EXCLUSIVE: Sources tonight tell us Marvel Studios’ awesome duo continues to rack up revenue at the domestic box office on Monday, poised to bring in over $21.5 million, maybe even more.
At that level, Deadpool & Wolverine is the biggest Monday ever for an R-rated movie, beating the previous record of 2016’s Deadpool, which earned $19.7 million over the Presidents’ Day holiday.
Of all Mondays in July, D&W is currently the fourth-best performing behind “Spider-Man 2” ($27.6 million, July 5, 2004), “Barbie” ($26.1 million, July 24, 2023) and “The Dark Knight” ($24.4 million, July 21, 2008). Tuesday should also be a productive day for D&W, as last year’s Tuesday saw “Barbie” bring in another $26 million.
Additionally, the media value of Deadpool & Wolverine’s promotional partner campaign was $135 million, more than Disney made on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and more than Deadpool’s first and second promotional partner spend combined, which is especially significant considering Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t have an automotive partner (which, incidentally, are not common for R-rated movies).
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The promotional partner campaign was spearheaded by Disney SVP of Marketing Ryan Stankevich and the studio’s EVP of Marketing Partnerships & Special Events Lil Briar, with support from Ryan Reynolds’ studio and digital marketing agency Maximum Effort, with the goal of building a slate of partners who can sell Deadpool and Wolverine’s irreverent tone and subversive spirit. Maximum Effort’s campaign partners include Adidas, Aviation American Gin, Dave & Buster’s, Heineken, Jack in the Box and Heinz.
Disney
Marvel has once again teamed up with Adidas to mass produce the first Deadpool line, comprised of Adidas Originals and performance products inspired by and featured in the film. The collection will be available in select markets starting August 1. Notable features on the footwear include colorways and unique details featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine, including tongue-in-cheek jokes on the sock liners, censored language characters, and a storage pouch that alludes to the plethora of pouches the foul-mouthed mercenary keeps in his suit. There was also an activation on TikTok featuring an exclusive “ShoePool” character, a variation of Deadpool’s shoes.
Disney
For the first time ever, Reynolds Aviation American Gin has partnered with a blockbuster film to launch a limited-edition series of seven bottles with Deadpool and Wolverine-inspired designs. The film and gin were featured in 1,500 retail displays in stores. They were also promoted in bars, restaurants, theaters and special events in themed cocktails. Reynolds updated The Vasectomy cocktail in time for Father’s Day with a paid media-supported campaign across streaming, digital and social media.
To celebrate Dogpool’s dominance in the film, Disney partnered with Best Friends Animal Society, making them the film’s official nonprofit partner. PSAs celebrating Best Friends and our four-legged heroes aired on broadcast networks and through donated media in print media, garnering more than 2 million views in 48 hours. There were also local on-air segments in major markets featuring Dogpool and pet adoptions.
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Deadpool and Wolverine have appeared on over 70 million Coca-Cola cans and bottles, including:
Dave & Buster’s had a film-wrapped crane game filled with movie merchandise, like Best Friends keychains.
As a premier sponsor, Digiorno showcased four limited edition pizzas, available for sale at Target, Walmart and more.
Google unveiled a never-before-seen Easter egg globally in the “circle to search” gesture on Android devices, surprising fans as they gesture search for Deadpool, Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, complete with custom animations. The partnership was promoted through custom videos online and in T-Mobile’s 7,000 storefronts and 650,000 outdoor screens.
Heineken was the major sponsor, and the U.S. campaign was expanded globally with paid media and retailer support into international markets including Mexico, China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, the Bahamas and South Africa.
Disney
Deadpool and Wolverine’s red and yellow combo was matched with Heinz ketchup and mustard, and the bold ad was part of a U.S. campaign that also ran in Canada, Mexico, Australia, China, Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica, with additional support from billboards, bus stop displays, in-store POS and paid digital and social.
Jack in the Box offered a limited-time menu inspired by Deadpool’s favorite snack, the chimichanga, in 2,000 stores. The menu also featured spicy chicken strips and waffle sticks. There was also point-of-sale signage, themed Coca-Cola Freestyle flavors (mini chimi chasers), and a Jackpool gift-with-purchase antenna ball head. At San Diego Comic-Con, fans experienced a full store takeover and got to see wrapped carts. There was also a Blind Al Blind Pack giveaway featuring comic book and movie art inspired by the character.
Old Spice ran a custom ad spot featuring Deadpool’s roommate, Blind Al (who can still smell it, of course), in partnership with retailers Walgreens (over 2,000 stores) and Kroger (1,500 stores) and paid media.
Xbox was not only a premier sponsor across 14 countries, but was also the exclusive live stream partner of Twitch. The video game console produced a “Cheeky Controller” with a custom back mold inspired by Deadpool and Wolverine’s buttocks. It also had a Series X console with a katana wrapped in Deadpool’s suit. Outdoor advertising for this was plastered in Times Square and in Wolverine’s official hometown of Alberta, Canada. The company was also another sponsor of the film’s Comic-Con, hosting a cosplay meetup and showing off new Fortnite Deadpool assets in the game.
