"Maximum effort" isn't just a catchphrase for Deadpool, the smart-mouthed mercenary who first popped up in Marvel comics in 1991 before forever changing what a superhero film franchise can look like. Indeed, "maximum effort" also describes what it took to turn the character into one of Hollywood's most beloved and irreverent properties.
A longtime passion project for star and producer Ryan Reynolds, the film was anything but a carefree joy ride to bring to the screen. After the actor debuted the character in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a Deadpool script was finished by 2010 but languished in development hell for years until Fox finally gave it the green light in 2014.
The movie broke barriers for so many reasons. It was a rare R-rated superhero movie but also one that wasn't afraid to have fun and shatter the fourth wall. At the time, this very much went against the template established by more faithful films like director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man franchise, or Christopher Nolan's dour Dark Knight trilogy.
Even Deadpool's Feb. 12, 2016 release date was a bit of a head-scratcher for Hollywood's status quo, since everyone knows a superhero film is supposed to come out in the summer. Right? Think again, as its whopping $783.1 million worldwide sum on a relatively miniscule $58 million budget proved that director Tim Miller and his squad did everything right, even if they had a hard time hearing it at the time.
In honor of its fifth anniversary, E! News spoke with character creator Rob Liefeld and cast members Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) and Stefan Kapičić (Colossus) to learn 15 exclusive secrets. During the chats, the film's team discussed Blake Lively's adorable visit to see her husband on the set, the surprise budget cuts that caused Ryan stress and what's next for the foul-mouthed franchise now that Disney is in charge.