Visitors at Disneyland in California found themselves laughing recently due to a joke made by a performer that arguably pushed the boundaries of what’s acceptable in the park.
The joke came from an actor playing Deadpool, who was performing alongside a Wolverine actor to promote the new movie, Deadpool and Wolverine.
Disney park performers are well-known for delivering portrayals that stay true to their characters.
This means princesses are always graceful, villains are appropriately wicked and intimidating, though never overly so.
Fans of Deadpool will recognize that a key feature of the character is his habit of breaking the fourth wall.
This trait originates in the comics, where Deadpool often shows awareness that he’s merely a character in a story.
It continues in the films with regular jokes about contemporary issues, often poking fun at studio executives, narrative decisions, or superhero clichés.
Thus, it’s logical for the actor playing Deadpool at Disneyland to reflect this aspect of the character. However, many felt the performer may have gone too far.
The moment was captured in a video posted on Instagram by @gothgirl_doesdisney.
During a performance, while interacting with Wolverine, the actor talked to the audience about an upcoming ‘big battle’ featuring many versions of Deadpool, including ‘Cinderpool’.
Presumably, ‘Cinderpool’ is a mashup of Cinderella and Deadpool, not a literal pool of cinders.
The performer told the crowd: “Cinderpool was late, because he had to read every single page in the terms and conditions when he signed up for Disney+.”
This joke elicited nervous laughter and led the Wolverine actor to respond: “I don’t get it,” to which Deadpool replied: “Yeah, they do.”
The joke referenced Disney’s recent effort to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit, arguing that the plaintiff had agreed to settle any disputes out of court through mediation when signing up for a Disney+ free trial.
The lawsuit was filed by the family of a doctor who died from an allergic reaction after eating in a dining area at Disney Springs in Florida.
People shared their reactions to the joke in the comments section, with some applauding the actor for staying true to Deadpool’s dark and fourth-wall-breaking humor. One person wrote: “This is exactly what Deadpool should be in the parks. Keep it up.”
Another commented: “That’s canonical Deadpool right there,” while a third added: “If you have Deadpool he has to be Deadpool. Hats off to Disney.”
However, some expressed concern, with one saying: “He will NEVER be allowed to say that joke again but I’m so glad he did.”
Others thought the joke was inappropriate, with one person commenting: “So a Disney actor is telling a joke about a ridiculous policy Disney has about a tragic incident, at DisneyLand, what’s worse is the audience is laughing.”