Deadpool & Wolverine sets an R-rated record after earning a whopping $205 million at the box office while Twisters falls to second place with $36 million

The highly anticipated film Deadpool & Wolverine broke box office records with a gross of $205 million.

The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman vehicle – hailed as the ultimate duo – is the eighth-highest opening of all time and by far the biggest opening for an R-rated film. The first two spots on that list are occupied by the previous installments in the franchise.

The third installment in the Deadpool series also broke global box office records with an international gross of $233.3 million, bringing its total worldwide launch to $438.3 million.

This makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe film the biggest global premiere since Avatar: Way of the Water in 2022. Deadpool & Wolverine was expected to gross $160 million to $175 million before its premiere.

The X-Men universe film also marks the biggest opening of Reynolds and Jackman’s careers, the biggest July opening of all time, and the biggest opening of 2024 so far.

The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman film is the eighth-biggest opening of all time and by far the biggest opening for an R-rated film

Deadpool & Wolverine is also the biggest box office opening since 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Disney, which acquired the X-Men intellectual property rights during its merger with 20th Century Fox in 2019.

Before Deadpool & Wolverine, Disney’s highest-rated R-rated film was 1990’s Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, which grossed $178.4 million (not adjusted for inflation).

The film received positive reviews, was packed with cameos and easter eggs that excited audiences, and earned a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The third installment in the Wade Wilson/Deadpool saga builds on the success of the first two films, which grossed $133.7 million in the United States in February 2016 and $125.5 million in 2018.

Director Shawn Levy was overjoyed with the results of Deadpool & Wolverine on Sunday morning, saying enthusiastically: ‘All of us who made Deadpool and Wolverine are completely overwhelmed and excited about the way our film has been received by audiences all over the world.

“So many people put their heart and soul into this film, and for the heart to be embraced as much as the humor is everything we could have hoped for. Special shoutout to Asad Ayaz and the entire marketing and PR team at Disney who worked tirelessly and relentlessly to spread the word and create a campaign that was as bold as the film we were trying to make. Truly a dream team effort on this one.

“Making this film was the privilege and thrill of my career, and this amazing weekend will never be forgotten,” Levy said, per Deadline.

The third installment in the Deadpool series also broke global box office records with $233.3 million internationally for a total worldwide start of $438.3 million

This makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe film the biggest global premiere since Avatar: Way of the Water in 2022

Twisters, now in its second weekend of release, dropped to second place at the box office with $36 million for a 10-day domestic haul of $155.6 million

The Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones starrer grossed $80.5 million in its debut last weekend, far exceeding expectations

Twisters, now in its second weekend, dropped to second place at the box office with $36 million. Its 10-day domestic haul was $155.6 million.

The film starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones grossed $80.5 million last weekend, far exceeding expectations.

Despicable Me 4 came in third on the list of top box office grossers of the weekend, with $14.4 million. After four weeks, its total gross is $290.9 million.

Elsewhere at the box office, Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 took home No. 4 on the weekend chart, passing another Pixar title – Incredibles 2 – to become the biggest animated film of all time with $613.4 million in the U.S. and $1.5 billion worldwide after seven weeks in theaters.