How an R-rated gruesome action film outperformed all major rom-coms at the movie office on Valentine's Day.
Valentine’s Day is a worldwide occasion dedicated to honoring love and heartfelt connections. Typically, film releases mirror this, with some of the most popular and successful romantic comedies and dramas being produced over Valentine’s Week over the years. Despite the fact that blockbusters like Fifty Shades of Grey, Valentine’s Day, Hitch, and 50 First Dates rode the V-Day wave, they were all outperformed by a gruesome and irreverent action thriller, which is still the highest-grossing Valentine’s Week movie.
The most successful Valentine’s Day film of all time
Deadpool, a Marvel and Sony superhero picture, is the highest-grossing film released over Valentine’s Day weekend. In 2016, the Ryan Reynolds-starring film was released in theaters on February 12, in the middle of Valentine’s Week. The superhero movie, rated R, pulled in $132.2 million across North America and an additional $132.4 million internationally during its debut weekend, soaring to a record-breaking $264 million worldwide. Its total global box office revenue was a staggering $783 million.
Deadpool is the highest-grossing film released during Valentine’s Week. In comparison, Fifty Shades of Grey grossed $569 million, Will Smith’s Hitch made $371 million, Adam Sandler’s rom-com 50 First Dates made $198 million, and the multi-starrer drama He’s Just Not That Into You made $178 million. Valentine’s Day, an anthology picture, did somewhat better with a worldwide gross of $216 million.
The Impact of Deadpool on Pop Culture
With a modest $58 million budget, Deadpool reignited worldwide interest in the iconic comic book anti-hero, while also solidifying Ryan Reynolds’ position as a Hollywood superstar. Its follow-up, Deadpool 2, hit theaters in 2018 and achieved even greater success, amassing $785 million globally. The franchise’s third chapter, Deadpool & Wolverine, saw Reynolds reprising his role alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, officially merging the characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This blockbuster entry soared to a staggering $1.34 billion in global box office earnings.
