A special message from the desk of thurston deadpool, III, esquire

THE BEATING HEART - THE SECRET SAUCE

Wernick says, ““Deadpool” is known as a comedy, but there’s a real beating heart to it. The secret sauce of “Deadpool” is this emotional core. It’s a character that’s been kicked and knocked down, and life’s been really tough on him, as a character with cancer and this terrible scarring on his face. I think kids related to Spider-Man because it was a nerdy little kid, and then he put on the mask and he was this amazing super hero. And I think people tap into Wade Wilson because they see a character whose life has been tough and he somehow

overcomes it all, laughs about it and wins in the end. I think people really relate to that.”

Aditya Sood says, “One of the real challenges – and joys – of “Deadpool” is finding that balance between the comedy, the action, and the emotion. What’s wonderful about Ryan is that he can handle all of those things. If he were

just a comedic star, he would be the best comedic star. If he were just an action star, he could just do that. If he were just a dramatic actor, he could do that. But the fact that he can do all three, that is what allows “Deadpool” to be “Deadpool.””

“The makeup is such an ordeal,” says Wernick, referring to the prosthetic makeup Reynolds wears as scarred Wade Wilson. “We built schedules around how quickly we

could get Ryan out of if because it’s oppressive. It takes hours to put

on, and he’s uncomfortable in it, and he’s got to act underneath this pile of plastic. How impossible is it to emote when you’ve got this prosthetic stapled to your face? And yet, he does it brilliantly. It’s really a credit to Ryan and his abilities as an actor to act behind that mask. He is the

voice of this movie. He is the beating heart that is Deadpool. His instincts are almost always dead-on. When he’s behind that camera and watching and guiding the process, he really has his fingers on the pulse of what’s going to work and what’s not going to work.”

Wernick notes that for some people, “Comics are like the Bible. You better stick to exactly how that character is in the comics. What’s so great about the comics, though, is that because there are different writers that come in and out of a series, a character could die here and then come back to life. We’re allowed a little flexibility in how we treat a character. I think our goal as writers isn’t to mimic any particular writer of the comics, it’s to get the flavour and feel and texture of a character, and his or her voice, and then bring it to the screen in our own original way.”

He adds, “The script is pretty much our Bible. It gives us the launching pad and we get what’s on the page. But there’s always the ad-libs and the improv that all of the actors contribute to. When you have these brilliant comedic minds at your disposal, you use them.”

“I think the best movies are ones where the artists creating them resonate the frequency of the source material,” says Aditya Sood, “and there is something about Ryan and Rhett and Paul’s’ brains that just coalesce perfectly with “Deadpool.” They really speak for the character, and it’s a joy to work with them because you know you’re always going to be surprised with new things, but at the same time, they feel essentially Deadpooly.”

“Deadpool 2” is filled with an assortment of nasty antagonists, but there is no one main villain.

Wernick says, “Deadpool’s a character who breaks all the rules, he breaks the fourth wall. We, in turn, do the same. “Deadpool 2” doesn’t have the traditional mustache-twirling villain. It’s an unusual structure. We want to set up the audience to believe that Cable is the actual villain and it’s going to be
Cable versus Deadpool. Ultimately, that doesn’t turn out to be the case and they team up.”

JOSH BROLIN AS CABLE

Academy Award-nominated actor Josh Brolin has starred in a slate of films, ranging from “No Country For Old Men” and “Sicario,” all the way back to the now-classic “Goonies.” In “Deadpool 2,” Brolin stars as one of the most highly-anticipated screen personas in recent history: the time-traveling Cable, a warrior infected with the techno-organic virus that renders him cybernetic.

“One of the things that made “Deadpool” popular was that, while it was silly and irreverent, it also had a heart and real angst and grounded emotions,” says Reese. “Wade Wilson is someone who leads a pretty tormented life and lives on the edge of society. We wanted to carry that into “Deadpool 2,” and we worked in some pretty serious, dark plots. Deadpool is still on

the fringe, he hasn’t really made much of his life and he is still scrounging to get by – which is always endearing. The Cable character has also lost a great deal. He has lost his wife and daughter at the hands of a mad man, and he’s doing anything in his power, including traveling back in time, to solve that issue and bring them back. In this, there is an undercurrent

of real emotion and depth that counterbalances the humour. It’s not just farce or a romp. It has real emotional underpinnings and I think the combination is where we like to live.”

“Cable is a stalwart of X-Force,” says Wernick. “Deadpool is the gateway into the X-Force world, and an essential part. Cable is the straight man to Deadpool’s madness. He provides an almost parallel emotional core. Despite them being very different, they’re very similar in that they’re both broken. They’ve both lost something and are in search of something. Ultimately, they find each other.”

“Josh is a treasure and one of the great actors of our generation. We’re just privileged to have him,” says Wernick. “Josh is incredible,” adds Sood. “He personifies this character that’s been a fan favourite for years. I think it’s going to be really exciting for everybody to see it on the screen. It was great for us, because we got to look at all those wonderful Cable - Deadpool stories and try to get the essence of what that relationship was and translate it to the screen. They are incredibly strong- willed personalities. One sees the world in black and white in a very serious way, and the other sees the world in fuchsia and technicolor and every shade of grey in between. Sparks fly between them.

The movie is not a buddy movie in any way, but you can see the beginnings of a partnership that may yield even bigger results in the future.”

“Deadpool” creator Rob Liefeld, also created Cable. He says, “Josh Brolin could not be more perfect for the role. He’s one of the most talented actors of all space and time!” Liefeld recalls meeting Brolin on set and thinking, “I’m meeting Cable! How awesome is this!?! I dare anyone to meet one of your own creations and not get umpteen butterflies in your stomach.”

To morph into the fighting machine Cable, Brolin worked out diligently for months and was also extremely disciplined in his dietary habits. He was very proud of getting into what he calls, “the best shape of my life.”