Note: This piece will spoil certain parts of Deadpool. It might be best to read this after you see the movie.

 

You won’t find a greater champion of the film Deadpool than the guy who created the character, Rob Liefeld.

The first superhero movie of 2016 roars into theaters this weekend, officially kicking off what could be deemed the riskiest year yet when it comes to our favorite Marvel and DC characters, due to the introduction of characters, storylines and worlds that are brand new to moviegoers.

All of it begins with the R-rated Deadpool, though, starring Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, a wise-cracking badass whose terminal cancer diagnosis connects him with a nefarious crew out to create mutated super soldiers. Unfortunately for them, Deadpool wants none of that – he just wants to get his girl back.

Thus begins one of the most hilariously crazy superhero movies you will ever watch. Fandango caught up with comics icon Rob Liefeld -- who created the character of Deadpool alongside Fabian Nicieza -- to get his five favorite moments from the movie, which feels very much like a film made by fans for fans.

 

 

The 5 Best Deadpool Movie Moments, According to Deadpool Creator Rob Liefeld

 

The crazy love story

Deadpool is full of wild potty humor, but the thing that grounds it is Wade Wilson's relationship with his sweetie, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). She's quite literally a hooker with a heart of gold, and their courtship is hilarious to watch -- from a wild holiday-themed lovemaking montage to their ongoing competition to see whose life is worse, the heart of the film can be found right here with them. 

“One of my favorite moments isn’t really a moment, it’s a theme. It’s the love story," Rob says. "Anyone who’s ever been involved with the Deadpool comic knows that we didn’t do that – we didn’t get that love story right. [Deadpool writers] Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese delivered a love story for the ages. It’s that Beauty and the Beast aspect and their chemistry. You won’t find this story [in the comics] – like Richard Donner’s Superman, it’s unique to itself.

 

Colossus handcuffing Deadpool

Much of the film revolves around one insane action sequence set on a busy overpass. As we flash back in time to see how, exactly, Wade Wilson became Deadpool, we continually check in on this blood-soaked scene, in which (we eventually learn) Deadpool is searching for the man responsible for transforming him into a monster, Ajax (Ed Skrein). 

At one point, two X-Men mutants show up to put out Wade's fires, Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) -- and this is where we get to see just how far Deadpool's unique healing powers can go. As Colossus handcuffs Deadpool, the Merc with a Mouth figures the only way he's escaping is to, well, go all 127 Hours on the situation, if you know what I mean.

"The reason why this scene is so great on so many levels is the violence – that he’s going to dismember himself," Rob says. "It not only shows what Deadpool is capable of, but for anyone not familiar with the character, it puts his healing power in a spot we’ve never seen before. We know Wolverine can get cut and heal, cut and heal – but taking off a limb! That is a shocking moment!"

 

The depiction of Colossus

Speaking to Liefeld, you get a sense of just how excited he is that the film was able to use the character Colossus, especially since its R rating meant a lower budget and because Colossus is a major X-Men character who had already appeared in other films, like X-Men: Days of Future Past (played by Daniel Cudmore). 

But for the first time, Deadpool's version of Colossus was more in line with how the character should appear, and as Liefeld says it quite literally took a village to bring him to life.

"The minute Colossus shows up in the original screenplay, I was like ‘This is brilliant!’" Liefeld says. "Using him as the straight man was great. And as director Tim Miller told me, it took a village [to create him]. Two stunt guys, another actor, a voice guy and an ocean of digital artists to render him. He is literally a dozen people! As [comic writer] Len Wein once said, there’s a reason why Colossus was the focus of the first 10 X-Men covers. He was designed to be the star. It’s great to see Colossus get such a moment, especially against Deadpool. It just gives the movie this fun buddy-cop feel."

 

The jokes

Deadpool features a good amount of action and blood and guts (and love), but more than anything it's got jokes. Right from the brilliant opening credit sequence, in which we circle around a frozen action scene as joke credits and visual gags fly across the screen, this film readies you for two hours of the kind of superhero movie you've never seen before.

Liefeld gives much of the credit to writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Rheese, as well as Ryan Reynolds, who assisted with the script. "When Ajax says ‘Fists then!” and Deadpool responds, “You talking about your last Saturday night?” [Laughs] I think these are great jokes," Rob says. "Recognize top comedy for what it is."

 

The search for Francis

When it came to Liefeld's favorite sequence in the entire movie, it surprisingly came from one that reminded him of another classic movie, Pee-wee's Big Adventure. 

At one point in the film, Deadpool is desperate to find the man who forever scarred him, Ajax. But Ajax's real name is Francis... and, well, Deadpool has a fun time with that little tidbit, refusing to call him anything but Francis. This is most evident in a montage featuring Deadpool searching far and wide for Francis -- including a hilarious moment where he's chasing a beaten-up baddie with a Zamboni -- eventually leading him to that overpass.

"Hands down, this is my favorite sequence in the movie," Rob says. "'Where’s Francis? Where’s Francis?’ Especially the part where Deadpool is riding on a Zamboni – that wasn’t even in the script! That was just something they added later. I think I love this scene so much because it brings me back to Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. And I don’t know if this was something the writers were inspired by, but Pee-wee’s foil in the movie is Francis. ‘You’re gonna get me back my bike Francis!’ The way Pee-wee says Francis, and now Deadpool – it just brought me back to one of my favorite comedies ever. Watch, I’ll get a meme of that now!"

As for whether Pee-wee's Big Adventure actually was an inspiration for this sequence, Deadpool writer Rhett Reese told me it was not. Sorry Pee-wee fans!

 

 

You heard him -- start the Pee-wee/Ajax meme now! And make sure you check out Deadpool in theaters on February 12. After you see it, let us know your favorite scenes below.