Disney's "Deadpool & Wolverine" breaks $1 billion at global box office
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
"Deadpool & Wolverine," which broke through $1 billion in global box office sales this weekend, is on track to surpass "Joker" as the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.
Why it matters: "Once thought of as a sure-fire way to limit potential box office, the R rating, when properly applied, can be the key to unlocking massive box office, and this has proven to be the secret sauce for the 'Deadpool' franchise," chief Comscore box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian told The Hollywood Reporter recently.
Zoom out: "Deadpool & Wolverine" diversifies Disney's stock of reliable franchises dominated by animation and Marvel Cinematic Universe titles, both of which typically have PG-13 ratings.
- Earlier this summer, Disney's "Inside Out 2" also crossed $1 billion globally at the box office, cementing the studio's status as the only one ever to produce back-to-back $1 billion releases in a single year.
Zoom in: "This is a moment of judgment for the company where they're realizing that this is an area that they've avoided for decades that is pretty dang lucrative," Walt Hickey, author of "You Are What You Watch," told Axios on Monday.
- While we may not see an R-rated or even PG-13 rated Disney princess film any time soon, this milestone may stir questions that could lead to "darker" material.
