‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ brings Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and some friends to jolt Comic-Con

SAN DIEGO (AP) — “Deadpool & Wolverine” has arrived — and Comic-Con, with its hordes of Marvel fans, celebrated the only superhero flick of the summer with a surprise screening and special guests.

The sprawling convention celebrating all things pop culture kicked off Wednesday, and a panel celebrating the release of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” was the main attraction for Thursday. Scores of fans sported clothing or costumes featuring the movie's characters.

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, who play the titular superheroes, joined director Shawn Levy in the San Diego Convention Center’s famed Hall H Thursday, along with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige.

To prevent fans from camping out in lines all day to snag a seat, organizers created a lottery system for the chance to win tickets. The venue holds about 6,000 people, and everyone who got in was treated to a screening of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which Reynolds said was the “worst kept secret on Earth,” as many fans had speculated they would show the full movie. (Note: There's some mild spoilers ahead.)

The crew behind the film joined the audience in the crowd for the screening and came back on stage after, expressing thanks to the audience for letting them experience their movie with a crowd.

“If there's still any question about the importance of experiencing something with a crowd, that just changed everything. That was astounding — the best movie experience of my life, so thank you,” said Feige, who earlier in the day received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jackman added, “That was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I'm so privileged to have watched it with all of you.”

Reynolds then invited some of the film's special guests to join them on stage, to which they received raucous applause

Jennifer Garner, Dafne Keen, Channing Tatum, Chris Evans and Wesley Snipes stepped on stage, waved to fans, and then Feige signaled that it was “literally the end of the show,” likely referring to Marvel's tradition of post-credit scenes at the close of most films.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” marks the debut of Reynolds and Jackman’s characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney and the Marvel Cinematic Universe are the subject of several jokes throughout the trailer. Both Deadpool and Wolverine's characters existed in films previously under the 21st Century Fox banner.

The release comes at a time of increasing conversations about a general “superhero fatigue,” with audiences showing less enthusiasm for superhero movies both within the MCU and beyond. Part of that fatigue comes from a feeling that to understand a superhero movie today requires background research into the lore of the characters and comics, with much required viewing and reading.

Levy said in an April interview with The Associated Press that he wanted to make sure his movie didn’t require that intense level of preparation.

“I was a good student in school. I’ll do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies,” Levy said.

“I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn’t want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.”

Although Marvel is anxious for a hit following box-office underperformance in of “The Marvels” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in 2023, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is tracking to open in the $160 million range. That would unseat “Inside Out 2” for the biggest opening of the year — and quash any discussion of superhero fatigue.

With generally positive reviews, rousing enthusiasm at Comic-Con and an endorsement from Taylor Swift where she called the film a “joy portal,” Marvel’s latest movie is set to be a box-office hit.