Let's get the repetitive, mutually agreed upon talking point out of the way early: ever since Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel has been at a bit of a low point. Lucky for Marvel, their lord and savior Deadpool (with his reluctant buddy, Wolverine) brought home the biggest opening, highest grossing weekend for Marvel since No Way Home back in December 2021, not to mention the highest grossing opening weekend for an R-rated movie ever. Per Deadline, Deadpool & Wolverine currently stands at $496.3 million worldwide as of today. Has the MCU found its salvation? It's no denying our long-awaited mutant team-up is already an extreme success, but something I've found particularly interesting is the reception and discourse surrounding Deadpool & Wolverine. Both via my own inner circles and the online discourse I've skimmed people are pretty divided, it seems. I've also noticed a general frustration with the structure, many claiming it's "not a movie" but rather a string of gags, cameos, and action positing itself as one. I find this interesting, and don't necessarily disagree. That being said, I saw Deadpool & Wolverine opening night with one of my oldest friends and had an absolute blast. And, to be fair—although I can agree most recent Marvel movies are middling to a mess—I've found something to enjoy in just about every outing since Endgame, even if the sum of the whole has been underwhelming. Something I've thought a lot about over the course of the MCU that I don't see enough...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Wednesday, 31 July