A to Z of 2024: Deadpool & Wolverine break the box-office rule book in Singapore
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Hugh Jackman (left) as Wolverine/Logan and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in Deadpool & Wolverine.
PHOTO: DISNEY
SINGAPORE – In the cinema business, the rule of thumb is: The lower the classification, the better the box office.
It makes sense, as families with children make up a significant portion of cinemagoers.
The rule is backed by numbers. In the Marvel-dominated list of the top 10 highest-grossing films in Singapore, no film has a rating higher than PG13, which allows entry to children under 13, with parental guidance.
In July, a rule-breaker came along in the form of a mouthy Marvel superhero – partnered with a far surlier frenemy.
The violent and expletive-laden Deadpool & Wolverine became the first film of 2024 to cross the $7 million mark at the local box office. With its final take of just over $7 million, it is the highest-grossing M18-rated film of all time in Singapore.
The first Deadpool (2016) made $6.2 million in Singapore, while Deadpool 2 (2018) made $5.2 million. Both were also rated M18.
Globally, Deadpool & Wolverine also holds the crown of the highest-grossing R-rated film, with a take of US$1.3 billion (S$1.7 billion) – way ahead of second-place holder Joker (2019), a DC Comics film with a global take of US$1 billion.
Ryan Reynolds (left) and Hugh Jackman during a press conference in Seoul on July 4.
Part of Deadpool & Wolverine’s popularity can be attributed to the intriguing pairing of two much-loved heroes. There was also word of mouth about the cameos by celebrity superheroes.
While these factors help explain the flood of ticket buyers, there might be a less obvious reason at play: This is a movie made for people alienated by superhero films that take themselves too seriously.
Recent staid and earnest Marvel movies that have been stiffed at the box office include The Marvels (2023) and Eternals (2021). The pandemic’s chilling effects on sales might explain their poor performance, but Covid-19 restrictions did not hurt Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), which easily crossed the US$1 billion mark in global sales.
Deadpool & Wolverine succeeded because of its profane humour and over-the-top violence, not despite it. It cured the malaise that has afflicted the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) of late: superhero fatigue.
Hit shows that portray superheroes as flawed and corrupt point to a desire for riskier fare. Shows like The Boys (2019 to present) and Invincible (2021 to present), both available on Prime Video, present superheroes as hypocrites wrapped in patriotic red, white and blue.
The success of Deadpool & Wolverine suggests that audiences are hungry for fresh takes on the genre, even if they come wrapped in an M18 or R rating.
The film’s irreverent approach to storytelling might well influence how studios approach future superhero projects, ushering in an era where edgier, more adult-oriented superhero films become less of an anomaly and more of a viable alternative.
