It is no secret that a lot of people are excited about Deadpool 2. The sequel is coming on the heels of a wildly successful first installment, and folks behind the production have consistently teased us with promises of some great stuff in this year's follow-up. Chief among these teasers is eternal smartass Ryan Reynolds, who took to social media to offer up a celebration of Deadpool 2's new May release date, as well as yet another A+ Bea Arthur reference. Take a look at the photo, below.
If you were not already aware, let us drop some knowledge on you. Wade Wilson is a big fan of The Golden Girls. Actually, the word "fan" seems like a bit of an understatement; he is obsessed with the iconic sitcom. The folks behind the Deadpool franchise seem to have uncovered this fact in their research, and they have endeavored to include it as a minor detail on the hilt of each of Wade's swords. It is a beautiful photo for longtime fans of this violent and comical character, and seemingly a perfect way to celebrate the fact that Deadpool 2 will debut two weeks ahead of schedule on May 18.
Moreover, of course, Ryan Reynolds also made sure to punctuate this picture with "#MaxiumumEffort," a reference to Wade Wilson's frequently repeated catchphrase in the original Deadpool. The first film was largely built on the idea of throwing everything (whether it be a joke or an action sequence) against the wall with full force, and it looks like that meta mantra of "maximum effort" will carry over into the sequel.
For those of us with an affinity for hard-hitting action, the emphasis on Deadpool's swords is also another small promise of even more violence and gritty action. The first film stood out for a variety of reasons, but one of the key things that helped it stand apart (particularly in a pre-Logan world) was its focus on bloody and gory action set pieces -- many of which utilize Bea and Arthur. This photograph does not necessarily show Bea and Arthur in action, but it hammers home the fact that Reynolds seems to recognize what works about Wade Wilson, and why so many of us have gravitated towards him since his first film debuted back in 2016. Remember: threats hurt, but not nearly as much as serrated steel.
Ryan Reynolds will hack and slash his way into theaters later this year when Deadpool 2 premieres on May 18. Stay tuned for more updates out of the Fox X-Men universe as they become available, and check out our movie premiere guide to get more up-to-date information on all of the major movie release dates coming in 2018!
