The irreverent and profanity-laced superhero caper Deadpool has gone down in history as the highest grossing adult-rated movie of all time. Ryan Reynolds deserves credit for bringing the “Merc with a Mouth” to life to match expectations set by fans of the comic book on which the film is based. But the blockbuster’s real hero is first-time director Tim Miller, who cut his teeth on animation and visual effects.

Billed as “An Overpaid Tool” in the comical opening sequence, Miller has spent 20 years in animation. He brought to life the computer-generated character Colossus when the Deadpool shoot had almost been completed. In a behind-the-scenes interview, Miller talks about the overwhelming pressure from comic book fans that compelled 20th Century Fox studio to make the movie and the casting of Ryan Reynolds.

A short film for an online game produced by Miller’s company, Blur, impressed an executive at 20th Century Fox and landed Miller the Deadpool job. The trailer for the DC Universal Online has Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and Joker fighting it out.

Miller also lent his expertise to the opening sequence of David Fincher’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2001), based on the first novel from Stieg Larsson’s trilogy. The dark liquid-themed sequence contains vignettes of the protagonists set to a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” by Karen O, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

Blur was also involved in creating the animated short Gopher Broke, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short in 2004.

With a Deadpool sequel underway, fans are hoping that Miller, who is a self-declared comic book addict, will return to transform the sequel into another cheeky blockbuster.