Although it may have had little enthusiasm for funding and later promoting the R-rated “superhero” flick “Deadpool” back in 2016, by now 20th Century Fox is probably collectively grinning like a happy camper over the sheer amount of attention their figurative redheaded stepchild is getting recently. The raunchy, crazy and ultra-violent pet project of actor Ryan Reynolds has been something of an award nomination darling, with 39 total (14 of them for lead star/producer Reynolds) and eight actual wins. Perhaps the biggest highlights of “Deadpool’s” storm of accolades are a couple nominations at the recent Golden Globes in ‘Best (Musical/Comedy) Motion Picture’ and ‘Best (Musical/Comedy) Actor’ (again for Reynolds).

They didn’t win, but it’s inspired the ever promoting actor to campaign his film for the top, the Oscars themselves.

Academy Award winner ‘Deadpool’?

A major volley has been fired by Ryan Reynolds in the interest of seeing “Deadpool” go on to bigger things, and awards, when he Tweeted Thursday January 12 a “highlight reel” of the film for the “consideration” of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The Academy members’ deadline for submitting choices for nomination in the next Oscars was until the afternoon of Friday January 13, with a formal announcement made of the final lists on January 24, and awards night next month of February 26.

True to form, the reel put up by Reynolds consisted of totally Deadpool-esque “trivia” regarding the production of the film.

The actor has been at it for his Academy Award hype blitz since late 2016, where he’s been talking about the movie’s remarkable box office success despite some stringent budget limitations (equated in twisted humor by Reynolds to just about cover the costs of cocaine for any other studio flick).

Serious estimate of chances

At any other Academy Award ceremony, “Deadpool” would at the most be in strong contention for a technical award or two (visual effects, cinematography, audio).

The chances of star Reynolds and the movie itself being considered for the big categories of acting and ‘best picture’ would be next nothing where the Oscars are concerned. Playing into their favor however are the 2009 miracle of the late Heath Ledger getting a posthumous ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for portraying the Joker in “The Dark Knight”, the stunning six-Oscar haul of the similarly R-rated “Mad Max: Fury Road” at last year’s awards, and the more recent nomination showing at the 74th Golden Globe Awards, where both film and actor were beaten out by Ryan Gosling and his musical starrer “La La Land”. Winning may be a bridge too far, but right now an Oscar nom seems incredibly feasible.