As if he had a time machine straight out of a Marvel film, Hugh Jackman foresaw the friendship between Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds years before they ever met.
Levy recalls the 含羞草研究社淴-Men含羞草研究社� actor bringing up Reynolds on the set of his 2011 sci-fi film 含羞草研究社淩eal Steel,含羞草研究社� which starred Jackman.
含羞草研究社淗e literally told me that if I ever worked with Ryan Reynolds, I含羞草研究社檇 probably never stop,含羞草研究社� the Montreal-born directorsays on a video call from New York.
含羞草研究社淗ugh had this feeling that Ryan and I matched up just right.含羞草研究社�
Levy says he went on to forge a 含羞草研究社渃reative brotherhood含羞草研究社� with Reynolds, directing the Vancouver-born actor in 2021含羞草研究社檚 action-comedy 含羞草研究社淔ree Guy含羞草研究社� and 2022含羞草研究社檚 sci-fi adventure 含羞草研究社淭he Adam Project.含羞草研究社�
He says Reynolds handpicked Levy to direct and co-write 含羞草研究社淒eadpool & Wolverine含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� the third movie in his hit Deadpool franchise and the first from Marvel Studios after its parent company Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. It含羞草研究社檚 out Friday.
含羞草研究社淚 hate to say it, but I do think our Canadianness is part of (our connection),含羞草研究社� says Levy, who含羞草研究社檚 helmed family comedies including 2006含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淣ight at the Museum含羞草研究社� and produced the sci-fi behemoth 含羞草研究社淪tranger Things含羞草研究社� for Netflix.
含羞草研究社淲e both feel the privilege of these jobs we get to do. We have a shared humility and civility and there含羞草研究社檚 tremendous respect for each other. We really love building movies designed for audience joy. We also are grinders. We love to work hard.含羞草研究社�
Evidently, they love to play hard too. Levy says he, Reynolds and Jackman are close friends in real life, and the press tour for 含羞草研究社淒eadpool & Wolverine含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社渉as basically been like a boy含羞草研究社檚 trip paid for by Disney.含羞草研究社�
At the film含羞草研究社檚 Canadian premiere in Toronto on Tuesday, the trio took over a downtown multiplex where they also signed autographs and met fans, many decked out in costumes for the sneak preview.
The film sees Reynolds suit up again as the merc with a mouth, this time joining forces with Jackman in his long-awaited return as iconic X-Men superhero Wolverine, who was killed off in 2017含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淟ogan.含羞草研究社�
Set a few years after 2018含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淒eadpool 2,含羞草研究社� the titular Canadian anti-superhero is down on his luck, fresh off bombing a job interview with the Avengers and being dumped by his girlfriend. But when he含羞草研究社檚 tapped by interdimensional agency the Time Variance Authority, led by Matthew Macfadyen含羞草研究社檚 smarmy Mr. Paradox, to mercy kill his own withering universe within the multiverse, he refuses and recruits an especially cranky iteration of fellow Canuck Wolverine to save the day.
When they aren含羞草研究社檛 squabbling and tearing each other to shreds, Deadpool and Wolverine are teaming up against Emma Corrin含羞草研究社檚 Cassandra Nova, ruler of the Void, a purgatory between multiverses the protagonists find themselves trapped in.
Although Reynolds had been pitching a Deadpool-Wolverine team-up for years, Jackman was initially hesitant, wanting to preserve the legacy of his adamantium-clawed character. However, Levy notes the chance to collaborate with friends ultimately swayed the Australian actor.
含羞草研究社淭he three of us have so much trust and affection and we spend a lot of time together off screen,含羞草研究社� he says.
含羞草研究社淚 know Hugh had this epiphany to come back, and I think he knew he was coming back with friends, which would mean not only a fun experience, but he trusted his buddies to protect the legacy of Logan and to protect him in this return.含羞草研究社�
Fan expectations are high for 含羞草研究社淒eadpool & Wolverine.含羞草研究社� Not only is the filmmaking crew 含羞草研究社� which includes returning screenwriters Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese 含羞草研究社� responsible for bridging the worlds of the Avengers and the formerly Fox-owned X-Men for the first time, but many hope the film will recharge the MCU after it experienced rare box-office flops with last year含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淎nt-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Marvels.含羞草研究社�
Levy含羞草研究社檚 answer to the discourse surrounding the movie is to address it head-on via Deadpool含羞草研究社檚 many fourth wall-shattering asides. Early on, the merc quips to Wolverine: 含羞草研究社淲elcome to the MCU. You含羞草研究社檙e joining at a bit of a low point.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 know that Marvel needs saving,含羞草研究社� says Levy.
含羞草研究社淥bviously, they含羞草研究社檝e had a few stumbles and misses lately, and because it含羞草研究社檚 Deadpool, we get to name that. We get to poke fun at that. And to Marvel含羞草研究社檚 credit, they let us make fun of them because they know that that含羞草研究社檚 the Deadpool spirit. But the pressure I feel about Marvel is not really as intense as what I feel towards the fans because I含羞草研究社檓 one of them. I love these characters. I have reverence for their legacy.含羞草研究社�
Levy says he feels especially attached to the film含羞草研究社檚 protagonists as both have Canadian origin stories 含羞草研究社� Deadpool hails from Regina, while Wolverine was born in northern Alberta.
含羞草研究社淲atch with your eyes peeled, because the nods to our homeland are everywhere. You含羞草研究社檒l see the allegiance to Canada spread all over this movie,含羞草研究社� he says.
But Levy says that more than anything, the film is a celebration of friendship.
含羞草研究社淥bviously, Deadpool and Wolverine are at each other含羞草研究社檚 throats for a lot of the movie, but what people don含羞草研究社檛 quite know yet is the degree to which the movie is ultimately about friendship. And it was made by friends,含羞草研究社� he says.
含羞草研究社淪o you have the warmth of this friendship off-screen that eventually finds its way into the DNA of the movie. I think the warm-heartedness of the movie might be its most unexpected aspect, but it含羞草研究社檚 the aspect that Ryan and Hugh and I are most proud of.含羞草研究社�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2024.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
