10 Years Later, Marvel's Most Important Movie Still Isn't Part of the MCU

Ten years ago, the superhero genre was at its peak. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) had cemented itself as an unbeatable force after a string of surprising wins — 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, 2015's Ant-Man — and was gearing up for its most ambitious effort yet, the crossover event Captain America: Civil War. On the other side of the aisle, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was finally ready to jump back into the fray with two movies that would ultimately earn the wrath of critics, but still prove successful at the box office: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. In 2016, the concept of superhero fatigue was only on the minds of those who actively disliked the genre.

Many of the year's releases would prove consequential for the future of comic book adaptations. Batman v Superman's mixed reception would further destabilize the DCEU's potential and director Zack Snyder's place within the franchise, while Civil War introduced Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), two significant heroes who would prove essential to the MCU. However, looking back, it's clear now that the 2016 movie that helped chart Marvel's future didn't belong to the MCU at all. Instead, that honor went to a little Fox movie that changed the game entirely: Deadpool.

'Deadpool' Changed the Game for R-Rated Marvel Superhero Movies

Released on February 12, 2016, Deadpool rolled into theaters with high expectations from fans. The foul-mouthed, quippy anti-hero had previously been adapted for live-action in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but to say he was a disappointment would be an understatement. Wade Wilson's most essential feature — his wise-cracking mouth — got sewn up, and he was barely able to make a proper joke. The missed opportunity haunted both fans and actor Ryan Reynolds, who then devoted himself to ensuring Deadpool got the movie he deserved.

Working with director Tim Miller and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, Reynolds made his triumphant return to the Marvel universe with a film that was just as violent and profane as the character's comics appearances. Deadpool was an undisputed hit, earning rave reviews and over $782.8 million worldwide. Though it wasn't the first R-rated superhero movie to ever be released, it was the first to arrive after the MCU revitalized the genre. Thanks to that franchise, big screen superhero properties — particularly those from Marvel — had become family-friendly events that drew in viewers of all ages and backgrounds. It seemed risky to release a blockbuster that would inherently alienate a large portion of its audience.

Deadpool's box office success proved there was an audience for adult superhero films and further supported the idea that non-comic fans would show up for characters that seemed interesting. A whole new avenue opened up for the genre. The MCU has still largely stuck to PG-13 offerings, but recent years have shown it dabbling in more mature storytelling. The franchise's first R-rated movie was, fittingly, Deadpool's own MCU debut, Deadpool & Wolverine, and though development on Blade remains a tenuous, uncertain thing, it has been positioned as R-rated. On TV, Marvel has pushed its boundaries further via TV-MA offerings like Daredevil: Born Again, Echo, and Marvel Zombies. Now, Marvel can truly say it has something for everyone.

Beyond its bloody action and ability to drop f-bombs, Deadpool had another unique component to offer audiences: a willingness to poke fun at itself. Much like he does in the comics, Wade is prone to breaking the fourth wall and making jokes about everything from Marvel's typical storytelling formula to Reynolds' own career. Back in 2016, it wasn't something Marvel had much experience in, but since Deadpool's release, the studio has grown more comfortable putting meta flourishes in its projects.

The most obvious example of this is the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which also had its protagonist break the fourth wall to address the audience and mock Marvel's tried-and-true format. A show like that, one so ready to confront MCU criticisms head-on through cheeky humor, doesn't seem possible without Deadpool paving the way first. Even when Marvel doesn't outright shatter the line between story and reality, it has introduced situations where its characters can confront the truth of themselves — and the plots that shaped them — through the perspective of an outside audience. Shows like WandaVision, Loki, and Moon Knight found their leads actively viewing their pasts as if they, too, were viewers watching shows at home; WandaVision had the added layer of actually spoofing different television eras.

That brand of meta storytelling is more serious than Deadpool stapling a picture of Hugh Jackman over his face, but it's still an example of being aware of the storytelling that surrounds these characters. Most recently, Marvel has tackled the concept of superhero fatigue in Hollywood with the show Wonder Man, which takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the mega-franchise that Wade would appreciate.

Outside of its humor, Deadpool isn't exactly a groundbreaking superhero story — it still follows some very familiar beats with a white, male hero — but it nevertheless seemed to give Marvel permission to keep experimenting with its projects. Heroes didn't have to be clean-cut, their humor didn't have to be straightforward, and their worlds could be as big as they want them to be. The MCU's success rate has gotten shakier since 2016, but there's little question that it isn't nearly as conventional as it used to be, and Deadpool helped make that shift happen.

Deadpool is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.