The Marvel Movies The Deadpool 3 Trailer Beat To Become The Most-Watched Of All Time
If there's one thing Marvel fans remember from Super Bowl LVIII, it's the "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer, which has sent a new benchmark for the studio. The threequel will be the first X-Men-centric film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, establishing endless possibilities for superhero storytelling. Directed by Shawn Levy, "Deadpool & Wolverine" will also be the MCU's first R-rated film — an exciting step for the billion-dollar franchise known for its family-friendly fare.
With the MCU going through creative upheaval, there's a lot of hype for "Deadpool & Wolverine" and the first look delivered. In the trailer, fans see a down-on-his-luck Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) roped into the property thanks to the TVA. It ends with a glimpse of Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) back, saving a full view of the X-Man for a future trailer. Unsurprisingly, the "Deadpool & Wolverine" preview made considerable waves online, quickly emerging as the most-watched trailer of all time with 365 million views in 24 hours, per a Disney press release. How's that for an MCU comeback?
With so many "Deadpool & Wolverine" views, Marvel Studios has broken its record for the most-watched trailer of all time — a title "Spider-Man: No Way Home" held since 2021. The Spidey threequel's teaser trailer wracked up over 355 million views, taking away the top spot from the "Avengers: Endgame" teaser, which had 289 million views.
Why the views for Deadpool & Wolverine matter for Marvel
A ton of eyeballs were focused on "Deadpool & Wolverine" this past weekend. Nielsen says 123.7 million viewers watched Super Bowl LVII, making it the most-watched telecast of all time (via Variety). Seeing as the "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer debuted right around kickoff time, it was likely one of the first things fans saw when they tuned in. The trailer's success confirms two things: Audiences are starved for more Marvel content despite backlash to projects like "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and "Secret Invasion," and the MCU desperately needs marquee characters like Deadpool and Wolverine to generate interest.
Marvel fans have patiently waited since Disney acquired 20th Century Studios to see their beloved X-Men characters join the MCU. While it remains to be seen how integral the "Deadpool" threequel is to the Multiverse Saga, it's obvious Marvel is leaning heavily into the already established and revered characters. With Wolverine mentioned in the official title, it's clear that Marvel is peddling this picture like "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Avengers: Endgame," two franchise-defining crossovers.
With so many viewers interested in "Deadpool & Wolverine," it's fair to say that the picture will be a box office success — something Marvel desperately needs after the mediocre runs "Ant-Man 3" and "The Marvels" posted in 2023. No Marvel film has grossed over $1 billion since 2021's "No Way Home"... maybe "Deadpool & Wolverine" can finally return the studio to its glory days?