Deadpool & Wolverine will be in German cinemas from July 24, 2024. Image source: Disney/20th Century Fox
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Deadpool & Wolverine can actually be as dirty and brutal as its two direct predecessors. And that is also reflected in the official age rating, which in the USA is a hard R-rating. But despite all the (creative) freedom Marvel has spoken out on at least one point.
It must not snow in Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine definitely doesn't skimp on the depiction of violence – which the first trailers for the film make unmistakably clear. But in an interview with GamesRadar Director Shawn Levy reveals that it was clear in early discussions with Marvel: The depiction of excessive drug use is a no-go.
The fact that Marvel is stepping in here is not a coincidence: In Deadpool and Deadpool 2, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) have expressed their weakness for cocaine more than once.
The logical consequence for Levy? The ban on Marvels was turned into a joke for the finished film:
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[…] There were conversations early on about excessive drug use. We thought that was an interesting conversation, so let's write a dialogue about the fact that we needed to have that conversation.
If you want to know exactly what the joke is, you don't have to wait until the movie's release on July 24, 2024. Because it has already made it into the official trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine. Just watch the following video a look at minute 02:19:
2:38
Deadpool & Wolverine: In the new trailer, Hugh Jackman can finally show his claws again
Can Marvel finally grow up?
By the way: Deadpool & Wolverine is not the first project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe aimed at an adult audience. Echo already made its debut on Disney Plus in early 2024. In addition, the planned Blade film with Mahershala Ali is also expected to receive a hard R rating (assuming the film is ever made).
Overall, Marvel now wants to reposition itself after a whole range of disappointing films and TV series. In the future, less attention will be paid to quantity and more to quality. Of course, it remains to be seen whether this will save the MCU.
But at least for Deadpool & Wolverine, the forecasts (via Deadline) already looks damn promising. The film could gross over $200 million in its opening weekend alone. That would lay the foundation for a pretty strong box office performance.