I JUST Watched Deadpool And Wolverine On Disney Plus Hotstar And Its Gay Humour Is TIRESOME

I must be one of the minorities who did not make a beeline for theatres when Marvel Studios released Deadpool & Wolverine in theatres on July 26. I was already suffering from superhero fatigue. And after Marvel's less-than-glorious outings the last few times (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels), I was unsure if I wanted to torture myself enough by paying for tickets and watching it in theatres. And so, I waited. Until November 13, when Deadpool & Wolverine released on OTT, specifically Disney Plus Hotstar. And even then, I gave it a week, before I could bring myself to watch it.

To be honest, Deadpool & Wolverine is a prime example of mergers fueling the superhero genre in recent years. Their collaboration represents more than just a movie—it’s a business collaboration. The characters, originally under 20th Century Fox, were integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe following Disney's 2019 acquisition of Fox. And while it plays into all the superhero tropes, at times wonderfully so, what I found excruciatingly unbearable is the tushy slapping, cr**ch grabbing gay humour that seemed extremely out of place in contemporary times. Also Read: MCU, which has, over the last few years, been more about inclusivity on screen, brings to fans a Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) who was conceived as openly pansexual in 1992, which basically means, he makes no distinction between genders or gender identity in his choice of partners. They also bring back to the big screen, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who had a much-acclaimed send off in 2017's Logan. But homosexuality, in the film is almost panic-stricken, a comic relief rather than a character attribute. “Pegging isn’t new for me, friendo,” he says to an opponent wielding a particularly phallic weapon, during a particular moment for fight, before breaking the fourth wall and stating, “But it is for Disney.” Or take an instance where Wade Wilson gets a tailored new Deadpool suit by the TVA, where the tailor in question keeps on slapping his bottom. Deadpool even goes on to tell Paradox that the tailor is a ‘predator’, though garbed as a funny banter. What is sad is Deadpool’s sexuality is presented in a way that resonates with a commercial audience, often treated as a quirky detail rather than a deeper character trait. This approach allows for humor while keeping the character accessible, without delving too deeply into the complexities of his identity. The new film does little to expand on Deadpool's pansexuality, despite pairing him with Wolverine, a character with whom Deadpool has had a crush in the comics. There’s a bit of playful, tame banter between them, but nothing that pushes boundaries, even with the R-rating. A few subtle moments—a male character checking Deadpool out and later Wolverine’s ripped body are the extent of the film’s LGBTQ+ hints. There is also a fight scene set to Madonna’s Like a Prayer (gay cultural significance?), but these not for a moment seem like meaningful representation. Having said it, one however, has to accept that the film’s lack of deeper queer exploration cannot be questioned. Deadpool & Wolverine does not detract from its role as mainstream entertainment. Any queer viewers hoping for more substantial representation in a Deadpool film are likely fooling themselves, it is just that the gay humour in the film, is disturbingly tiresome.