I entered one of the commercial cinema chains on July 26 to watch the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine." As always, I like to join global cultural events at the first opportunity unless I'm traveling or in a place without a cinema. And of course, Marvel film premieres are always significant global cultural events, although Marvel's appeal has decreased drastically in recent years due to its bloated fictional universe and the diversification of audience interests beyond cinemas.
However, I'm entirely out of touch with the Marvel Universe! This became apparent just 10 minutes into the screening. When Deadpool returned to his own timeline and became a car salesman, his colleague Peter appeared, and everyone around me burst into laughter. I had no idea who Peter was. For the remaining two hours, more and more supporting roles emerged. When dialogue and images that suggested the downfall of 20th Century Fox were displayed on the big screen, everyone around me couldn't stop laughing, leaving me feeling isolated and awkward in my seat.
Sure, I know premiere days are always full of real fans who are deeply involved in and truly enjoy this universe, which is why they recognize all those supporting roles and relate to the jokes shared onscreen. However, even though I don't belong to this universe, I've watched about a third of the 34 Marvel movies released so far. I should know who Peter is: Spider-Man...maybe?. Maybe I've seen him before, but I have no recollection of what he looks like in his everyday life, out of his superhero costume. When those "abandoned" superheroes by Marvel Studios appeared densely in the latter part of "Deadpool & Wolverine," I didn't recognize any of them. I was shocked that my neighbors seemed to know them all and the behind-the-scenes stories of this production.
I remember laughing out loud at a few parts, such as when Deadpool and Wolverine were sent to the Void, a wasteland clearly inspired by the Mad Max series, and when Deadpool called Cassandra Nova "Furiosa," referencing the heroine from the newly released "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," which I'd just seen at the Cannes Film Festival. Deadpool's penchant for cracking jokes and engaging in self-mockery makes this talkative character even more lovable. Another moment that tickled me was when Deadpool searched for the original Wolverine in different parallel universes, and Logan's name gradually changed to the actor's name, Hugh Jackman. As for the other jokes related to the complicated copyright feud between Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Disney, I didn't understand them and couldn't care less about doing so either.
Among all the Marvel superheroes, Wolverine is the one I remember most. The reason is that he once made me a lot of money!
The story goes back to March 2017, when "Logan" premiered. I was invited to the premiere ceremony by a close friend of mine who was working in the marketing department at 20th Century Fox's local office at the time (it was renamed 20th Century Studios after being bought by The Walt Disney Company in 2020). The special gift for attending guests was a set of stainless steel wolf claws. On my way home, the security guards at the metro station hesitated for a few minutes before letting me through. A few days later, that friend of mine asked me for a favor to leave some nice short comments about the movie on social media. "You don't need to sing it praises. Just give it a passing score," she said. I did it while bowling, and shortly afterward, I received a substantial "public relations fee" of 700 USD! As a poor writer who normally makes 100 to 200 USD writing a travel article that takes half a month to complete, that amount was huge to me. It allowed me to book air tickets to and accommodation on tropical islands, go scuba diving many times, and earn my advanced PADI license.
The last scene of "Logan" is also the opening scene of "Deadpool & Wolverine"—the gravesite of Logan. So, thank you, Logan, for funding my diving journey. May you rest in peace.
Besides the money I earned from Logan's death, I also have lasting impressions of a few songs and filming locations featured in Marvel films. The theme song, "Live to Rise," of 2012's "The Avengers" was created and performed by the band Soundgarden. As a huge fan of the Seattle Grunge era, hearing this song in the cinema excited me. However, on many occasions, I confused it with another song, "Seasons," by Chris Cornell, who was best known as the lead vocalist for Soundgarden and tragically committed suicide in 2017. Upon research, I realized that "Seasons" appeared in 2013's "Man of Steel," which is about Superman. At least, I can tell the main characters of DC and Marvel apart.
But why does the Marvel Universe never attract me? Is it because I didn't grow up with superhero comic books? Or is it because I'm too far removed from this aspect of American culture? I think part of the reason is that I always resist mainstream culture, both intentionally and unintentionally. In school, when all my classmates were jamming to popular music, I became a fan of rock. Later, when some of them got into rock, I switched to classical and even experimental music. The same goes for my film-watching choices. If everyone around me is into Hollywood and the Marvel Universe, I immerse myself in European art films or third-world cinema. But if I'm surrounded by cinephiles at film festivals or in academic circles, I'd head to a commercial theater for a change of pace. My habit of opting for trends when they're unpopular and avoiding them when they're popularized has kept me disconnected from the Marvel Universe.
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