Marvel’s R-Rated Superhero Smash Is Quietly Crushing the Competition on HBO Max



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There’s no hiding from the fact that 2025 was a huge disappointment for the MCU. Both Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps faced similar fates, as they scored an impressive reaction from critics and fans but ultimately underwhelmed at the box office, falling far short of the usual heady MCU standard. But the franchise’s biggest underperformer of last year was Captain America: Brave New World, which not only faced a tough box office run but was ripped apart by both critics and audiences.

Redemption is on the cards for the franchise in 2026. Later this month, Tom Holland suits up once again as the franchise’s friendliest superhero, as Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31. Then, later in the year, the biggest Marvel event since Endgame finally debuts on December 18. The blockbuster release Avengers: Doomsday will feature the biggest cast assembled yet in the MCU, including the likes of Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Tom Hiddleston, Florence Pugh, and even Robert Downey Jr.‘s return to the franchise, although controversially, he is starring as the villainous Doctor Doom.

So, as fans gear up for a double-dose of 2026 MCU, how are they getting in the mood? Well, those with an HBO Max subscription are taking advantage of the platform’s special, limited-time licensing agreement with Disney and 20th Century Studios by streaming the biting Deadpool 2, which is currently one of the ten most-streamed movies on HBO Max in the U.S. Ryan Reynolds, of course, returns in the film as his beloved titular superhero, six years before he smashed expectations with the hilarious Deadpool & Wolverine. The cast also includes Josh Brolin as Cable, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, and Zazie Beetz as Domino.























Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz
Which MCU Hero Are You?
Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?

🕷️Spider-Man

😈Daredevil

🤖Iron Man

💀Punisher

Thor

🛡️Cap

01

What drives you to do what’s right?
Choose the answer that feels most like you.






02

It’s 2 AM. Where are you?
Your answer says more about you than you’d think.






03

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice?
Every hero has a method. What’s yours?






04

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity?
The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.






05

You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that?
Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.






06

What’s your role when working with a team?
Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.






07

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge?
The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.






08

When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like?
The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.






09

What keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.






10

The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do?
This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.






Your Hero Has Been Identified
Your MCU Hero Is…

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.


Queens, New York

🕷️ Spider-Man

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

  • You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
  • You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
  • Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
  • Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.


Hell’s Kitchen, New York

😈 Daredevil

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

  • You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
  • You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
  • Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
  • Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.


Stark Industries, Malibu

🤖 Iron Man

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

  • You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
  • You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
  • Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
  • You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.


New York City

💀 The Punisher

You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

  • You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
  • You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
  • Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
  • Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.


Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms

⚡ Thor

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

  • You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
  • You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
  • Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
  • You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.


Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers

🛡️ Captain America

You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

  • You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
  • Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
  • Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
  • In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.

How Much Did ‘Deadpool 2’ Make at the Box Office?

Although it didn’t come close to producing a similar eye-watering return to Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool 2 still proved hugely successful at the box office. Against a reported budget of just $110 million — relatively small for a Marvel movie with the average MCU movie budget between $200 million and $250 million — the film returned a global haul of $786 million. This was enough to make Deadpool 2 the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2018 worldwide.

Deadpool 2 is available to stream now on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

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https://collider.com/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-2-streaming-success-hbo-max-july-2026/


Jake Hodges
Almontather Rassoul

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