Ryan Reynolds Finally Reveals Who Leaked the Deadpool Test Footage

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At the Toronto International Film Festival, Ryan Reynolds discussed the source of the leaked Deadpool test footage. He revealed that this 2014 event ignited a significant fan reaction, which ultimately led 20th Century Fox to approve the movie’s production.

Ryan Reynolds admits to leaking Deadpool’s test footage

At the Toronto International Film Festival, Ryan Reynolds discussed the leaked Deadpool footage, admitting, “Well, I took a bit of a risk, but I sensed something intriguing that people might appreciate. I’m thankful I followed my gut feeling, and I’m grateful for that mistake.” In 2012, Tim Miller, the filmmaker, crafted CGI footage featuring Reynolds as Deadpool, which the studio turned down initially. (As reported by Entertainment Weekly)

Upon appearing online, the footage sparked an instant wave of fan excitement, prompting Fox to approve the project within a day. As Ryan Reynolds put it, “Someone releases it online and I’m looking at myself in the mirror while brushing my teeth, thinking ‘What on earth have you done?’ It could potentially be illegal!” However, the public’s response ultimately led the studio to announce they would produce the movie.

Previously, Reynolds portrayed Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). Undeterred by the studio’s reservations regarding an R-rated superhero film, he persevered in his quest for a standalone project. As he put it, “Deadpool is a marginal character. Most people weren’t familiar with him, but I was drawn to him. I became fascinated with him because I loved that he acknowledged he was part of a comic book movie.

Previously, Reynolds avoided taking direct accountability for the leak. In 2016, he humorously claimed he was only “90 percent certain” he wasn’t the culprit. Two years later, he celebrated the “Leak-iversary” on social media, stating that he was still on a quest to find the person who leaked our test footage.

Deadpool’s global earnings exceeded $780 million, far outstripping its production cost of $58 million. This movie shattered R-rated box office records and sparked a string of profitable follow-ups such as Deadpool 2 and Deadpool teaming up with Wolverine.

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2025-09-08 12:56