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 害羞草研究所淴-Men害羞草研究所� actor bringing up Reynolds on the set of his 2011 sci-fi film 害羞草研究所淩eal Steel,害羞草研究所� which starred Jackman.
害羞草研究所淗e literally told me that if I ever worked with Ryan Reynolds, I害羞草研究所檇 probably never stop,害羞草研究所� the Montreal-born directorsays on a video call from New York.
害羞草研究所淗ugh had this feeling that Ryan and I matched up just right.害羞草研究所�
Levy says he went on to forge a 害羞草研究所渃reative brotherhood害羞草研究所� with Reynolds, directing the Vancouver-born actor in 2021害羞草研究所檚 action-comedy 害羞草研究所淔ree Guy害羞草研究所� and 2022害羞草研究所檚 sci-fi adventure 害羞草研究所淭he Adam Project.害羞草研究所�
He says Reynolds handpicked Levy to direct and co-write 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� the third movie in his hit Deadpool franchise and the first from Marvel Studios after its parent company Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. It害羞草研究所檚 out Friday.
害羞草研究所淚 hate to say it, but I do think our Canadianness is part of (our connection),害羞草研究所� says Levy, who害羞草研究所檚 helmed family comedies including 2006害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淣ight at the Museum害羞草研究所� and produced the sci-fi behemoth 害羞草研究所淪tranger Things害羞草研究所� for Netflix.
害羞草研究所淲e both feel the privilege of these jobs we get to do. We have a shared humility and civility and there害羞草研究所檚 tremendous respect for each other. We really love building movies designed for audience joy. We also are grinders. We love to work hard.害羞草研究所�
Evidently, they love to play hard too. Levy says he, Reynolds and Jackman are close friends in real life, and the press tour for 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渉as basically been like a boy害羞草研究所檚 trip paid for by Disney.害羞草研究所�
At the film害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淟ogan.害羞草研究所�
Set a few years after 2018害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淒eadpool 2,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 tapped by interdimensional agency the Time Variance Authority, led by Matthew Macfadyen害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 squabbling and tearing each other to shreds, Deadpool and Wolverine are teaming up against Emma Corrin害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淭he three of us have so much trust and affection and we spend a lot of time together off screen,害羞草研究所� he says.
害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�
Fan expectations are high for 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine.害羞草研究所� Not only is the filmmaking crew 害羞草研究所� which includes returning screenwriters Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese 害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淎nt-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭he Marvels.害羞草研究所�
Levy害羞草研究所檚 answer to the discourse surrounding the movie is to address it head-on via Deadpool害羞草研究所檚 many fourth wall-shattering asides. Early on, the merc quips to Wolverine: 害羞草研究所淲elcome to the MCU. You害羞草研究所檙e joining at a bit of a low point.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know that Marvel needs saving,害羞草研究所� says Levy.
害羞草研究所淥bviously, they害羞草研究所檝e had a few stumbles and misses lately, and because it害羞草研究所檚 Deadpool, we get to name that. We get to poke fun at that. And to Marvel害羞草研究所檚 credit, they let us make fun of them because they know that that害羞草研究所檚 the Deadpool spirit. But the pressure I feel about Marvel is not really as intense as what I feel towards the fans because I害羞草研究所檓 one of them. I love these characters. I have reverence for their legacy.害羞草研究所�
Levy says he feels especially attached to the film害羞草研究所檚 protagonists as both have Canadian origin stories 害羞草研究所� Deadpool hails from Regina, while Wolverine was born in northern Alberta.
害羞草研究所淲atch with your eyes peeled, because the nods to our homeland are everywhere. You害羞草研究所檒l see the allegiance to Canada spread all over this movie,害羞草研究所� he says.
But Levy says that more than anything, the film is a celebration of friendship.
害羞草研究所淥bviously, Deadpool and Wolverine are at each other害羞草研究所檚 throats for a lot of the movie, but what people don害羞草研究所檛 quite know yet is the degree to which the movie is ultimately about friendship. And it was made by friends,害羞草研究所� he says.
害羞草研究所淪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害羞草研究所檚 the aspect that Ryan and Hugh and I are most proud of.害羞草研究所�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2024.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
