This is a very exciting month for cinephiles and nerd culture enthusiasts. We're currently 2/3 into some major blockbuster releases. It started with Avengers: Infinity War and Solo: A Star Wars Story is almost upon us, but this weekend is all about the Merc with the Mouth. After two years of waiting, Deadpool 2 has finally arrived in theaters, complete with the colorful cast of characters and the titular antihero. Given the wild success o the original film, the pressure was certainly on to deliver a sequel. Star/producer/writer Ryan Reynolds recently revealed he didn't think the title of Deadpool 2 was great, although co-writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese actually expressed the opposite to CinemaBlend. When Eric Eisenberg spoke to the duo on the red carpet, the writers revealed Deadpool 2 was the only real option, saying:
Rheese: I think we contemplated the idea of doing one of those silly titles. But it's been done for 20 years now and it just felt a little bit like a cliche and maybe beneath us. So we decided let's just keep it Deadpool 2.Wernick: Strangely, calling it Deadpool 2 made it fresh to us.
It looks like Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese were excited about a superhero movie without the fancy or long titles, and therefore loved Deadpool 2. It's simple, says exactly what you're going to get, and allows the movie to continually surprise its audience. It's too bad Ryan Reynolds doesn't seem quite as happy with the sequel's name.
There is certainly a refreshing honesty about Deadpool 2's title, especially as superhero movies and action films so often have long, teasy titles. The Avengers, Captain America, and Jurassic World franchises don't go simply by numbers, but have subtitles that tease each film's plot. Rather than Deadpool 2: The Chimichanga of Destiny, the highly anticipated sequel opted for a cleaner name.
Of course, the Deadpool franchise is also synonymous with its wit and ability to poke fun at the genre. As such, the lack of a joke in Deadpool 2's title is potentially a missed opportunity for a joke. It seems like the sequel could have been given a subtitle as well, perhaps one with the title character's many double entendres. Deadpool 2 throws jokes at the audience constantly, so its surprising that the sequel's title didn't feature any jokes.
You can check out Eric Eisenberg's conversation with Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese below.
While Ryan Reynolds might not agree with Deadpool 2's writers on the film's title, it's clear that's where their problems stop. The film itself has been met with massively positive critical acclaim, and is poised to make some serious money at the box office.
Deadpool 2 is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
