RYAN REYNOLDS AND HUGH JACKMAN TAKE OVER SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON AS THEIR HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE EYES A RECORD $40M THURSDAY PREVIEW
Just hours before their highly-anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine hit theaters, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman took over San Diego Comic-Con.
The 47-year-old Reynolds and 55-year-old Jackman were joined by director Shawn Levy and many other special guests at the Thursday panel at Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center.
While thousands of fans greeted them in San Diego, millions of fans were taking advantage of Thursday preview screenings, in what could be record-shattering fashion.
Early reports claim that the Thursday night preview grosses could end up coming in at anywhere between $35 and $40 million, which would be a record for an R-rated film, via Deadline.
The superhero sequel had been projected to debut between $160 million and $170 million... but now it could be closer to $200 million, a first for an R-rated movie.
Reynolds took the stage in a short-sleeved pink button down shirt and forest green pants for the panel in Hall H.
He was joined by Jackman, who rocked a white t-shirt, blue jacket and blue pants for the event.
The Deadpool & Wolverine stars were joined by their co-star Emma Corrin, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and director Shawn Levy, who had a surprise for fans.
Instead of a traditional panel were bits and pieces of footage were shown, the panel was actually a secret early screening of the entire film.
After the screening, Feige said it was, 'the best movie experience of my entire life,' giving the stars and filmmakers an inkling of what to expect when fans flood theaters this weekend, which could in fact become historic.
While we won't know until the official numbers come in on Friday, an early Deadline report claims the Thursday sneak preview grosses are upwards of $35 million, and possibly even as much as $40 million.
That would be roughly double the previous record-holder for an R-rated movie, this film's predecessor, 2018's Deadpool 2, which took in $18.6 million.
The new Thursday night projection would be on par with the 2022 Marvel sequel Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which earned $36 million from Thursday previews en route to a $187.4 million opening weekend.
Marvel's 2018 blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War took in $39 million on Thursday before a massive $257.6 million debut.
How Deadpool & Wolverine's Thursday haul will shape its opening weekend remains to be seen, though it's already earned much praise from critics.
It currently has an 80% Fresh score from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with a massive 98% audience score from over 2,500 viewers from Thursday sneaks.
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