This article sheds a lot of light Failed For “Deadpool and Wolverine”.
Like any man with good taste, Ryan Reynolds loves John Candy. The star of the “Deadpool” films has expressed his admiration for the late actor/comedian, who died in 1994 at age 43, several times on social media over the past several years, including sharing this touching video paying tribute to Candy:
(I’ve never seen anything like this before, and it brought tears to my eyes when I saw it this morning.)
In 2020, Reynolds wrote on Instagram“John Candy died 26 years ago today. He always walked the line between humor and heartbreak. His movies mean a lot to me. If you haven’t seen his work, check it out. He’s absolutely beautiful.” In 2023, it was revealed that He is also making a documentary about the candy It is being directed by Colin Hanks. And just last month, Reynolds Shared a meme about candy on her Instagram Stories,
So it’s no surprise that, when the opportunity arose to incorporate one of Candy’s most beloved classics into Marvel Studios’ new blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Reynolds made it happen.
Deadpool and Wolverine’s Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Easter Egg
There is one actual Easter egg in the movie, and that too spiritually. Let’s talk about the actual egg first: Deadpool and Wolverine have been sent into The Void, and when they exit Cassandra Nova’s lair (but right before they meet Dogpool), you can see the smashed and burned car from “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and John Candy’s character’s trunk sitting in front of it on the ground in the wasteland. Does it technically make sense that these things from this other movie would be present in The Void? No! But in a meta movie like this, where Reynolds’ real life is mentioned a few times through Blake Lively’s references, I think the movie can get away with it.
The spiritual Easter egg comes a little later, during a scene in which Deadpool and Wolverine are driving in a van and Wolverine lashes out at Deadpool, insulting him and calling him a joke. This moment is very similar to the way Neal Page (Steve Martin) lashes out at Dale Griffith (John Candy) in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” so I was fully expecting Deadpool to respond by actually quoting Candy’s famous “I like me” speech. Of course that doesn’t happen, but this isn’t the first time Deadpool has paid homage to this particular movie.
Deadpool’s previous tributes to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
In 2022, Reynolds went on David Letterman’s Netflix series “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” and shared a story about a past Easter egg that made its way into the first “Deadpool” movie:
“Growing up, I had a huge crush on John Candy, honestly. And I still do.” […] I keep it with me in everything I do… In ‘Planes, Trains, and Automobiles’ he’s reading a book called ‘The Canadian Mounted,’ and it’s basically a kind of nonfiction soft porn. It’s one of those kind of silly books, very different from Danielle Steele. We’re talking dirty. He reads it in ‘Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.’ And I have that book. It’s not the exact book he’s holding, but I had it recreated for ‘Deadpool.’ I’m holding it under my arm in a lot of scenes. I don’t think it’s ever seen on camera, but it’s just those little things that you try never to forget, the people who have helped you get to where you are.”
That book actually appears in “Deadpool and Wolverine.” In Wade’s locker, you can see a book that says “Northern Nymph,” which is printed on the back of the book that Dale Griffith reads in the 1987 John Hughes comedy.
and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (which Reynolds says (He’s remembered it for over two decades), the actor tried to get to the bottom of the mystery on that film’s IMDb page in 2021:
John Candy is always on my mind and heart. But today I’d like to talk about @eltonofficial….Does this song exist? And can I listen to it? #johncandy pic.twitter.com/AhybYEDs5N
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) 4 March 2021
According to a report LA Times 1987 article (via comic book), the story is true. At the time, Osbourne explained, “We saw the film and loved it, the lyrics were written and Elton had almost finished the tune when we discovered that Paramount wanted a number of things that were difficult to arrange. […] According to the contract, as soon as he creates a song, its ownership goes to Polygram. If the contract had been in place earlier, we could have negotiated the transfer of rights.”
So if a fourth “Deadpool” movie gets made, keep your eyes open for another John Candy Easter egg amid the R-rated jokes and fourth wall breaking.
