Box Office Wrap Up

Deadpool dominates the box office for second consecutive weekend

There’s no slowing down the merc with a mouth as Deadpool crushes the box office with an impressive $55 million in its second weekend. Toppling a trio of newcomer’s the R-rated phenomenon starring Ryan Reynolds, has blown away even the wildest expectations of this film.

After just 10 days, Deadpool has surpassed every X-men film’s domestic gross, and I’m not talking about opening week, the film has now earned more than their entire box office runs!

Pop Culture Icon? Quite possibly.

In a film that is packed with popular culture references, Deadpool is poised to leave a legacy that will be attached to this decade many years later, much like Jurassic Park or Terminator 2 is tied to the nineties. There has simply never been a movie that has captivated the public’s attention in such a manner. A mix of awesome viral marketing, and glowing reviews from fans and critics alike has certainly helped put the merc with a mouth in this position, but it’s Deadpool’s checkered past that puts the film over.

Deadpool’s Timeline

• February 2004: Development of a Deadpool film begins with New Line Cinema
• March 2005: Deadpool proves to costly for New Line and is placed in a “turnaround” deal with Fox.
• May 2009: Ryan Reynolds portrays Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Fan Boys riot, however, due to Wolverines massive opening Fox lends Deadpool to writers.
• June 2010: Robert Rodriguez is tied to negotiations to direct but backs out and makes Spy Kids 4.
• April 2011: Tim Miller is brought onboard to direct Deadpool.
• July 2014: VFX footage is leaked from 2012, and social media explodes.
• September 2014: Deadpool is officially announced

I’ts true that it was mostly fans of the comic book that followed the Deadpool production saga, but it put them in a fevered pitch when the footage was leaked causing such a stir that Fox had to release this movie and propelled Deadpool into the mainstream. Without this element to the story, Deadpool most likely would have opened to a $50 – $70 million debut instead of its whopping $152 million.

Not bad for a movie that almost wasn’t made.

Elsewhere at the box office

Kung Fu Panda 3 kept steady at second with $12.5 million, at third there was another strong biblical debut for Risen with $11.8 million.The film starring Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton as a pair of Roman militants who investigate the aftermath of Jesus’s crucifixion. Following in fourth was the new horror movie The Witch, which is generating not only a ton of scares but a good buzz by critics and audiences alike, earning $8.6 million. Finally, the biopic Race stumbles due to a nonexistent marketing campaign.The Race follows Olympic track star Jesse Owens, grossed $7.2 million this weekend, coming in at a mediocre sixth place.

Box Office Totals

1. Deadpool: $55 million

2. Kung Fu Panda 3: $12.5 million

3. Risen: $11.8 million

4. The Witch: $8.6 million

5. How to Be Single: $8.2 million

6. Race: $7.2 million

7. Zoolander 2: $5.5 million

8. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens: $3.83 million

9. The Revenant: $3.8 million

10. Hail, Caesar!: $2.6 million