There's a real good chance that you were one of the many folks who went out to see Deadpool this weekend, considering it's hauled in a record walloping $153 million in the past couple of days. So, of course, knowing how raunchy and action-packed the film was, you probably think there's a nice and juicy director's cut waiting for you in the home video phase of the film's release. Well we're sorry to say that no, there isn't.
Deadpool director Tim Miller was on hand for Collider's IMAX preview screening of the film, and during the Q&A there was talk about deleted material and a possible director's cut. Miller's response was that of a compromise, as while there are some deleted scenes that are coming to the DVD and Blu-ray, his final say on a director's cut went as follows:
I don’t wanna be all Joss Whedon on you, but no there’s not [a director’s cut]… There are some deleted scenes that have some extra stuff, but I’m pretty happy with this cut. I like it.
What's funny about Tim Miller's response to the matter of a director's cut of Deadpool is that he obviously remembers Whedon's previous remarks about how he was "too lazy" to make one. Yet Miller admits the fact that there won't be a director's cut is based on the fact that he actually enjoys the cut that he's put together for theatrical exhibition this weekend. That said, there are a couple of treats in store for the deleted scenes that will be included on the home video release.
One such treat that was mentioned specifically by Tim Miller is a little more footage involving Deadpool's "workshop fight" between Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Ed Skrein's Ajax. While the scene is pretty brutal in theaters, with both opponents beating each other to a bloody pulp whilst surrounded by a burning building, there was a little more oomph in the original cut of the scene. So much in fact that producer Simon Kinberg actually had Miller remove a particularity vicious beat where someone stomps on someone else's face mid-battle. Considering everything else that made it into the film, it's surprising that such a moment would be the hard limit for Kinberg's view on the scene.
Fans might be a little disappointed about not seeing a traditional "director's cut" of Deadpool hitting DVD and Blu-ray, but with everything that Tim Miller has told us, they really shouldn't. Considering the supposedly minor cuts made to the finished product, as well as Miller's official sign off on the released product, the actual director's cut of Deadpool is what's on the screen right now. So every sex joke, pop culture reference, and severed limb is lovingly included for all to see. If that's not the ultimate valentine to Deadpool fans, then we don't know what is.
Deadpool is in theaters now, and if you haven't seen it, you deserve to treat yourself to the ultimate gesture of self-love.
