In just a month, fans of the superhero genre will have something that they’ve been waiting for, for a long time now – Deadpool & Wolverine. After the success of the first two films in the franchise, Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth is making its way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Hugh Jackman tagging along. Ever since the film was announced, we have been counting down the days to watch what we believe would be a superhero masterpiece.
However, there was a time when director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds almost decided to indefinitely delay Deadpool & Wolverine. Why? Well, since there were a lot of expectations to fulfill, they were having a tough time deciding on a story for the film. And so, the two, along with other writers, almost gave it all up until the Guardian Angel walked in disguised as Hugh Jackman.
Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds Almost Gave Up on Deadpool & Wolverine
The golden trio of Deadpool & Wolverine sat down for a conversation with Vanity Fair recently where they opened up about how the film was almost zapped from existence. Ryan Reynolds always wanted to do a third Deadpool film with Shawn Levy as director this time. He had previously worked with him in The Adam Project and Free Guy and thus, he wasn’t sure if Levy would want to collaborate on a Marvel film over an original film.
However, for Levy, it was an easy yes. The problem, though, came when it was time to settle on a fresh and original story for the film and that’s where they kept hitting one roadblock after the other. Levy recalled how he, Reynolds, and other screenwriters from the first two Deadpool films brainstormed together and would have meetings with Kevin Feige twice a week.
Unfortunately, the brainstorming sessions and countless meetings were proving to be unfruitful as they just couldn’t find THE ONE.
Levy said,
We frankly struggled to find a story that felt original and non-derivative of the other two Deadpool movies. It had to be deserving of the first Deadpool entry into the MCU, but also feel grounded because this is an earthbound, gritty, realistic superhero franchise. We had fits and starts.
Ultimately, there came a time when he and Reynolds contemplated telling Feige that they couldn’t do it at the moment. However, as if by fate’s design, Hugh Jackman called at the right time to swoop in and save the day.
And Ryan and I were right at the edge of saying to Kevin, ‘You know what? Maybe now is not the right moment because we’re not coming up with a story.’ And that is the moment when Ryan’s phone rang and it was Hugh calling from his car. And I’ll let Hugh tell that chapter of this story.
It looks like Wolverine works off-screen, too. Thanks to Jackman, in only a few weeks we’ll get to feast our eyes on probably one of the biggest films of the year and we just cannot keep calm. Let’s take a look at how the X-Men actor acted as the film’s savior.
How Hugh Jackman Saved Deadpool & Wolverine
Jackman was on vacation, driving, chilling by the beach when he suddenly realized just how badly he wanted to be a part of Deadpool 3. He knew that he had to star alongside Reynolds and reprise his role as Wolverine.
However, as if there were two voices debating in his head, Jackman was hit with another thought: he had already found the perfect end to his character with Logan. Luckily, Jackman was quick to shut this side of his brain off.
He told Vanity Fair,
I was sitting on a beach, not a care in the world, and for some reason, the thought came into my head: What do you want to do? And the first two things had nothing to do with work—then literally, I thought: Deadpool-Wolverine. I want to do that movie. That’s what I want.
Fairly quickly after came another thought: But you’ve already finished with Logan. We stuck the landing. What are people going to think? And I just said to my brain: Stop. That’s what I wanted. Then I had an hour and a half to drive home, and I thought, I’ve got to ring Ryan. I didn’t know where they were in the process, but I actually thought you guys might be about to start filming.
Jackman knew it was best not to waste a minute so he called Reynolds up immediately to let him know about his decision. In the words of Reynolds, they would’ve been “idiots to look this gift horse in the mouth and ignore it.” Thanks to Jackman, the film had gotten its story and the rest is history!
Deadpool & Wolverine will be released in theatres on July 26.
