“They left a huge impression on me”: Ryan Reynolds’ R-Rated Experience as a Child Changed Him Permanently, Helped Create His Deadpool Persona

The wait is finally about to be over as Deadpool & Wolverine brings together two of Marvel’s most beloved anti-heroes. Ryan Reynolds is returning as Deadpool, joined by Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in the first R-rated movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The film’s R-rating has been a topic of discussion as many questioned how Disney would handle the adult-oriented Deadpool franchise. However, the studio has accepted the character’s edgy nature and allowed Reynolds and the creative team to push boundaries in many ways.

Ryan Reynolds’ R-Rated Childhood Experience Helped Shape Deadpool & Wolverine

The story behind Reynolds’ commitment to keeping Deadpool’s R-rated tone might lie in his own childhood experiences, which have left a mark on his creative mind. 

Ryan Reynolds recently opened up about his early experiences with R-rated films and how they shaped his approach to Deadpool. In an interview with The New York Times, Reynolds revealed,

When I saw rated-R movies when I was a kid, they left a huge impression on me because I didn’t feel like people were pulling punches, and it’s been a huge inspiration to so many of the things that I look to make now.

It seems like this childhood experience has fueled Reynolds’ determination to keep Deadpool true to its R-rated roots. The actor even went to show the new film to both his 9-year-old son and his mother, who is in her late 70s. According to Reynolds,

Both of them were laughing their guts out, were feeling the emotion where I most desperately hoped people would be.

Reynolds’ commitment to R-rating is not just about shock value or pushing boundaries for the sake of it. He explained to Fandango (via The Hollywood Reporter) that there is no other way to portray Deadpool authentically and give justice to his character. Director Shawn Levy also agreed with his words, saying, “We’ve got to be truthful to the tone of a Deadpool movie.”

It was not easy to keep Deadpool & Wolverine R-rated. Reynolds himself was surprised when Disney allowed it. In his Fandango interview, he confessed that he was surprised as well as proud of the studio, as it was a huge step for them as well. 

It seems like even Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige wanted Deadpool 3 to be R-rated from the beginning. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he embraced the R-rated nature of the movie by dropping some F-bombs at CinemaCon.

Shawn Levy’s Advice to Ryan Reynolds and the Future of R-Rated Marvel

The success of Deadpool & Wolverine might inspire the studio to create more R-rated Marvel projects. Kevin Feige recently talked about the possibility of an R-rated Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali. Feige told BlackTree TV,

I think that’s right. I mean, for the last two years as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure we are making the right Blade movie.

Feige acknowledged that the Blade franchise has been R-rated historically, which is one of the reasons for its success and it is an inherent character of its story just like Deadpool. This hints that Marvel might be open to exploring more mature content when it fits the character and story.

Beyond the world of superheroes and films, Reynolds shared a valuable parenting tip he learned from director Shawn Levy. He told People,

Shawn Levy actually told me something that stuck with me forever, that people tend to only talk about their wins. But I think it’s really important for your kids in particular to know that you lose.

This might be one of the reasons why he decided to take his son to watch Deadpool & Wolverine. The film is expected to deliver the unfiltered, boundary-pushing entertainment that inspired young Reynolds all those years ago, and it might possibly inspire the next generation of filmmakers as well.

Deadpool & Wolverine is releasing in theaters on July 26, 2024.