Before Deadpool became one of the biggest R-rated hits in Hollywood, it was a risky project with a tight budget. But behind the scenes, actor Ryan Reynolds made a bold move that helped shape the movie’s success — and it involved his own wallet.
When the movie was being filmed, 20th Century Fox refused to pay for the writers to stay on set. But Reynolds knew how important they were to the film’s tone and humor. So instead of letting them go, he personally paid for them to stay and keep working.
“Fox interestingly wouldn’t pay for us to be on set,” Deadpool writer Rhett Reese shared on AMC’s Geeking Out (via NME). “Ryan Reynolds paid out of his own money, out of his own pocket.”
This wasn’t just a kind gesture. Reynolds had been working for six years to bring Deadpool to life. He knew that writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were the creative force behind the film’s unique voice — the quick wit, the sarcasm, and even the weird unicorn jokes.
Without them, Deadpool might not have been the same movie. Reynolds believed in the team, and he put his money where his mouth was.
It was a smart move. When Deadpool hit theaters in 2016, it became a massive hit. The movie only cost $58 million to make but earned over $783 million at the box office. It wasn’t your typical superhero movie — it had R-rated humor, bloody fight scenes, and Reynolds’ sharp performance as Wade Wilson, also known as Deadpool.
The real magic happened before the movie even started filming. Reynolds, Reese, and Wernick worked together as a tight creative team long before the studio gave the film the green light. That early teamwork is what made the movie so unique.
After Deadpool’s success, Reynolds came back for Deadpool 2 in 2018. He’s also returning in Deadpool 3, which will now be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Fans were happy to hear that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed the third film would keep its R rating.
Off-screen, Reynolds’ bet on Deadpool paid off in a big way. In 2016, he earned $21.5 million. His net worth grew rapidly, and by 2021, he was worth around $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He even took a short break from acting to spend more time with his family — but not before making a funny post on Twitter:
“If you include Deadpool’s cocaine rider, this is the most expensive reaction video ever made.”
Today, Reynolds and his wife, actress Blake Lively, are one of Hollywood’s power couples. With their combined success, they can easily fund passion projects without needing to rely on studios.
Looking back, Ryan Reynolds putting his own money into Deadpool wasn’t just a risk — it was a heroic move. It showed that sometimes, the biggest believers in a story aren’t just acting it out. They’re writing checks, backing the team, and doing whatever it takes to bring that story to life.
And in Reynolds’ case? That gamble paid off in red spandex, worldwide fame, and one of the most successful R-rated movie franchises ever made.
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