Ryan Reynolds wrote five to eight alternate jokes for every quip in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool, also known as the Merc with the Mouth, is a very talkative anti-hero who constantly drops zinging one-liners, self-aware gags and pop culture references.

While many people assume Reynolds improvises most of his character’s jokes, he revealed on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast that he writes down many options in advance.

“People think I improvise a lot (but) I actually write five to eight alternate jokes for almost every one I have. Not just for me, but for the other cast too,” he said.

Reynolds, who is credited as a co-writer on the film, noted that sometimes there were so many great options for one joke that good material ended up on the cutting room floor.

“In the gag reel, you’ll see all those alts that maybe didn’t make it. Even when I watched it, I was like, ‘Why didn’t we put that in? That’s so good!’ (But then) sometimes you’re like, ‘Well obviously that’s not going in for many reasons,'” he continued.

When host Amanda Hirsch told the actor that she liked the joke, “I have a black belt in Karen,” Reynolds replied, “I loved that too, I had to fight for that one. There were a few (I had to fight for).”

The Canadian actor then acknowledged that there were so many jokes that fans might miss them the first time around.

“It was my favourite thing in the screenings where people would just totally miss jokes because they’re laughing at the first thing and they miss the second and third but that’s the best,” he gushed. “Same thing we did Deadpool 1 and 2, don’t wait (for people to stop laughing)… let’s go! You just keep going. Let them find it later.”

Deadpool & Wolverine is in cinemas now.

© Cover Media