‘Deadpool’ Screening Surprises, Impresses Stan Lee And Unsuspecting Fans
A surprise Deadpool screening hit an unsuspecting audience a little less than a month before the film was slated to hit theaters. Among that audience was comic book legend Stan Lee himself, who, along with a handful of fans in Los Angeles, was impressed with what Tim Miller and company did with the movie.
Deadpool fans know very well that the comic book antihero rarely plays by society’s rules himself. He regularly breaks the “fourth wall” by talking to the audience directly, has an old woman trapped in his home for reasons nobody understands, and has even taken on mercenary contracts to kill off heroes.
The last of those facts rarely works out, as in the comics even Frank Castle (better known as Punisher, an antihero with no actual powers) stopped him in mid-mission. Yes, a character who can regenerate and teleport was halted by a guy who’s just really good with military ordinance.
Breaking the unspoken rule, as Stan Lee’s blog puts it, the Deadpool screening surprised fans in New York City and Los Angeles who thought they were just going to see new footage. Instead, they got to see the full movie, including the end credits scene. The general consensus is that everyone in attendance was impressed.
I feel like the ZOOLANDER & DEADPOOL producers had a “Who can inspire the most think pieces?” contest. They’re both that good/horrifying.
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) February 4, 2016
Stan Lee even gushed about how the Deadpool movie, which fans have been waiting years for, featured his new favorite cameo. Yes, even though he skipped an appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past and the poorly-received Fantastic Four, Lee will have an appearance in Deadpool, which will allegedly be even better than the library scene from The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
#Deadpool is so freaking drop dead awesomeness. Why did I use those words together well cause I just died #Vsauce pic.twitter.com/mcSxjVS0Ko
— Eddy (@ItsEddynotEddie) January 19, 2016
Lee even pointed out that the Deadpool screening was not only a surprise, but he considers the film the best superhero movie he’s seen in years. Yes, the comic book legend actually insinuated that Deadpool is better than films like Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and possibly even Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
This is how I just spent my afternoon! OFFICIALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE MARVEL MOVIES OF ALL TIME. SO GOOD! pic.twitter.com/6bMTVusfGi
— Nadeshot (@Nadeshot) January 19, 2016
Ryan Reynolds accompanied the surprise Deadpool screening in NYC, and even posted a selfie on Instagram in front of the audience who came to the event. The Los Angeles premiere was accompanied by several more of the cast (including Stan Lee, of course). Director Tim Miller, comic book co-creator Rob Liefeld, screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and co-stars Brianna Hildebrand and TJ Miller were all in attendance alongside an unsuspecting audience.
The film follows the story of Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), a former Special Forces operative who is diagnosed with cancer. As he and his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) brace themselves for what could be his final days, a military specialist offers him the chance to not only beat cancer, but become more than he ever was before.
Along the way, Ajax (Ed Skrein) decides to do some cruel things to Wade, earning his eternal vengeance for the rest of the film. As those who saw the surprise Deadpool screening in January will testify, Deadpool joins forces with some familiar (and not-so-familiar) characters from the comics.
It’s unknown yet outside the writers’ room whether Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) will live longer than her comic book counterpart, who actually only had two tiny roles.
If you didn’t catch the surprise Deadpool screening in New York or Los Angeles in January, Stan Lee and the lucky fans who did will tell you you’re in for a treat.
[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]
