Shawn Levy is no novice when it comes to rumors around his projects. Years on 鈥淪tranger Things鈥� taught him how to tune out the noise. Yet even he鈥檚 found himself astonished by the sheer volume of speculation around 鈥淒eadpool & Wolverine.鈥�
鈥淭he rumors around this movie are overwhelming,鈥� Levy told The Associated Press earlier this year. 鈥淏ut so is the anticipation, which is a nice situation.鈥�
Anticipation might be an understatement for a movie that is poised to be when it opens on Thursday.
The , which aired during the Super Bowl, was viewed a record 365 million times online in its first 24 hours. The second broke another record 鈥� for the most 鈥淔-bombs鈥� in the MCU (six in less than three minutes).
Much of that excitement is because this film marks the first time Ryan Reynolds鈥� foul-mouthed Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman鈥檚 Wolverine are being folded into Kevin Feige鈥檚 Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both properties existed previously under the 21st Century Fox banner.
When Disney acquired the studio鈥檚 , Wolverine had already died in 鈥淟ogan,鈥� a third 鈥淒eadpool鈥� was in development and Marvel was still firmly in the PG-13 business, a rating that allows for only one F-bomb.
On a call with investors as the deal was going through, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was already reassuring people that a Disney Deadpool would remain R-rated. Soon after, Reynolds also posted a photo on social media showing his character with Mickey Mouse ears on a yellow school bus labeled 鈥淒isney.鈥� The meta humor, it seemed, was also firmly intact.
But what would the story be? Levy was announced as the film鈥檚 director in early 2022, coming in as a fan of Reynolds鈥� snarky tone and fourth wall breaking.
鈥淭here was no way I was going to reinvent a wheel, a tonal wheel, that works so beautifully,鈥� Levy said. 鈥淏oth Disney and Marvel, up and down the food chain, empowered Ryan and I to make this movie exactly as we dreamed.鈥�
WAIT, HOW IS WOLVERINE HERE?
Things really started to really take shape when Jackman signed on that fall, however. It would mark the first time that the characters would be together in a movie since 2009鈥檚 鈥淴-Men Origins: Wolverine.鈥� In the years since, Reynolds and Jackman have staged a very tongue in cheek, very funny 鈥渇eud鈥� with one another on social media, dancing around the idea of sharing the big screen again.
The dream seemed to have died after 鈥淟ogan鈥� and Jackman鈥檚 retirement as Wolverine. But death is never exactly final in the multiverse, and, they promised, this film would not interfere with 鈥淟ogan.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really interesting duo,鈥� Levy said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e built for huge conflict with each other because they鈥檙e so different individually. But that makes for a very interesting story, because the best two hander stories, whether it鈥檚 鈥楳idnight Run鈥� or 鈥�48 Hours鈥� or 鈥楶lanes, Trains and Automobiles,鈥� yes, it鈥檚 littered with conflict. But it鈥檚 ultimately about something more as well and that鈥檚 what audiences will see.鈥�
The dynamic was also fueled by the real-life friendship between Levy, Jackman and Reynolds that goes back a decade off screen and includes films like 鈥淔ree Guy鈥� and 鈥淩eal Steel.鈥�
鈥淭he real benefit of being friends off set is that you can try crazy stuff without fear of falling. Because some of it won鈥檛 work and that will be momentarily embarrassing, but if you鈥檙e among friends, it鈥檚 okay to make a fool of yourself in the pursuit of something surprising and something unexpected,鈥� Levy said. 鈥淭his movie is filled with moments, both comedic and character based, that we didn鈥檛 expect and were the result of a freedom that that came from being friends.鈥�
At the New York premiere Monday, Jackman and Reynolds were definitely in friend mode, praising one another with no snark.
鈥�(Ryan鈥檚) exactly as you think," Jackman said. 鈥淎n extraordinary man. Generous, humble brilliant and a great friend.鈥�
Reynolds added that Jackman was 鈥渟omeone who operated in a completely different way, did everything through the prism of genuine kindness, diligence, hard work. And that was modeled to me in 2008 when we did our first movie together. And we鈥檝e been best buddies ever since.鈥�
IT鈥橲 SUMMER. NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED.
The Marvel multiverse has gotten a bit overwhelming in recent years for the more casual fans who may have seen most of the films but only dabbled in the Disney+ offerings that regularly introduce new concepts and characters that eventually find their way into the films. 鈥淒eadpool & Wolverine,鈥� for instance, uses the Time Variance Authority (TVA) 鈥� a major part of 鈥淟oki鈥� but new to the movies 鈥� to help get Deadpool to the MCU. But Levy promises that enjoyment of 鈥淒eadpool & Wolverine鈥� requires no bingeing or studying beforehand.
"I was a good student in school. I鈥檒l do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies,鈥� Levy said.
鈥淚 very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn鈥檛 want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.鈥�
OH, RIGHT, THE MOVIE...
So, what about what鈥檚 IN the film? Well, that鈥檚 something that Levy won't really talk about. Until Monday鈥檚 premiere, reporters were only allowed to see 40 minutes; Soon the floodgates will open and spoilers will take over social media.
But 鈥淒eadpool & Wolverine鈥� hasn't needed to tease out plotlines to stoke enthusiasm. The fans are already there and ready, whether or not Taylor Swift is involved (by all accounts, she's not).
Marvel has had some Phase 5 bumps, with films like 鈥淭he Marvels鈥� and others underwhelming critics. And outside of the MCU, the industry is feeling the pains of so-called 鈥渟uperhero fatigue鈥� that has sent DC . But 鈥淒eadpool & Wolverine鈥� is not to be underestimated.
Critics have been largely positive too. that the film 鈥渓eans into its genre more than the franchise鈥檚 first two movies." She cautions that the plot starts to feel a little aimless toward the end, but that, 鈥淭he bloody but comedic final fight scene ... is enough to perk viewers back up for the last act, solidifying the film鈥檚 identity as a fun, generally well-made summer movie.鈥�
And it could be the first MCU movie since 鈥淪pider-Man: No Way Home鈥� to crack $1 billion, which would also put it in the running to become the highest grossing R-rated film of all time. That title currently belongs to 鈥淛oker鈥� with its $1.08 billion. It鈥檚 currently tracking to open around $160 million, but some bullish analysts are forecasting as high as $200 million. To beat 鈥淏arbie's" opening last year, it has to surpass $162 million.
鈥淎udiences are hungry for a great time at the movies,鈥� Levy said. 鈥淭hey want to be delighted, transported and entertained. And when they are given that, whether it鈥檚 鈥楤arbie,鈥� 鈥極ppenheimer鈥� or any number of other recent movies, they show up.鈥�
He added: 鈥淭he movie is built for audience delight. I think that (they鈥檙e) in for a very fun ride.鈥�
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Producer John Carucci contributed to this report.
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A version of this story first moved April 25, 2024, as part of AP鈥檚 Summer Movie Preview. It has been updated to reflect the current date, with box office tracking and quotes from the New York premiere and AP's review.
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
