Sure, Batman v Superman had a stellar weekend at the box office despite blistering reviews. But Deadpool, the Marvel antihero flick released a month earlier, isn’t exactly playing sidekick. The movie has stolen some of the spotlight from Warner Bros.’ (TWX) superhero grudge match by becoming the world’s highest-grossing R-rated film ever.
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Deadpool grossed a total of $746 million worldwide after this weekend, according to Box Office Mojo, edging past the $742 million raked in by The Matrix Reloaded, a 2003 Warner Bros. Blockbuster. The 20th Century Fox (FOX) film starring Ryan Reynolds ranks 68th on a list of international releases vs. The sci-fi sequel’s placement at 71.
Amazingly, Deadpool did not have a release in China, an increasingly important market for motion pictures.
For more on Deadpool’s box office success, watch:
In terms of U.S. Ticket sales, Deadpool has banked $349 million so far. That makes the Tim Miller-directed film the bronze medal winner for R-rated movies, lagging behind only The Passion of the Christ ($371 million) and American Sniper ($350 million) domestically.
Hollywood already knew that comic book adaptions perform well in theaters. The trash-talking warrior has taught it that those aimed at adult audiences can land a punch too; indeed, the creators of Batman v Superman, seemingly taking a cue from “the merc with a mouth,” have already announced an R-rated cut of their film slated for DVD.
Know what else performs well? Sequels. And yes, a follow-up Deadpool is already reportedly in the works.