With three separate cinematic universes, it can be hard for comic book movies to stand out from the crowd. Then there's Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, which shattered expectations for what the genre could do. The fourth wall breaking romp made a ton of money on a minimal budget, and the post-credits scene all but confirmed a sequel was coming. Deadpool 2 was greenlit shortly after, although the highly anticipated sequel hasn't been without its missteps. Director Tim Miller departed the project, and the most recent rumors were that test screenings weren't going well, resulting in extra reshoots. But that might have been a falsehood, as a new report indicates that Deadpool 2 is scoring seriously high with its latest cut.
This latest update comes to us from THR, which reports that Deadpool 2's most recent test screening scored an extremely impressive 98%. This could have huge implications for the quality of the sequel, and would directly juxtapose the rumors swirling just last week. In comparison, the original movie was far more risky, scoring 91% and banking on a less than household hero.
Deadpool 2's most recent screenings reportedly tested two different cuts of the film. While the other cut still held up with an impressive 94%, the studio is indicated to be picking the higher score version as the final cut.
This latest report would indicate that the reshoots went off swimmingly, and likely helped to add to the overall quality of Deadpool 2. Star Brianna Hildebrand (aka Negasonic Teenage Warhead) recently echoed just that, maintaining reshoots only helped new director David Leitch correct any mistakes that the movie might have contained.
While it's not uncommon for major films to have reshoots built into the schedule, audiences (especially comic book fans) have seen this all but ruin movies. Perhaps the most recent example is Zack Snyder's Justice League, as director/producer Joss Whedon stepped in to finish the blockbuster. Whedon attempted to give the DCEU some levity in the wake of Batman v Superman's reception through reshoots, and the final cut of Justice League was a bit of a mismatched Frankstein film.
Couple the worry about reshoots with Deadpool 2's earlier roadblocks, and it makes sense that fans might be a bit concerned. The original Deadpool was a hilarious and fun ride, so there is serious pressure to deliver with its sequel. Add in the introduction of Josh Brolin's Cable and Zazie Beetz' Domino, and it's a perfect storm of nerves and excitement. Additionally, a tragic onset accident resulted in the death of a stuntwoman early in the filming process.
Luckily things appear to be going well for Deadpool 2, although we will have to wait until the film hits theaters to finally make judgements for ourselves. Regardless, it's clear that enough folks are interested that the sequel will likely do very well at the box office.
Deadpool 2 premiers May 18, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
