DEADPOOL 2.

A SEQUEL AND A DEPARTURE

WHY MILLER LEFT AND LEITCH TOOK OVER

Plans for a sequel were confirmed in February 2016, with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick returning to write and Ryan Reynolds credited as co-writer. Tim Miller left in October 2016 over what the studio called creative differences, and David Leitch signed about a month later. Miller reportedly wanted a bigger, more stylised film than the writers and Reynolds did, and Cable’s casting was said to be another point of disagreement, though the full reasons may never be known.

Leitch said on 25 May 2018 that the series is “a balancing act with tone.”

A TIME-TRAVELLING SOLDIER AND A SHORT-LIVED TEAM

HOW CABLE AND X-FORCE JOINED THE STORY

Josh Brolin was cast as Cable in April 2017 after Michael Shannon and David Harbour had been mentioned, and he signed a four-film deal. The cast also includes Zazie Beetz as Domino, Julian Dennison as Russell Collins, and Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapičić and Karan Soni returning, with Terry Crews, Jack Kesy and Eddie Marsan among the newcomers.

Leitch said of Brolin’s casting:

“I can’t imagine anybody else playing that role.”

David Leitch, 25 May 2018

VANCOUVER, VICTORIA AND REWRITES

HOW THE FILM WAS SHOT

Filming began on 26 June 2017 in Vancouver under the working title Love Machine, with Hatley Castle in Victoria standing in for the X-Mansion. Production was officially completed on 14 October 2017, and six days of reshoots followed in February 2018. The budget was $110 million.

On 14 August 2017, stunt performer Joi “SJ” Harris died in a motorcycle accident during filming in Vancouver. Twentieth Century Fox said it was “deeply saddened by the accident,” and the film’s credits are dedicated to her.

A BIG OPENING, SHORT OF THE FIRST FILM

HOW THE SEQUEL OPENED

The film premiered at Empire Leicester Square in London on 10 May 2018 and opened in the US on 18 May, after originally being set for 1 June. Its US opening weekend of $125,507,153 was just under the first film’s $132.4 million and third best of 2018 behind Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther, with $176 million overseas and $301 million globally. Its worldwide total reached about $785.9 million.

Tyler Bates composed the score, and Céline Dion’s “Ashes” was released as a single on 3 May 2018. Once Upon a Deadpool, a PG-13 re-cut with new framing scenes, followed on 12 December 2018.

THE REWATCH

AN 83% CRITICS SCORE AND A STRONG AUDIENCE RESPONSE

Rotten Tomatoes lists an 83% critics’ score from 418 reviews and an 85% audience score, and its consensus says the film “threatens to buckle under the weight of its meta gags.” Metacritic gives it 66 from 51 critics.

In the Marvel Marathon it is classed as an X-Men film. It sits in the X-Men movies in order guide between Legion Season 2 and The Gifted Season 2, and in the Marvel movies in release order guide between Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp. It is not in the MCU guides.