Ryan Reynolds Recalls Sacrificing Deadpool Salary to Pay Writers

As a long-time gamer and avid moviegoer, I can’t help but be in awe of Ryan Reynolds‘ unwavering dedication to bringing Deadpool to life on the big screen. The character has been a fan favorite for years, but it wasn’t until 2015 that we finally got to see Wade Wilson’s Merc with a Mouth come to life.


Ryan Reynolds and the beloved character of Deadpool are at last joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe through the film “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Despite the immense popularity of Wade Wilson today, it required years to translate him from comic books to the big screen. As early as 2004, Reynolds had been working on a Deadpool movie project. After close to a decade in development, production eventually began in 2015.

During filming, the obstacles of bringing Deadpool to life on the big screen persisted. The production couldn’t accommodate keeping co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick present, so Reynolds came up with a creative alternative instead.

Why Did Ryan Reynolds Give Up His Salary on Deadpool?

During an interview with The New York Times, Reynolds shared that he gave up his Deadpool paycheck to keep his writing partners present on the film’s set.

After waiting for nearly a decade, Reynolds shared that when Deadpool was given the go-ahead, he never imagined it would become a hit. He relinquished his payment for the film just so Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick could join him on set as unofficial writers to refine the script together.

Deadpool’s risky venture proved successful, raking in an impressive $782 million+ global box office as the highest-grossing R-rated film ever made – a title Deadpool 2 later inherited. Reynolds learned a valuable lesson from this experience: putting creativity first can pay off handsomely.

Reynolds shared his belief that excessive resources can hinder creativity, as the production of that particular movie lacked both time and money. This situation encouraged a focus on character development instead of grand spectacles, which is a challenge in comic-book films. I was deeply engrossed in every intricate detail of it, an experience I hadn’t felt in a long while. I yearned for that feeling not just during Deadpool, but on any project.

Reynolds is set to don the costume once more as Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, in the upcoming film “Deadpool & Wolverine,” hitting theaters on July 26, 2024.

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2024-07-17 16:40