Next month, a PG-13 recut of Fox’s Deadpool 2 will hit theatres under the title Once Upon A Deadpool. Now Deadline has offered some insights and details on the unlikely holiday release.
- On December 12th, the PG-13 Once Upon A Deadpool will begin a limited engagement in theatres.
- In addition to cutting the hit film to remove much of the language and violence that the MPAA bans from non-R-rated films, this version will also include new footage featuring Wonder Years star Fred Savage.
- According to Deadline, Once Upon a Deadpool will utilize a new framing device that takes a page from The Princess Bride, which starred Savage as a young boy being told a fairy tale.
- Of course, with this being Deadpool, this version apparently finds Savage being kidnapped by the Merc with a Mouth.
- Another unique element of this release is that, for each ticket sold, Fox will donate $1 to the charity F— Cancer — or “Fudge Cancer,” as Ryan Reynolds has dubbed it for this promotion.
- Although this release is really just a “Christmas bonus,” Deadline does speculate that the experiment could be closely watched by Disney as the company prepares to purchase many Fox assets, including Deadpool.
What they’re saying:
- Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool: “Fox has been asking for a PG-13 basically since the start in 2006. I’ve said no since 2006. Now, this one time, I said ‘Yes’ on two conditions. First, a portion of the proceeds had to go to charity. Second, I wanted to kidnap Fred Savage. The second condition took some explaining…”
- Fred Savage: While my participation in this film was anything but voluntary. I am happy to learn that Fudge Cancer will be the beneficiary of this shameless cash grab.”
Just for fun:
- This actually isn’t the first time a hit film has been re-released to obtain a lower rating. In 1977, Saturday Night Fever was released with an R-rating for drug use and other adult themes but a PG version was released in 1979.
- A reworked version of the 2004 R-rated film The Passion of the Christ was released in 2005 as The Passion Recut. Although the edit was intended to get a PG-13 rating, it was eventually released unrated after the MPAA deemed it was still too violent for a PG-13.