'Deadpool': Why the superhero is popping up in another movie's trailer
The movie about superhero Deadpool isn't being released until February, but the character already seems to be everywhere. Here's what Twentieth Century Fox, the studio behind 'Deadpool,' is learning from other superhero movies.
'Deadpool' stars Ryan Reynolds.
Joe Lederer/Twentieth Century Fox/AP
The movie about superhero Deadpool isn鈥檛 coming out until this February, but the character is already everywhere.
After the movie garnered buzz from fans at Comic-Con, a trailer from the movie is set to be released on Aug. 4. However, the studio behind 鈥淒eadpool,鈥� Twentieth聽Century Fox, has released a trailer for the trailer (got that?), featuring Deadpool (portrayed by actor Ryan Reynolds) seated in an armchair, talking directly to the audience. He notes that the movie stars 鈥渇ive-time Academy Award viewer Ryan Reynolds.鈥�
Comic book fans recently saw the superhero pop up in another video clip, too. At the end of a trailer for the superhero movie 鈥淔antastic Four,鈥� after the title of the movie appeared, Deadpool appears, sitting in that same armchair. 鈥淪ee 鈥楩an Four鈥� in theaters this Friday and I鈥檒l throw in my 鈥楧eadpool鈥� trailer for free,鈥� he says.
These appearances actually make sense for the superhero as he鈥檚 depicted in the comic books. In Deadpool鈥檚 stories, he often breaks the fourth wall, commenting on what鈥檚 happening and speaking directly to the reader. Therefore, Deadpool being aware he鈥檚 in a movie 鈥� and that he has to promote it, no less 鈥� fits with his character.聽
These promotions also show that the studio releasing 鈥淒eadpool鈥� and 鈥淔antastic Four,鈥� Twentieth Century Fox, is learning a little something from Marvel. At the moment, Marvel Studios is the reigning superhero movie studio, with hits such as 鈥淭he Avengers,鈥� 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy,鈥� and 鈥淐aptain America: The Winter Soldier.鈥� Warner Bros., which releases the movies based on the characters of DC Comics, is in a bit of a lull, since the last 鈥淏atman鈥� movie directed by Christopher Nolan was released three years ago in 2012. That lull won鈥檛 last much longer, however: 鈥淏atman v Superman,鈥� which features the debut of actor Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, among other characters, is set to be released this March.
Twentieth Century Fox鈥檚 current superhero strength is the 鈥淴-Men鈥� franchise, which scored a hit with the 2014 movie 鈥淴-Men: Days of Future Past." Another is coming with 鈥淴-Men: Apocalypse鈥� in May 2016. (The X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and Deadpool all appear in Marvel comic books, but Marvel sold the rights to the characters before they became a big presence at multiplexes. Sorry, it鈥檚 confusing.)
However, 鈥淔antastic鈥� and 鈥淒eadpool鈥� show that Twentieth Century Fox is trying to become even more of a presence in the superhero movie world. Both could spawn franchises if successful. Marvel Studios has excelled at movies in which one character will make a cameo in another superhero鈥檚 film and then get their own movie. For example, the character Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) had a supporting role in 鈥淚ron Man 2,鈥� so audiences knew her before she popped up as a main character in 鈥淭he Avengers.鈥� Similarly, the character Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) appeared in the movie 鈥淭hor鈥� briefly, so he was familiar to viewers when he also appeared in 鈥淭he Avengers.鈥�
With these Deadpool appearances, Twentieth聽Century Fox is betting that a viewer interested in the Fantastic Four would also be interested in Deadpool 鈥� a pretty safe bet. And with Deadpool鈥檚 fourth-wall-breaking ways, he鈥檚 a natural to lead an effort like this.
While fans have to wait until February for 鈥淒eadpool,鈥� the 鈥淔antastic Four鈥� movie will hit theaters on Aug. 7.