….
Two Weeks Later | June 22, 2014
Superman Set | Kansas.
The filming of the [Superman] continued, albeit with new security protocols, ID checks, and full restriction of any electronic devices.
The crew had adapted, and production moved forward as a team who understood what was at stake.
Regal is currently behind the monitor, watching Henry rehearse the pivotal scene where Clark first dons the Superman suit.
The costume gleamed under the lights, blue and red catching every angle, the S-shield seeming to glow with its own inner light.
"Let's run it again." Regal called. "Henry, you already know this. It's the first time Clark's putting the suit on, but that isn't the point. This moment is about him accepting who he is. The suit doesn't make him Superman. The choice does."
Henry nodded, resetting his position.
Around them, the crew worked with quiet efficiency.
The leak was still a topic of conversation during lunch breaks, but on set? They were too busy making something extraordinary to dwell on what couldn't be changed.
Darren approached with his tablet. "We are two days ahead of schedule. If we maintain this pace, we wrap principal photography a week sooner than we scheduled."
Again, with so many things happening around the film, the progression is remarkable.
Regal simply nodded.
"Yeah..."
The set had survived the storm.
Now they were simply doing what they had always done: making the film.
….
Deadpool Set | Vancouver (Same Day)
Ryan Reynolds sat in his trailer between setups, still in full Deadpool costume, except the mask pulled off.
His face was covered in prosthetic scarring, the aftermath of Wade's transformation, professionally applied to look painful and natural.
The makeup alone took three hours every morning.
Usually three to four hours into the shoot, the prosthetics began to itch, and six hours in, he felt like a second skin he might never be able to peel off.
But that discomfort was perfect for the character.
Wade Wilson lived in constant discomfort.
The itching was a 'method acting' he hadn't asked for.
A knock on the trailer door. Shawn Levy poked his head in.
"Got a minute?"
Ryan gestured to the empty chair. "What's up?"
Shawn entered, closing the door behind him.
He looked... nervous? That was unusual. Levy didn't get nervous… unless he is talking with Regal.
"So." Shawn started, then paused. "Has Regal said anything recently?"
Ryan immediately understood what Levy was asking.
It wasn't about [Superman] or about the leak that had dominated the headlines for weeks.
About [Deadpool].
…and what they had done.
Ryan waved his hand dismissively, though his stomach tightened slightly. "Nothing. Not a single word from him."
A week ago, in a decision that was either brilliant or catastrophically stupid, Ryan and Shawn had made a move without consulting Regal, Simon, or anyone else in the MDCU hierarchy.
They had ridden the [Superman] leak's wave.
While the internet was still buzzing about Stephen Hawking Sr.'s leaked footage, while entertainment news was running twenty segments a day analyzing five seconds of film, Ryan and Shawn had quietly 'leaked' their own clip.
Nothing major here either. Just ten seconds of Deadpool in costume, breaking the fourth wall directly to the camera…
The video had appeared on an 'anonymous' Reddit account.
And it had spread like wildfire.
Within six hours: 500,000 views.
By twenty-four hours: 2.3 million views and climbing.
The comments were exactly what they had hoped for:
"Wait, there's ANOTHER MDCU movie coming?"
"I didn't even know…. What Deadpool is!"
"Is this connected to the Superman film?"
It worked.
[Deadpool] had successfully hijacked the [Superman] conversation and inserted itself into the cultural discourse.
But it had also been risky, an incredible one at that.
"Do you think he knows?" Shawn asked quietly.
Ryan laughed, but there was no humor in it.
"Oh, he definitely knows. Do not underestimate that dude."
"And he hasn't said anything."
"Nope."
"Which means..."
"Which means he either doesn't mind what we did, or he is planning to fire us both and is just waiting for the right moment." Ryan leaned back in his chair. "But honestly? I think it's the first one. If he was pissed, we would know. Regal doesn't do passive-aggressive things."
Shawn ran a hand through his hair. "This was really unprofessional, Ryan. What we did. We went around the entire chain of command, and made a marketing decision without consulting the studio, consulting Regal or anyone else for that matter… We should have at least informed Simon."
"I know."
"We could get blacklisted for this."
"I know."
"So why aren't you more worried?"
Ryan looked at Shawn, his scarred face somehow making the smile more genuine. "Because nobody knew about [Deadpool], man. And if you remember, nobody knew about [Superman] a few months ago either. Now it's everywhere, earned attention, deserved attention. Meanwhile, we've got a February 2016 release date and zero public awareness. Zero."
He stood and walked to the small mirror, checking the edge of his prosthetics. "We had to do something to get on people's radar. Something bold, that makes them notice the weird, R-rated superhero comedy that's easy to ignore."
Shawn sighed. "Yeah, I get it, Ryan. That's why I didn't stop you. Even when you, according to your words, 'hijacked Superman's thunder'."
Ryan groaned. "Man, use better vocabulary. Borrowed it, maybe. It's not like we were trying to undermine [Superman]. We just said, 'Hey, while you're thinking about the MDCU, there's another movie coming too.'"
Shawn nodded slowly. "I am still a little surprised Regal hasn't crucified us for this yet."
"He could. But he won't." Ryan pulled his mask back on, the scarred face disappearing behind red and black fabric. "Because deep down, I think he gets it. Sometimes you have to break the rules to get noticed."
A knock on the trailer door. The second AD's voice: "Sir, we are done with preparations."
"Coming!" Ryan called back. He turned to Shawn. "Stop worrying. We made a choice. We committed. Now we see it through."
"And if Regal does fire us?"
"Then we go down as the guys who made the ballsiest marketing move in superhero film history." Ryan opened the trailer door–
"Worth it either way."
….
LIE Studio | Regal's Office.
Later that evening.
Regal sat at his desk with his laptop, reviewing the 'leaked' [Deadpool] footage for the fourth time.
Samantha stood nearby, tablet in hand, looking concerned. "Should we address this? Reynolds and Levy went completely rogue. They didn't consult anyone, not even you. And Simon's trying to defend them by taking the blame. You know he is just too soft."
Darren was buried in the [Superman] production, while Simon was overseeing [Deadpool].
"I know." Regal's voice was calm.
"This sets a dangerous precedent. If we let this slide, every director on every MDCU project will think they can make major marketing decisions without approval."
"Probably."
"So... what are we doing about it?"
Regal closed his laptop and looked at Samantha. "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"They saw an opportunity and they took it. Was it by the book? No. Was it effective? Look at the metrics."
He pulled up his phone, showing her the analytics. "Deadpool's social media following increased by 340% in three days. Reddit threads about the MDCU now mention Deadpool alongside Superman, Spider-Man, and Iron Man. Entertainment news outlets are running stories about 'MDCU's expanding universe.' Search interest in 'Deadpool movie' jumped 500%."
"So you are rewarding bad behavior?"
"I am acknowledging the results." Regal corrected. "They gambled, and it paid off. If it hadn't, if the reception had been negative or if it had actually hurt Superman's marketing... then we would be having a very different conversation."
Samantha absorbed this. "You are not even a little angry they went around you?"
"Honestly, I want to be angry, but I am not even annoyed." Regal admitted. "If anything, I am impressed. They read the room, spotted the opportunity, and moved fast. Those are valuable skills in this industry."
"But we can't let everyone think they can just—"
"We won't." Regal stood, walking to the window overlooking the studio lot. "I will have a conversation with Reynolds and Levy. Make it clear this was a one-time exception, not a precedent. But I am not going to punish them for being creative within chaos."
He turned back to Samantha. "The Superman leak was a disaster. But Reynolds and Levy found a way to turn disaster into opportunity. That's the kind of thinking we need."
"So this is officially sanctioned now?"
"Retroactively." Regal smiled slightly. "Sometimes you have to let smart people be smart, even when they are being stupid."
Samantha sighed. "You know… I think you are one of those people too."
.
….
[To be continued…]
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