10 Things Hotly Anticipated Films Need To Get Right In 2016
9. Deadpool Needs To Take Advantage Of Its Very Existence
Deadpool is the big-screen comic book adaptation that many believed would never happen. An R rated Marvel comic book movie? The very notion was previously absurd. R rated superheros were relegated to the darker, more standalone material like Watchmen or Sin City. Fans couldn't believe it, then, when after a bunch of test footage for an earlier version of the film leaked, an official release date was set. The opportunity is there, then and director Tim Miller better not screw it up. So what are the dangers? Well, for a start, it needs to be funny. The character of Deadpool in the comic books frequently breaks the fourth well, talks about himself in the third person, and has a greater knowledge of story structure than your average fictional character should be privy to. Of course, the trailer does look pretty funny, but it also creates a slight, niggling worry. As a character, Deadpool is, put bluntly, a smug bastard. This comes across well in the trailer, but in both trailers released so far, and the brief promos, you can almost sense how funny the film thinks it is. What do I mean by that, exactly? Put simply, the film itself seems to have a rather self-congratulatory tone, a tone that extends beyond just the character itself. Of course, this might just be how it comes across in the promotional material, but there's no doubt that audiences frequently rally against comedy that seems too certain of its own funniness. Aside from that, the film needs to really take advantage of its unique opportunity. In the comics, Deadpool frequently breaks the fourth wall, references the real-world media and pop culture, and is clearly extremely well-versed in internet culture. A few throwaway references to the audience won't cut it, the film needs to be distinctly different from your average superhero film, perhaps even slightly disorientating they've got their R rating, so they better make sure they use it.
