Deadpool & Wolverine has continued its marketing campaign for the Marvel Cinematic Universe film by releasing a line of DiGiorno pizzas. Each new pizza option nods to the biggest names in Deadpool & Wolverine cast of characters. One of the tie-in pies directly references the first Deadpool film with its controversial selection of toppings.
Pizza has always been a favored food of the Merc with a Mouth, and releasing a series of his own in collaboration with one of the most popular frozen brands in the United States is almost too perfect an opportunity to miss. The film has followed in the footsteps of its predecessors with unusual marketing. The first Deadpool film would likely not have even been made if it had not been for a bit of guerrilla marketing, releasing the test footage directly online to fan acclaim.
How these movies are promoted has always been unusual, based on Ryan Reynolds’ philosophy about spending too much money. Deadpool has been inserted into posters of other Marvel heroes and placed on the DVD covers of movies in which he does not appear as a promotion tool. Why wouldn’t a line of pizzas follow?
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Questionable Pizza Choice Is A Movie Reference
The strangest of the new pizzas from DiGiorno directly references the first Deadpool film. In the film, during an early confrontation with a stalker, Wade orders pizza, the selected toppings of which, supposedly beloved by the iconoclastic character, are black olives and pineapple. This inspired many online to make or order the pizza just as Wade Wilson likes it, despite the fact that for many, such a combination is an abomination.
Now, as part of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s marketing push, a frozen version of the pizza called “Wade’s Special” is available from DiGiorno.
Pineapple is a controversial pizza topping, but many love it, particularly when it’s combined with fatty, salty meats like ham or bacon. Black olives have a more complex, umami flavor, and are also generally very salty, and are equally as unpopular on pizzas as pineapple and something like anchovies.
In 2023, a YouGov poll ranked olives (9th) alongside pineapple (3rd) in the top 10 least favorite pizza toppings in the US. For both to be on Deadpool’s pizza is a surprisingly perfect nod not only to the Deadpool moment, but also to the Marvel antiheroes’ sometimes divisive popularity rating (at least before he hit the big screen).
Why Deadpool & Wolverine’s Pizzas Are A Perfect Franchise Tie-In
Following the release of a disturbing Deadpool popcorn bucket, the marketing for Deadpool & Wolverine is already shaping up to be unusual and hilarious. Pizza as a cross-promotional marketing trick was also used to great success for The Batman‘s Little Caesar calzone, and it seems that more movies may be using more food twists in the future. With Wade’s love of pizza and the unusual marketing that followed the previous Deadpool films, this gross, funny, pineapple and olive pizza is a perfect tie-in product for the upcoming movie.
Multiple flavors are available for the pizzas, including an homage to Wade’s love of chimichangas with “Gimme Chimi,” a pizza with cumin and beef; “Maximum Pep,” a sliced and diced pepperoni pizza; and the meat-lovers “Spicy Wolvie Pie,” with chorizo and bacon. Each of these boxes is covered with images from the film, including cut-out masks on the back, and is available at grocers across the United States. Other than the topping selections, the pizzas are standard DiGiorno products.
Marketing with food producers is becoming an increasingly popular trend, and a series of Deadpool & Wolverine pizzas is the latest, fun version. The pizzas are a suitable treat for a movie night at home with the first two Deadpool films while audiences await the release of the MCU event. Following an already compelling marketing campaign for the upcoming, hotly-anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine, it will be interesting to see what the two mutants have planned next to promote their film.
