Ryan Reynolds Confesses to Leaking 'Deadpool' Test Footage: How a Risky Move Led to Blockbuster Success
Actor Ryan Reynolds has recently confessed to being the one who leaked the test footage for the movie "Deadpool" online in 2014. The CG test footage was created by filmmaker Tim Miller in 2012 to showcase a live-action version of the character. Despite initial rejection by studios, the leaked footage generated significant buzz and positive feedback from fans, prompting 20th Century Fox to greenlight the R-rated superhero film. Reynolds, who had long been suspected of leaking the footage, finally admitted to it during a conversation at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Reynolds had previously avoided directly addressing his involvement in leaking the footage, even undergoing a polygraph test last year to dodge the question. The success of the first "Deadpool" film, which grossed over $780 million worldwide on a modest budget of $58 million, set a new standard for R-rated movies. The sequel to the film performed even better, solidifying the franchise's popularity and success.