A new IMAX poster forDeadpool 2has been released, and it does a great job of differentiating this comic book sequel from a certain other superhero movie being released soon. Indeed, at the moment all eyes are onAvengers: Infinity War. 20th Century Fox initially hadDeadpool 2hitting theaters in June, giving a month for fans to rest and reset between the massive Marvel Studios sequel and the R-ratedDeadpoolfollow-up. But Fox subsequently changed their mind whenInfinity Warmoved up a week, vaulting to the mid-May position.
Hardcore fans will be showing up for both movies, but from a studio standpoint you can’t just rest your laurels on the superfans—you have to reach audiences at large. That’s one of the reasons the marketing campaign forDeadpool 2has been so different. They can’t sell this as just another superhero movie because they’re releasing marketing materials at the same time Disney is launching a full-court press for the biggest MCU movie ever made. So Fox is going far left field, selling a different kind of moviegoing experience—one that stands in stark contrast to the dour stakes ofInfinity War. And so far, it’s working.
This Lisa Frank-inspired poster forDeadpool 2is delightful, and something Disney wouldneverconsider for a Marvel Studios movie (although the two brands may merge down the road if this Fox-Disney merger goes through). It’s subversive and silly, and also a little dangerous. A random onlooker may not be able to tell what in the worldDeadpool 2is by looking at this poster, and Fox is okay with that. They’re playing a longer game, and I love it.
Now does this meanDeadpool 2will giveInfinity Wara run for its money at the box office? Probably not. You can’t compete with the herculean size of that thing. But you can do your best to stand out and not get lost in its wake, and by gollyDeadpool 2is doing just that.
Check out the newDeadpool 2poster below. The film starsRyan Reynolds,Josh Brolin,Zazie Beets,Julian Dennison,Rob Delaney,Terry Crews,Brianna Hidelbrandand more and opens in theaters on May 18th.
For more onDeadpool 2, peruse links to our recent coverage below:
