BEVERLY HILLS, California — Wolverine is the most beloved of all the X-Men mutants, so it's no surprise that his name is fueling the first of several possible "Origins" spin-off movies. But don't be surprised if, when you leave the theater this weekend, there's a different name on your lips: Deadpool.
"I think he's the most wholly unique character in the entire Marvel catalog, definitely," scene-stealing superhero Ryan Reynolds grinned, talking to us about his "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" character. "He's a cross between 'Commando' and 'Phantom of the Opera,' by way of 'Caddyshack.' "
The semi-tragic tale of Wade Winston Wilson began in comic books in 1991, introducing the character as an adversary for X-Men spin-offs the New Mutants and X-Force. Proving to be an immediate fan favorite, Deadpool received his own series and made appearances in many other comics, always maintaining a distinctive moral ambiguity — and a razor-sharp tongue matched only by his signature dual swords.
"[His tale is] a man on a mission kind of thing, but I think he's probably the most acerbic [wielder] of wit," Reynolds said, explaining why the "Merc With a Mouth" is such a perfect fit for the star of films like "Van Wilder," "Just Friends" and "Smokin' Aces." "[He] winds people up. There's two things to look forward to with a character like that: his ability at a moment's notice to create hyper-violence and at the same time he's able to provide as good a tongue-lashing as anyone."
As comic movies often do, "Origins" rewrites the basic story of Deadpool to add in elements that fit the character into the overall "X-Men" film franchise. And while some of these secrets are best left unspoken, let's just say that Wade starts out alongside Wolverine as part of an elite mutant team overseen by William Stryker (Danny Huston) — and by the end of the film, he's a very different kind of killing machine.
"I've walked that tightrope between good and bad all my life," Reynolds grinned mischievously. "I'm a country song."
Check out everything we've got on "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
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