LOS ANGELES — Axel Braun has kicked off a talent search for the roles of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in "Spideypool XXX: An Axel Braun Parody" for the Wicked Comix imprint.
"A hugely popular slash pairing in the Marvel fandom between Wade Wilson (Deadpool) and Peter Parker (Spider-Man), 'Spideypool' is a term that refers to their canonical team-ups, which began in the comic 'Amazing Spider-Man' No. 611 (2010) when Deadpool was hired to distract Spider-Man as part of a job contract," a rep explained. "A hilarious bromance quickly blossomed, and they have now become a superhero odd couple, much to the amusement of comic book aficionados worldwide."
Braun, described by the rep as "a notorious comic book geek," has parodied a wide range of pop culture characters and films and has created a mashup of his own dubbed the "Axelverse."
"He is certainly not new to anticipating comic book fans’ needs, since he gave the world characters such as Electro in 2011 and Mysterio in 2014, respectively three and five years before their mainstream counterparts, so there is hope that 'Spideypool' might one day become a real Marvel movie," noted the rep.
"With social media now such a driving force in our lives, anything is possible” said Braun, who has also served as head of production for Wicked since the company was acquired by Gamma Entertainment in December 2020.
"And comic fans are very vocal; look at what happened when Ryan Reynolds leaked some test footage he had shot of himself as Deadpool, or at the massive fan movement that persuaded Warner Bros. to fork out $70 million for the Snyder Cut of 'Justice League.' It could totally happen; I guess I'll just have to make sure my movie doesn’t suck."
The rep said Gamma exclusive contract performer Seth Gamble will reprise his XBIZ award-winning role as Deadpool, while Spider-Man, previously portrayed eight times in the Axelverse by Xander Corvus, will be recast, along with Mary Jane Watson.
“Xander was always phenomenal as Spidey” Braun observed. “I’ve always said he was the best Spider-Man ever put on screen, and I don’t mean just in an adult movie. So there’s some pretty big shoes to fill, definitely."
“Spider-Man is going to be a very demanding role, and I want to make sure that whoever I choose will be able to really give me and the movie 110 percent,” said Braun. "It all starts with showing me that they’re willing to take the time and put in the work for a killer audition. And if I see someone who’s great, but not right for this specific role, I will always remember them for future projects."
Gamble, a Braun protégé, described the "Spideypool" script as "hysterical, as usual."
"They say if you play a character long enough you become him or he becomes you; all I can say is that every time I put that sweaty, smelly costume on, I instantly turn into Deadpool. It’s really crazy, I automatically start to talk differently, move differently — and yes, I even fuck differently, because I have to stay in character and perform like he would, so it’s kinda funny and creepy at the same time, but I guess that’s literally Deadpool in a nutshell."
The role of Mary Jane Watson was previously played by Capri Anderson.
Braun feels the mainstream cinematic version of Watson has never been quite right.
“I grew up with the John Romita 'Mary Jane,' who was a bubbly, sexy breath of fresh air in the comics. Her flamboyance and life-of-the-party personality were contagious and made her not only fun to read but also an obvious source of sexual fantasies for most readers," he said. "She was super-hot, had a great smile, and you always wondered what she would say or do next and I really want to bring that spirit to the screen."
The rep noted that all licensed adult talent agencies have been notified and sent sides, so "any performers looking to audition should reach out to their respective agents for details." Self-booking talent are encouraged to request sides by emailing casting@axelbraun.com.
Submissions should then be sent to the same email address using the subject line “Spideypool Audition."
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