Ryan Reynolds Surprised Disney Allows R-Rating on Deadpool & Wolverine

Ryan Reynolds said this week he was “surprised” Disney allowed the R-rating on their upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine. The film, out July 26, will be Marvel’s first R movie.

“I hope this doesn’t sound condescending, I’m really proud of them for doing this,” Reynolds said during an interview with Fandango. “It’s a huge step for them, it adds a whole color to this kaleidoscopic wheel that is that company and the different people that they have been entertaining for forever.”

Reynolds also said the rating wasn’t about “exploiting” the ability to “just do R-rated stuff,” but because “there’s no other way to do it for this character in this world.”

Deadpool & Wolverine will also feature a crossover with Hugh Jackman’s Logan, the X-men character from the movie of the same in 2017, which was also rated R. Reynolds said the R-rating on the upcoming film was necessary to maintain the “full-throated version of Wolverine of Logan.”

Director Shawn Levy, also present for the interview, echoed Reynolds’ point. “We were clear from the get-go… If the three of us are going to do this, we’ve got to be truthful to the tone of a Deadpool movie. And that means we’re not softening the edges, we’re going to be audacious and funny and edgy.”

He added that though they expected significant pushback from Disney and Marvel, they were actually met with support. “They kind of have trusted us and allowed us to do the version of Deadpool and Wolverine that we feel is best.”

Marvel boss Kevin Feige teased the project at CinemaCon in April, and he celebrated the R-rating with some F-bombs onstage. “It’s fucking awesome,” he said.