[A photo of one of Disney’s theme parks. Photo Credit to flickr]

Deadpool and Wolverine is the newest entry in a long-running series of films apart from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU),  a collection of movies based on Marvel comics.

According to Variety, the film has grossed over $1 billion at the global box office.

A single movie grossing over 1 billion dollars is nothing new for the MCU, with a total of 11 films having achieved that milestone.

However, Deadpool and Wolverine stand out from the rest of that list.

It is one of only two R-rated movies ever to achieve this feat, the other being the 2019 DC film Joker.

Moreover, the movie is the first R-rated film ever released under the Disney brand.

Disney has long built a reputation for being family-friendly and creating movies, TV shows, and cartoons that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Thus, it might come as a surprise that one of Disney’s highest-grossing films of 2024 is R-rated and deemed unsuitable for viewers under 18.

Many fans of the Deadpool franchise were initially concerned about how the traditional family friendly media corporation such as Disney would handle the acquisition of such a vulgar and inappropriate movie series.

Disney has historically been cautious in maintaining its family-friendly brand, a value instilled by company co-founder Walt Disney and upheld through its many animated and live-action films.

At first, the acquisition of the Deadpool franchise by Disney raised concerns among fans who feared that the irrelevant, often crude humor synonymous with the series would be toned down to fit Disney’s family-friendly mold.

This left many wondering if the beloved character’s trademark vulgarity and dark humor would survive under the new ownership or if the franchise would be sanitized to align with Disney’s traditional values.

To the relief of many fans, Disney confirmed that the third installment of the Deadpool series would retain its R-rating, setting an important precedent for both the MCU and Disney as a whole.

Media corporations typically view a film’s success by its financial performance.

When trying novel ideas, the sum of money a project is able to generate often determines whether that idea will be continued.

The financial success of Deadpool and Wolverine could signal to Disney that R-rated movies are a viable option for the company’s future.

However, the film’s success goes beyond its superficial reasons such as being R-rated or being a part of the Marvel franchise.

Despite a recent downturn in MCU films, both in terms of audience reception and box office earnings, it was the creative control of lead actor Ryan Reynolds that helped make Deadpool and Wolverine a massive hit.

Reynolds told the BBC, "I love being able to do a movie that is in and of itself just a movie,” further clarifying, “Deadpool and Wolverine isn't a commercial for another movie. It's just not part of the DNA.”

The success of Deadpool and Wolverine has left many fans wondering what message Disney will take from this.

Despite this exciting change, it is important to acknowledge that a movie’s success hinges upon more than just its maturity rating.

Recent R-rated films such as Oppenheimer, Joker, or Deadpool and Wolverine have demonstrated that audiences are willing to show up for mature content.

As the R-rating becomes more mainstream and accessible, it is likely that more films will explore the creative possibilities it offers.