The team behind Deadpool is doing a nice job of assuring fans that it will retain the irreverent tone of the character’s comic-book adventures with promotional photos that depart from the usual earnest, heroic (or occasionally grim) poses favored by big-screen heroes and villains. In the latest image offered up by the studio, Marvel’s mouthy mercenary is depicted at a decidedly un-heroic moment: while taking a bathroom break.
Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds posted the new photo, which depicts the popular antihero on the toilet reading the latest issue of his self-titled comic book series. Referencing the publicized “death” of Deadpool in this week’s issue of Deadpool #250, Reynolds captioned the photo “Smells like someone died up in here.” The caption ends with the “#alivepool” hashtag.
Smells like someone died up in here. #alivepool pic.twitter.com/sZqvmagVND
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) April 8, 2015
Deadpool casts Reynolds as former Special Forces operative Wade Wilson, who becomes a mercenary with mutant abilities after he’s subjected to a secret experiment that accelerates his healing — but his new powers come with some troubling side effects. The film’s script was penned by Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and it will be directed by visual-effects expert Tim Miller.
Reynolds made his debut as Wade Wilson in 2009’s much-maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but it’s unknown whether that film will be connected in any way to this solo film.
Along with Reynolds in the title role, the cast of Deadpool also includes actor/comedian TJ Miller as Weasel, Gina Carano as Angel Dust, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Morena Baccarin as Copycat, and Ed Skrein in the recently confirmed role of superhuman villain Ajax. The film is also expected to feature X-Men mutant Colossus, but actor Daniel Cudmore — who played Colossus in each of the X-Men films to feature him — has confirmed he won’t reprise the role for Deadpool.
Deadpool is scheduled to hit theaters February 12, 2016, and was recently confirmed to have an “R” rating — an announcement that was made as part of a clever April Fools Day prank.