Ryan Reynolds reveals he spent his salary to pay for ‘Deadpool’ screenwriters so they could put the movie “back on screen”

In an interview with the New York Times on July 15, while promoting Deadpool and Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds described how it took him several years to bring Deadpool to the big screen.

In the interview, the actor expressed his commitment to the Deadpool production, explaining how he had been fighting for the movie for 10 years. Revealing how he was willing to lose his paycheck to make sure important directors and writers were on the team.

According to Reynolds, the first Deadpool movie finally gained traction at 20th Century Fox after a decade of persistent efforts. However, the production was modest compared to a typical superhero blockbuster. To bridge the gap, Reynolds personally funded the on-set presence of screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.

This decision ensured a continuous writing presence during filming, which is crucial for a project with such a unique comedic voice. Reynolds shared in the interview with The New York Times:

"No part of me was thinking when Deadpool was finally greenlit that this would be a success. I even let go of getting paid to do the movie just to put it back on the screen. They wouldn't allow my co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick on set, so I took the little salary I had left and paid them to be on set with me so we could form a de facto writers room."

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Ryan Reynolds' investment and production role

Not only did he perform on the screen, but Reynolds was also involved behind the scene as one of the producers of Deadpool. When talking about the business side of the first Deadpool movie, Reynolds was able to shed light on some processes.

He admitted that while he did not receive any direct payment for acting, his producers’ position presumably meant that he could have claimed a share in the profits once the film was out.

Ryan Reynolds did not see the limited amount of money as a problem stating that too many resources can sometimes hinder work. The fact that Deadpool was not a very large franchise helped the team. For them, it meant they could focus more on the characters and their struggle and less on flashy, big-budget special effects.

When Deadpool came out in 2016, screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick revealed that they had worked on the script with Reynolds for more than six years. They shared in 2016 with AMC:

"It was a core creative team: Ryan, us, and director Tim Miller. Interestingly, Fox wouldn't fund our presence on set. Ryan used his own money to ensure we were there."

While Reese and Wernick received writing credits for the first Deadpool screenplay, Ryan Reynolds was officially recognized as a co-writer for 2018's Deadpool 2. For the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine, the trio is joined by Zeb Wells and director Shawn Levy.

Ryan Reynolds mentioned in a Variety cover story on July 10 that he aimed to maintain the original Deadpool's spirit during the production of Deadpool and Wolverine, now supported by Disney's resources following its acquisition of Fox. With the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds will don the iconic red suit for the third time.

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Deadpool and Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26, 2024.