney would buy Fox almost 20 years ago.
