Deadpool & Wolverine ranks among Marvel Studios' biggest box office hits, but a new Disney financial filing has revealed that the R-rated blockbuster cost considerably more to make than originally planned.
According to Forbes, the total cost of Deadpool & Wolverine reached a staggering $556.8 million. That figure makes the Shawn Levy-directed adventure one of the most expensive movies ever made, though substantial UK tax credits helped bring Disney's net spend down considerably.
Disney ultimately received $110.7 million in tax credits and reimbursements, reducing its net expenditure to $446.1 million. Deadpool & Wolverine was also an enormous commercial success.
The movie grossed $1.34 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time at the time of its release and the only Marvel Studios movie released exclusively by the studio since the pandemic to cross the $1 billion mark (Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony Pictures co-production).
The production's budget was affected by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which brought filming to a temporary halt in July of that year. Approximately half the movie had been shot when work stopped, forcing the filmmakers to reconsider their plans while waiting for production to resume.
Rather than simply putting everything on hold, Levy and his team developed additional material featuring Wolverine variants. The new sequences required more costumes, sets and other resources, adding to the movie's already substantial expenses.
The strikes also created additional costs for studios across Hollywood, with productions having to maintain soundstage leases, equipment, sets, props and costumes while keeping key members of their crews available for when filming could restart.
Disney financial controller Tracy Bermingham acknowledged that the final production costs exceeded the original budget, although the company also highlighted the benefits of its UK investment in supporting local industries and communities.
Despite the eye-watering expenditure, the movie's theatrical performance suggests that the gamble paid off. Using a commonly cited 50-50 split of worldwide box office revenue, Disney's share of the $1.34 billion haul would be approximately $670 million. Subtracting the reported $446.1 million in net production costs would leave an estimated $223.9 million.
Theatrical revenue is only one part of a film's financial performance, with marketing and distribution expenses also affecting the bottom line. Home entertainment sales, streaming and merchandise can generate additional income, and Deadpool & Wolverine went a long way in restoring faith in the idea of the MCU's Multiverse.
In July 2024, we concluded our Deadpool & Wolverine review—which you can read by clicking here—by writing, "A contender for the best superhero movie ever, Deadpool & Wolverine is two hours of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman proving they were born to play these roles and, crucially, be part of the MCU. It’s a f***ing masterpiece."
Shawn Levy directed Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, Chris Evans, Dafne Keen, Channing Tatum, Jennifer Garner, and Wesley Snipes. Henry Cavill makes a cameo appearance.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Disney+.