Behold! In theatres right now is the film everyone’s either been waiting for or dreading: Deadpool & Wolverine. But here’s the juicy bit: I kind of like it.

While living it up at Comic-Con, in between panels and costume competitions, our little group managed to skedaddle over to a local AMC theater. Truth be told, I’d kept my expectations on a leash – I’d avoided most trailers and steering clear of interviews or promos. I came in bracing for my soul to get curb-stomped.

You see, on the beloved but occasionally terrifying wasteland known as Rotten Tomatoes, the early reviews were a smidge disconcerting. Especially when every mouthpiece out there wasn’t singing its praises and it stood at a rather humdrum 79%. This is the franchise’s low point, bowing down to the likes of Captain Marvel, Black Widow, and She-Hulk from the MCU. Ruh-roh.

Nevertheless, Deadpool & Wolverine nearly made me spit out my popcorn in surprise as it blasted away all my expectations. Our gang found the film so delightfully entertaining that we were ready to dive back into the theatre for a repeat viewing or even three. (We restrained ourselves, barely.)

An Appraisal from the Tomatometer

Now, as for those reviews, I still think Deadpool & Wolverine’s Rotten Tomatoes Score is unflatteringly low at 80% with 284 reviews. Yet, I haven’t sunk my teeth into all the critics’ remarks but I wonder what in seven hells they were less-than-impressed with. That’ll surely be a treat to dissect in another piece.

As for the fans, well, that’s a dramatically different tale. The Deadpool & Wolverine Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score is a nearly flawless 97%, making it the crown jewel of the franchise. For context, the inaugural Deadpool film totted up a 90% Audience Score, with the sequel trailing at 85%.

Cut to the weekend, we’ve got the Rotten Tomatoes Score sitting pretty at 80%; Audience Score is steady at 97%; Deadpool & Wolverine raked in an “A” CinemaScore. Not too shabby, eh?

Making a Killing at the Box Office?

In the beginning, the buzz suggested that the Deadpool & Wolverine might rake in a mind-boggling $200 million or more at the box office right out of the gate. And yet, the closer we got to the release, the more that number edged downward, at one point dipping as low as $150 million. Currently, the estimate sits somewhere comfortably in between those two, with Deadpool & Wolverine aiming at a cosy, $180 million opening. Still, higher numbers are definitely within the realm of the possible.

With tongues wagging, I wouldn’t be surprised if it hits that impressive $200 million benchmark – trust me, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this one. Thursday previews have already pulled in a whopping $38.5M, marking this film as the 8th largest preview of all time and the cream of the crop for an R-rated movie, stripping Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness of its $36M glory from 2022.

By Saturday, estimates have climbed as high as $205 million or more. Friday, including the Thursday previews, raked in a cool $96 million, according to everyone’s favorite mouse, Disney. Rumor has it that the worldwide box office opening has sailed past the $420 million mark.

So folks, if you ever thought Deadpool and Wolverine sharing a screen would be a letdown, let me assure you, that’s a load of chimichangas.