“I should have asked NSYNC”: Ryan Reynolds Took 6 Years to Set Up the Perfect Joke after Teasing His ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Dance Number in a Celine Dion Video

Deadpool & Wolverine is ruling the box office as well as the hearts of fans, as it has everything fans hoped for and more. Ryan Reynolds brought his signature blend of action, comedy, and fourth-wall-breaking shenanigans to the big screen once again.

Deadpool movies have been famous for their intro, but this time, there is a twist. The movie opens with something unexpected yet utterly perfect. Deadpool dancing to NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye is something that has taken over social media, and many are considering it the best intro of a Marvel movie ever.

Ryan Reynolds’ Teased NSYNC in Deadpool 2

What many might have overlooked is that this dance number is not just a random bit of fun. It is the culmination of a joke that Reynolds has been setting up for 6 years, and it all started with Celine Dion in Deadpool 2.

Back in 2018, when Deadpool 2 was about to be released, Ryan Reynolds made a marketing move by getting Dion to record Ashes for the soundtrack. In the music video, Deadpool can be seen dancing alongside the singer in high heels.

But the tease lies at the end of the video after Dion finishes her singing. Deadpool tells her that she needs to “phone it in” because her performance was too good. Deadpool says,

Well, it’s too good. Yeah, this is Deadpool 2, not Titanic, alright? You’re, like, an 11. We need to get you down to a 5, 5 and a half tops, just phone it in.

Dion gets annoyed by his comments and replies, “Listen, this thing only goes to 11. So, beat it, Spider-Man.” It is then that Deadpool mutters, “God, I should have asked NSYNC.”

Now, after 6 years, it looks like Reynolds finally got his wish. Deadpool is seen dancing to NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye in the opening scene of Deadpool & Wolverine while using Logan’s adamantium skeleton as his weapon to fight TVA guards. Although the scene looks bloody and bizarre, it captures the Deadpool spirit perfectly.

This callback to a 6-year-old joke shows just how much thought Reynolds puts into his work. It is about playing the long game and rewarding the attentive fans. The dance number has also given new life to the classic pop hit as it is climbing up the charts and trending on social media after 24 years of its release.

The Real Deadpool Dancer and Original Choreographer’s Reaction

It looks like dancing is something Reynolds doesn’t want to take a risk with. The actor admitted in a recent press conference that the trending moves in the opening scene are not actually his.

In a conversation With Ashley and Company, Reynolds credited the dancer Nick Pauley who was behind the mask. He said,

He’s doing a lot of the moves that have been established previously by NSYNC. If it looks like the person who’s dancing doesn’t have arthritis, that’s him.

Pauley is credited as “Dancepool” in the film. Darrin Henson, who was the original Bye Bye Bye choreographer, was also pleasantly surprised by the whole thing. In an interview with Forbes, he said,

I created it in a time period where people thought the world was coming to an end [with Y2K], and I was actually connecting the world through dance. So, 24 years later, to actually see a new generation of youth participate in the energy of the dance is really wonderful.

Pauley also shared his joy on social media by dancing to the tune. Such a revival of a 2000s pop classic brings a sense of nostalgia that works as a marketing strategy for the movie as well. Reynolds’ attention to detail and long-term thinking make the Deadpool franchise stand out in a crowded superhero landscape.

Deadpool & Wolverine is now running in theaters.