‘Deadpool’ Movie Writers Talk About Footage Leak; Film Overtaken By ‘Zootopia’ At Box Office

"Deadpool" movie screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick talked about how a footage leak paved the way for the film to become a reality. In an interview with Variety, the "Deadpool" movie writers credited the test footage leak last Jul. 2014. Other factors that were involved in the film's success was the timing and Simon Kinberg.

"I think it was a combination of a few things," Reese said. "We got the right regime at the right time at Fox, which was crucial. The few times things leaked, the script and the test footage, it really got a wonderful, passionate reaction among fans."

"And the third element was Simon Kinberg, he's the keeper of the superhero flame at Fox. Paul [Wernick] sent him an email saying 'We need your ass...' then after parentheses it said 'assistance.' Simon helped out and reasoned the executives through why it might be smart to make with an R rating. He was very much an angel on our shoulders."

Reese likened the "Deadpool" movie leak with a game of "Clue" where each one of the production team had a motive but the real culprit still hasn't been found.

"This is confirmation we are not crazy to be passionate about this," Wernick admitted. "There's a whole fanbase of people clamoring for this movie."

"We knew it in our bones this would be the reaction. We were thrilled and still to this day don't know who did it. there is a very short list of suspects."

It was previously reported that the "Deadpool" movie has crossed the $300 million mark at the domestic box office. It is the third R-rated film to reach this milestone.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Merc with a Mouth has been overtaken by "Zootopia." The film garnered a record $73.7 million from 3,827 theaters in North America.

Fox News noted that this is the fourth highest March opening ever. Also, it is the best for a Disney Animation three-day debut.

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