Disney and Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine has become the second R-rated film to surpass $1 billion at the global box office and is on track to become the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, CNBC reports.
Currently, it has grossed $1.029 billion, approaching the record held by Warner Bros.’ Joker, which earned $1.078 billion in 2019. The film, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, achieved the highest opening of any film in 2024 and set the record for the highest debut of an R-rated movie. It is also the first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe film, as previous Deadpool movies were produced by 20th Century Fox before Disney’s acquisition.
This success marks a turnaround for Disney, which had experienced a slow post-pandemic period and struggled with underperforming franchise films. Disney is focusing on leveraging its popular franchises with upcoming releases including Moana 2, major animated sequels like Toy Story 5 and Frozen III, and new Marvel and Star Wars titles.
