Ryan Reynolds has a reputation for infusing his Deadpool films with sharp industry humor. In the 2018 sequel, the audacious antihero speculates about surpassing the $370.8 million earned by Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ in North America, aiming to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, unadjusted for inflation. Although the original Deadpool outperformed The Passion of the Christ globally ($782 million compared to $612 million), it fell short in the U.S.
Reynolds’ wish is set to become reality this weekend with Deadpool & Wolverine. The film has shattered multiple records since its release a week ago, including impressive midweek earnings that have pushed its seven-day domestic total to an impressive $298.3 million through Thursday.
The movie is projected to earn an additional $85 million to $95 million this weekend, potentially bringing its domestic total to between $380 million and $390 million by Sunday, making it the top R-rated film ever in the U.S.
Marvel Studios and Disney’s Deadpool & Wolverine, directed by Shawn Levy and featuring Hugh Jackman, faces minimal competition in its second week. M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, starring Josh Hartnett, is expected to open with over $15 million, while Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on the beloved children’s book, is anticipated to debut in the single digits.
Deadpool & Wolverine is set to surpass $300 million in North America on Friday, eclipsing Deadpool 2’s lifetime domestic total of $318.5 million. The original Deadpool earned $363.1 million domestically and $782.6 million globally, while Deadpool 2 accumulated $734.5 million worldwide.
Looking ahead, the Deadpool threequel is on track to surpass the combined lifetime earnings of its predecessors within just two weeks. Its global total is expected to reach $785 million to $800 million by Sunday, propelling it to No. 3 on the list of top-grossing R-rated films worldwide.
With Todd Phillips’ Joker holding the top spot at $1.064 billion, it may take another week or so for Deadpool & Wolverine to surpass it, though it’s anticipated to eventually reach around $1.2 billion. The film’s success has defied expectations for R-rated movies, placing it alongside major franchises like Avengers and Star Wars in terms of its impressive opening.