In a shocking twist that’s as probably as surprising as the Merc with a Mouth breaking the fourth wall, Deadpool & Wolverine has somehow managed to make its way onto the Academy’s shortlist for the 97th Oscar Awards. That’s right, Ryan Reynolds’ unfiltered, sharp-tongued, regenerating degenerate Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman’s angry adamantium-laced antihero have gone from being mere superhero icons to potential Oscar darlings. It’s an achievement that deserves a slow clap, wouldn’t you agree?
Superheroes and Sci-Fi Dominate the Shortlists
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has dropped its shortlists for ten categories ahead of the official nominations announcement on January 17, 2025. Competing in the categories of Best Sound and Best Visual Effects, Deadpool & Wolverine finds its name amongst the list of some of 2024’s biggest blockbusters, like Dune: Part Two, Alien: Romulus, and Gladiator II.
In Best Sound, Deadpool & Wolverine faces contenders like Joker: Folie à Deux, Wicked, and The Wild Robot, while Best Visual Effects pits the R-rated comic book film against visually stunning projects, including Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Twisters, some of the biggest films of 2024.
RELATED: Deadpool & Wolverine Pulled An Old X-Men Movie Trick & Nobody Noticed!
Why Deadpool & Wolverine Deserves Best Sound & Best Visual Effects
Superhero movies have come a long way since Batman 66‘s cheesy sound effects (boom, pow, smack!) and hammy one-liners. I think we can all agree that both the sound design and VFX in Deadpool & Wolverine are a masterclass in immersion. After all, it’s an art to blend the metallic slashes of Wolverine’s claws with Deadpool’s hilariously inappropriate quips across the chaotic and energetic action sequences in the multiverse, right?
Let’s not forget the movie’s explosive musical cues delivered, too. The sound designers somehow managed to perfectly mix orchestral grandeur and big visual effects scenes with ‘80s pop songs, like Madonna’s ‘Like A Prayer’, to deliver some of the most unforgettable fight scenes in 2024. In fact, we’d argue that Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the few movies this year that uses sound as a character. That can’t go unrewarded.
From Oscar Snub to Oscar Gold?
It’s also worth noting that Deadpool was once considered a potential Oscar contender back in 2016. Unfortunately, it was ultimately snubbed. In a clever and cheeky response, Marvel Comics even released a variant cover featuring Deadpool holding a golden “Oscar” of Cyclops. Now, with Deadpool & Wolverine making the shortlist again, it feels like poetic justice—if justice wore red spandex and cracked jokes about Hugh Jackman’s singing career.
RELATED: Fans Believe Deadpool & Wolverine Is Better Than Avengers: Endgame
Mark Your Calendars With A Giant X
- Nominations Announced: January 17, 2025
- Oscars Ceremony: March 2, 2025, live from the Dolby Theatre on ABC and Hulu.
Whether Deadpool & Wolverine actually walks away with a trophy or not, its inclusion on the Oscars shortlist for 2025 is a win for fans who’ve long championed the artistic merits of superhero movies. And who knows? If Deadpool actually wins, we might get the best R-rated Oscars speech in the history of the event. “Thank you, Academy. Marvel Jesus accepts. Also… suck it, Thanos! “
