Deadpool is the current favorite wisecracking superhero for many comic book fans. But before Deadpool even existed as an idea for Rob Liefeld, there was another rebellious, mature-themed superhero who constantly broke the rules. A much more family-friendly movie about this character is leaving streaming services soon, so make sure you watch it – and quickly – before it’s gone!
We’re talking about The Mask, the hilarious Jim Carrey comedy that cemented his status as a comedic icon and launched Cameron Diaz’s career with a truly unforgettable debut. Whether you’ve seen it before or somehow missed it in the last 30 years, now’s the time for one more viewing – it’s leaving Netflix on December 31, 2025.
When released in 1994, the movie was a huge commercial success, earning $352 million worldwide on a budget of just $18-23 million. It became the fourth highest-grossing film of the year and followed Carrey’s earlier hit, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Critics also enjoyed the film, giving it an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. They especially praised Carrey’s energetic and over-the-top performance, which perfectly matched the movie’s wild, cartoonish action and the boisterous personality of its main character.
‘The Mask’ Still Needs to Return To the Source Material
Dark Horse Comics
Even with its over-the-top visuals and action, The Mask remains a fairly tame PG-13 movie. Even the villain, played by Peter Greene, isn’t genuinely frightening while wearing the mask. This is quite different from the original comic books, which were much darker and could have made a fantastic R-rated film if someone decided to produce it.
Between 1991 and 1995, Dark Horse Comics published a three-part comic series—originally titled The Mask, The Mask Returns, and The Mask Strikes Back—that told a supernatural horror story. The series centered around a mask that gave wearers incredible powers, but at the cost of their mental stability. While the movie adaptation was known for its slapstick, cartoonish violence, the comics were much darker and more graphic. The Mask character himself was a unique blend of classic villains like the Joker, Freddy Krueger, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
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Jim Carrey’s version of The Mask was chaotic but good-natured. However, the original comic book character was far more disturbing – a violent and cruel expression of the anger he usually kept hidden. This darker take, known as Big Head, hasn’t been adapted for film or TV yet. But with the recent success of more mature comic book adaptations, now might be the perfect time to finally bring that original, intense version of The Mask to life.
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2025-12-30 23:47