Fred Savage didn't want to be there. Well, technically, his character didn't. In a meta-narrative stroke of genius that could only exist in the mid-2010s superhero boom, Ryan Reynolds decided to kidnap a grown man, duct tape him to a bed, and force him to listen to a PG-13 version of a R-rated movie. It was weird. It was polarizing. Honestly, looking back at the cast of Once Upon a Deadpool HD, the whole project feels like a bizarre time capsule of 2018 pop culture.
Most people forget this wasn't just a "clean" edit for the kids. It was a strategic, slightly cynical, but ultimately charming experiment. Fox needed to see if Deadpool could work within the MCU’s family-friendly constraints before the Disney merger finalized. They also wanted to raise money for "Fudge Cancer" (the censored version of Wade Wilson's favorite charity). To do that, they didn't just cut out the f-bombs; they added a whole new framing device featuring the star of The Princess Bride.
The Ryan Reynolds and Fred Savage Dynamic
The heartbeat of this specific version is the back-and-forth between Ryan Reynolds and Fred Savage. Reynolds, as Wade Wilson, is doing his usual high-energy, Fourth-Wall-breaking schtick. But Savage? He’s playing a "heightened" version of himself—or rather, a grown-up version of the grandson he played in the 1987 classic The Princess Bride.
It’s hilarious. Savage acts as the audience's proxy, mocking the lazy writing and the convoluted timeline of the X-Men universe. He’s not just a cameo; he’s the co-lead of the new footage. His presence changes the entire DNA of the film. You’ve got this R-rated mercenary sitting next to a guy who represents childhood innocence, even if that "innocence" is now a cynical adult who knows exactly how Hollywood sequels work.
They shot all of their scenes in just a few days. The set was a 1:1 replica of the bedroom from the original 1987 film. If you look closely at the cast of Once Upon a Deadpool HD during these sequences, you’ll notice Savage is wearing the same style of sports jersey he wore as a kid. That kind of attention to detail is why fans didn't just dismiss this as a cash grab. It felt like a love letter to 80s cinema, wrapped in a spandex suit.
Josh Brolin and the CGI Heavy Hitters
You can't talk about the cast without mentioning Josh Brolin as Cable. 2018 was basically the Year of Brolin. He was playing Thanos in Infinity War while simultaneously playing the gritty, time-traveling soldier here. In the HD cut, his performance loses some of the "edge" provided by the gore, but his physical presence is still massive.
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The chemistry—if you can call it that—between Brolin’s stoicism and Reynolds’ lunacy is the engine that drives the plot. Then you have Zazie Beetz as Domino. She was a revelation. While some purists complained that her look didn't match the comics, her portrayal of "luck" as a superpower was visually stunning. In the high-definition format, the sheer scale of the set pieces where she survives impossible odds looks incredible.
The Supporting Players Who Stayed
- Morena Baccarin (Vanessa): Her role is the emotional core, even if she's sidelined for much of the film.
- Julian Dennison (Russell/Firefist): The kid from Hunt for the Wilderpeople brought a level of indie-film grit to a massive blockbuster.
- T.J. Miller (Weasel): While his presence became a bit of a PR headache for the studio later on, he’s still there in the HD version, providing the deadpan barroom banter.
- Karan Soni (Dopinder): Everyone’s favorite getaway driver. Soni’s evolution from a nervous cabbie to a bloodthirsty contract-killer-in-training is one of the best running gags in the series.
Why the PG-13 "Cast" Matters
Interestingly, the "cast" of this movie also includes the people who weren't there. Or rather, the versions of them that were altered. Because this was a PG-13 release, the editors basically became part of the creative ensemble. They had to use alternate takes, creative dubbing, and "bleeps" that were actually written into the script.
The joke was that Deadpool had a remote control to censor the movie in real-time. This turned the limitations of the rating system into a character of its own. When you watch the cast of Once Upon a Deadpool HD, you’re watching a version of the movie that is self-aware of its own censorship. It’s meta-commentary at its peak.
The Secret Cameos You Might Have Missed
Even in the toned-down version, the cameos are legendary. Remember the X-Force parachute scene? That’s where the cast list gets truly insane for about three seconds.
Brad Pitt as Vanisher. He was on screen for less than a second. He reportedly did it for the price of a cup of coffee (and the satisfaction of a really dumb joke). Terry Crews as Bedlam and Bill Skarsgård as Zeitgeist added a layer of "prestige" to a group of characters who were literally designed to die immediately.
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And then there’s the X-Men cameo. For a split second, you see the cast of X-Men: Dark Phoenix—including James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, and Evan Peters—shutting a door on Deadpool. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that confirms this movie exists in the weird, messy periphery of the Fox-Marvel universe.
Technical Brilliance in HD
Watching this in HD or 4K changes the experience. The textures on the Deadpool suit are intricate. You can see the wear and tear, the stitching, and the carbon fiber plates. When you look at Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapičić), the reflections on his metallic skin are a showcase for the VFX team.
The "Once Upon" framing scenes with Fred Savage were shot with a different aesthetic—warmer, more nostalgic. It looks like a high-budget 80s sitcom. The contrast between those cozy bedroom scenes and the high-octane action in the rest of the film is visually jarring in the best way possible.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Version
A common misconception is that this is just a "worse" version of Deadpool 2. That's not really fair. It’s a different piece of performance art.
If you're a fan of the cast of Once Upon a Deadpool HD, you aren't watching it for the violence. You're watching it for the Fred Savage commentary. You're watching it for the tribute to Stan Lee that was added to the post-credits. It’s a softer, weirder, and more experimental take on the character. It proved that Ryan Reynolds’ version of Wade Wilson doesn't need "fuck" and "shit" to be funny. His timing and physical comedy are enough.
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The film also serves as a bridge. It was the first time we saw how the character might eventually integrate into the MCU. By playing nice with the MPAA, Reynolds showed that the Merc with a Mouth could be "Disney-fied" without losing his soul.
How to Appreciate the Cast Today
If you’re revisiting the film, pay attention to the dialogue changes. Some of the jokes in the "Once Upon" version are actually better than the original R-rated ones because they have to be smarter. They can't rely on shock value.
- Look for the chemistry: Watch how Savage reacts to Reynolds' touch. There's a genuine comedic rhythm there that you don't see in many improv-heavy movies.
- Study the VFX: In HD, the digital double for Colossus and the facial capture for Ryan Reynolds (under the mask) is top-tier.
- Check the background: The bedroom where Savage is "held captive" is filled with Easter eggs from both Deadpool and The Princess Bride.
The legacy of the cast of Once Upon a Deadpool HD isn't just about a re-release. It’s about the fact that a major studio and a massive movie star were willing to stop, pivot, and create something entirely new just to help a charity and troll the audience one more time. It’s the most "Deadpool" thing Deadpool has ever done.
To truly get the most out of this version, compare the Savage scenes to the original 1987 Princess Bride framing. You’ll see that Fred Savage isn't just playing a role; he's recreating his own childhood performance with a hilarious, bitter edge. It’s a masterclass in meta-sequel acting.
Next time you’re scrolling through streaming options, don't skip this one just because you’ve seen the original Deadpool 2. The 20 extra minutes of footage with Fred Savage is essentially a mini-movie of its own. It’s the definitive way to see the cast in a light that is both family-friendly and completely unhinged.
Go find a copy in 4K or high-definition. Turn up the volume for the Savage rants. Witness the moment the X-Men universe realized it was about to change forever. It's a weird, wonderful slice of cinema history that we're lucky to have.