Ryan Reynolds Spotted in Beijing Ahead of the Release of Deadpool's Censored Escapades

Goofy Marvel anti-hero Deadpool arrived in Beijing over the weekend as documented via the Instagram account of actor Ryan Reynolds, who plays the mischevious masked vigilante.

Unlike certain celebrities that we could mention (cough cough, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) the Canadian leading man didn't flood his social media account with photos of tourist sites or, worse still, a vainglorious video of himself working out at a Beijing gym. Instead, he kept it decidedly low-key. 

Read: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Rolls Into Beijing, Pumps Iron in CBD

Even if you were checking his IG over the weekend (@vancityreynolds) you might not have even noticed that the actor was visiting the Chinese capital, unless you looked past his photo feed and tapped the "story" feature. There, you'd find a fittingly irreverent Deadpool tribute to one of Beijing's most famous landmarks: the CCTV building, or as it's frequently referred to "the big pants."

Reynolds is currently in the capital to promote the latest installment in the Deadpool franchise: Deadpool 2: I Love My Home. Two versions of the film were released in the US, where it was also recut with a PG-13 rating under the title Once Upon a Deadpool. It is rumored that the film's producers made this decision to cater to the censor-heavy Chinese market, seeing as this tamer version will be the one that sees release here on Jan 25.

Despite China receiving the censored version, it's likely that Chinese superhero devotees will be happy to see this flick at all given that the notoriously graphic prior installment didn't make it past China's film industry gatekeepers.

The Merc with a Mouth (as he's nicknamed in his comic books) is clearly excited about the China premiere, starring in a video where he pokes fun at fellow superheroes like Wolverine and Spider-Man as well as partaking in some localized advertising that'll be instantly recognizable to Chinese audiences.

Deadpool 2 ranked the ninth highest release in the US box office last year. That result, coupled with a strong campaign China-side, the influx in viewers heading to the cinema over CNY, and the notoriety of its initial installment means that this latest in a long line of superhero franchises looks to be a surefire hit.

Read more about the 14 films to have scored Chinese New Year releases here.

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Photos: Instagram