There are superheroes, and then there’s Deadpool. The latest super-powered star from 20th Century Fox’s stable of Marvel adaptations is like nothing that has come before; you’ll want to be prepared.Ryan Reynolds plays the eponymous mercenary in DEADPOOL, from director Tim Miller, but who is the man himself? Brush up on the backstory and history of the funny, acerbic “Merc with a Mouth”ahead of the film’s release
He is super-powered…
Deadpool started life as Wade Wilson, an elite Special Forces operative turned mercenary. An expert marksman, swordsman and martial artist, and proficient in several languages, Wilson was diagnosed with terminal cancer, threatening to cut his days of being a hired gun short. Approached by a secret experimental program, Wilson was presented with a choice: take part in their twisted experiments for a chance to cure his cancer, or bear the pain of imminent death. But the shadowy facility didn’t exactly cure Wade’s cancer… What they did was activate dormant mutant genes that imbued Wade with with regenerative healing powers. In fact, the procedure advanced Wade’scancer, leaving him permanently disfigured but incapable of death, the perfect cocktail for an unhealthy mind.
…but he’s a different kind of superhero.
Ryan Reynolds is quick to insist that there’s very little heroism in Deadpool’s actions, even though he does like to take down bad guys and has a particular soft spot for kids. After escaping the secret facility’s clutches, with his psyche in tatters, Deadpool resolved to take his revenge. He’s foul-mouthed and refuses to play by the rules, making him a pariah to any superhero with a conscience. In fact, his big mouth has been shown to drive his enemies crazy on its own, leading to the “Merc with a Mouth” moniker.
