Once Upon a Deadpool

Still lots of violence, but not nearly as graphic or excessive as in the R-rated version. Expect lots of hand-to-hand combat, fireballs thrown with explosive results, people setting themselves on fire. People are crushed, smacked by trucks, impaled, burned by acidic vomit, run over, shredded, torn in half, etc. Deadpool makes multiple suicide attempts, even though he knows they'll fail. One very sad death; other scenes show tragic results of future murder (including a dead child, although those deaths are mostly alluded to, not overtly seen, outside of house burning). Children and adults are abused (as children) by authority figures. Lots of jokes about pedophiles and child pedophiles.

Wade's "baby butt" is blurred out, and no baby genitals are shown in this cut. Wade and Vanessa kiss passionately a couple of times and in one scene plan to make love. A few other sexual/suggestive references, including some "flirting" and butt grabbing between Deadpool and Colossus. Vanessa's IUD is shown briefly. Suggestive comments (and knowing looks) reference the original movie's more overtly sexual scenes. One extended joke involves Fred Savage saying he wants to "fight" Matt Damon; the way Deadpool bleeps the word after the "f" sound makes it sound sexual.

Less frequent swearing than in the R-rated cut. The "f--k"s are bleeped out or omitted completely. But other words are still heard; they include the starting "f" sound that's then bleeped out, plus "s--t," "a--hole," "ass," "bitch," "d--k," "p---y," "pr--k," "hell," "crap," "pissing," "goddamn," "Jesus Christ," "douche," "son of a bitch," "baby balls," and more. Middle-finger gestures.

Wade is shown drunk and peeing on the floor of a bar (he can't stand up without help); characters drink Budweiser; Wade unearths packages of cocaine labeled "nose sugar" but doesn't do anything with them. Boxed wine and beer shown.

Parents need to know that Once Upon a Deadpool is an edited, toned-down version of Deadpool 2 with an additional framing device in which Wade/Deadpool holds Fred Savage hostage and reads him the movie's story, Princess Bride-style. There are some other extra/re-tooled scenes, too; definitely watch through the end of the credits for bonus scenes and a special tribute to the late Stan Lee. In this (somewhat) kinder, gentler edition of the movie, the most obvious differences are the tamer language and sex and substantially decreased violence. There's still plenty of fighting (plus explosions, characters on fire, etc.), but not much gore -- though you do see Deadpool get torn in half and his parts exploding. He also tries to kill himself multiple times, even though he knows he can't succeed. Language includes "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," and a full range of other salty words (as well as jokes about sex offenders and bondage/sex toys), but the F-bombs are omitted or humorously bleeped out. Eagle-eyed fans will catch a host of other little differences, but overall this is the same movie -- with a funny, nostalgic nod to a family classic.

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