‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ set for highest opening of an R-rated film

The “Merc with a Mouth” returns to the big screen this weekend, and he’s doing more than bringing an R-rating to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Deadpool and Wolverine,” the third standalone feature starring Ryan Reynolds as the regenerating degenerate, is expected to tally between $160 million and $180 million at the domestic box office during its debut.

The film is already the best ticket pre-seller of 2024, according to Fandango — and it’s set to break a number of records during its opening weekend. Those marks include the highest domestic opening of 2024 and the biggest debut ever for an R-rated film.

Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” is currently the highest opener of the year at $154.2 million and the first “Deadpool” film’s $132.4 million debut is the highest for any R-rated feature, according to data from Comscore.

“I think no question this is going to open as the largest R-rated movie of all time,” said Mike Bowers, president and CEO of Harkins Theatres, a theater chain based in Arizona. “And it’s already one of the top presale movies historically for us.”

“Deadpool and Wolverine” is the 34th film to be released under the MCU banner and the first to garner an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association. The previous two Deadpool films, both rated R, were produced and released through 20th Century Fox. Disney acquired the company in 2019, bringing the X-Men and Fantastic Four back into the larger Marvel portfolio.

Like previous entries in the MCU, “Deadpool and Wolverine” is benefitting from fan fervor. Audiences are eager to see the flick in its opening weekend in order to avoid spoilers. Disney has kept much of the film’s content secret and provided limited press screenings prior to its debut.

And Bowers expects audiences will keep coming back for more in the weeks after the film’s opening.

“This is a film that there’s so much happening, so many jokes and funny sequences that no one’s gonna be able to eat just one, you know, they’re gonna be back,” he said.

Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex, the largest movie theater chain in Canada, echoed Bower’s thoughts. Jacob said “Deadpool and Wolverine” is filled with Easter eggs and audiences will return to try and see them all.

He also noted that many of those moviegoers are buying tickets for premium screenings, like IMAX, Dolby and ScreenX, which come at higher prices.

Marvel has also collaborated with movie theaters to license merchandise like collectible popcorn buckets and drink containers that cinema operators expect will sell quickly. Concessions have always been the biggest money maker for theaters, and having limited edition items can drive even higher food and beverage sales.

Of course, “Deadpool and Wolverine” is also an important release for the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney has “eased off the gas pedal” and planned fewer releases in the series that drove the global box office for more than a decade, said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory. He said Disney is trying to right the ship after a series of theatrical missteps and poor box office hauls, as well as an deluge of streaming content that overcrowded the market and overwhelmed even the MCU’s biggest fans.

“Ultimately, as much as this is a Marvel movie, it may be viewed equally as a midsummer action comedy that stars personalities and brands that die-hard fans and casual viewers love,” said Robbins. “Reynolds and Jackman are a grand slam duo given their respective pop culture presences and friendly back-and-forth across social media and interviews. There’s also a genuine curiosity about how the MCU’s first R-rated film will play out and hold to the qualities which made the first two Deadpool films and [Jackman’s 2017 Wolverine film] ‘Logan’ so popular.”