When Budgets and Ratings Collide
Deadpool is where it gets groundbreaking. Specifically designed for an R-rating, it is unabashedly violent, graphic, and filled with sweary insults – being true to its source material. But, its relatively modest $58 million budget necessitates creativity on the part of the writers and filmmakers, and the result is an efficient, inventive action film that stands as far apart from its $250 million-budgeted superhero cohorts as it does from its fellow R-rated action films. So, what makes it so groundbreaking? The two related factors of profile and marketing.
Until Deadpool, the R-rated superhero arena was reserved largely for hitherto lesser-known characters. Watchmen, Kick-Ass, Blade, The Crow, Judge Dredd, Punisher – these are characters popular with comic book fans, but less recognizable outside of that community, before the films came out. Deadpool was also a relatively obscure character, but had a much higher profile just prior to the film’s release, thanks to the second factor of marketing.
Most of the characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were also little known before their films came out – compared to, say, Batman or Superman – but in the PG-13 category, there is always room for giant, coordinated marketing campaigns, and Deadpool is the first R-rated comic book film to aim for such high profile exposure.
Kingsman: The Secret Service had a ‘traditional’ marketing campaign featuring trailers, interviews, and a smattering of merchandising. The unprecedented advertising onslaught for Deadpool, on the other hand – featuring specially made viral videos starring Ryan Reynolds – ensured that the Merc With a Mouth was on everyone’s mind by the time its Valentine’s weekend release date rolled around.
His masked visage has become so recognizable, we can hardly imagine life without him. Punisher: War Zone certainly never had such coverage back in 2008. The result for Deadpool is a tonally unique R-rated, $58 million superhero movie that made $282 million in three days. That’s groundbreaking.