Utah Theater Wins Case to Serve Alcohol at Deadpool Screening

A Utah theater has won a court case affirming their right to serve alcohol at a screening of Deadpool. The Ryan Reynolds-fronted comedic superhero romp stands as arguably the raunchiest, most not family friendly comic-book adaptation to date, and more than earns its R-rating. To Deadpool fans though, those are some of the film’s best qualities, and they wouldn’t want it any other way.


In Utah, however, the government isn’t quite so fond of Deadpool, at least when alcohol is being served on the premises. Last year, a theater called Brewvies was threatened with a hefty fine of up to $25,000 for supplying audience members with booze during a screening of Deadpool, thanks to a state law that many are likely to find antiquated and laughable. That law prohibits the serving of alcohol during films that contain simulated sex or full-frontal nudity, and as fans will recall, Wade and Vanessa exchange in quite the energetic sex montage.


Feeling that their first amendment rights were being violated by this law, Brewvies took the matter to court, and THR reports that they’ve now won the case. With the judge’s ruling, Utah’s odd law is effectively struck down, and theaters will be free to serve their customers alcohol during whatever movies they see fit, regardless of the amount of naked people or sex scenes included. A spokesperson for the state’s attorney general says that the ruling is being reviewed, but on the surface, there doesn’t seem to be much way around the judge’s determination that the law is unconstitutional, at least in its current form.


Appropriately enough, the case had previously been brought to the attention of Reynolds himself, who personally donated $5,000 to help Brewvies pay their legal costs. It’s no surprise that Reynolds would do such a thing, as clearly someone who stars in a movie like Deadpool would have a vested interest in preserving the rights provided by the first amendment, even when it comes to the somewhat-amusing issue of being able to get drunk while watching actors simulate sex.


As for Deadpool, the quick-witted, hideously scarred antihero is set to return to theaters for highly anticipated sequel Deadpool 2 next year, with Reynolds back under the mask. One presumes that Brewvies will be proudly selling alcoholic refreshments during its screenings.