Deadpool and Wolverine Break ‘The Passion of the Christ’s’ R-Rated Box Office Record

In 1966, John Lennon of The Beatles caused a stir worldwide when he claimed in an interview, “We’re more popular than Jesus now.” Fast forward to today, and Deadpool and Wolverine are making headlines for a different reason.

According to Deadline, “Deadpool & Wolverine” has surpassed Mel Gibson’s 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ” to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time at the domestic box office. The superhero film has earned $396.6 million domestically and $428.5 million internationally, totaling $824.1 million globally as of Sunday. In just 10 days, it has already exceeded the earnings of both previous “Deadpool” movies and is on track to join the billion-dollar box office club.

However, it’s important to note a couple of things. First, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is currently ranked No. 3 on the worldwide all-time R-rated movies list, behind “Oppenheimer” ($975.2 million) and “Joker” ($1.078 billion). Second, adjusting for inflation, the $370 million earned by “The Passion of the Christ” in 2004 would be roughly equivalent to around $615 million in 2024. This means that Jesus remains significantly more popular than Deadpool and Wolverine when accounting for inflation.

Deadpool and the Rise of R-Rated Superhero Movies

As “Deadpool & Wolverine” shatters box office records, it’s worth remembering that R-rated superhero films were once considered a risky idea. In 1997, “Spawn,” based on a dark horror comic, had several scenes cut to adjust its rating from R to PG-13. New Line Cinema’s then-president Michael DeLuca stated that maintaining a PG-13 rating while keeping the film’s dark tone was crucial to its success.

The fear of pairing “R-rated” with “superhero” kept “Deadpool” in development limbo for years. It wasn’t until leaked test footage received an enthusiastic response from fans that Fox decided to move forward with the project, albeit with a reduced budget of $58 million and some script revisions. The film ultimately grossed $782.6 million, proving there was a strong demand for adult-oriented superhero movies.

Following the success of “Deadpool,” “Logan” began production with an R-rated script, and went on to achieve significant box office success. A few years later, “Joker” became the first R-rated film to surpass $1 billion worldwide. This shift in the industry demonstrates that studios have recognized the appeal of mature superhero films, leading to more adult-themed comic book adaptations.