‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Was Nearly Shelved Until Hugh Jackman’s Phone Call Saved It – Reynolds, Levy & Jackman Share the Inside Story

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is poised as this summer’s most anticipated film, marking the characters’ debut in the MCU and Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine following his “retirement.” Early projections suggest it could be a financial success crucial for the MCU.

Before ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ came to fruition, Ryan Reynolds pitched multiple ideas for the movie, all initially rejected. Additionally, Kevin Feige attempted to dissuade Hugh Jackman from reprising his role as Wolverine, citing the character’s perfect conclusion in ‘Logan.’

In a Vanity Fair interview, it was disclosed that Hugh Jackman contacted Ryan Reynolds with the initial concept for Deadpool & Wolverine just before Reynolds planned to propose delaying Deadpool 3 to MCU boss Kevin Feige. This call rescued the project after Shawn Levy and Reynolds faced challenges developing a ‘Deadpool 3’ concept that aligned with the MCU while maintaining fidelity to the first two films. Initially deeming it untimely due to a lack of storyline, Jackman’s intervention altered their perspective entirely.

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. 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.

On August 15, 2022, while on a break from starring in ‘The Music Man’ on Broadway, Hugh Jackman was relaxing on a beach when he had a sudden inspiration to pursue a Deadpool-Wolverine movie. Despite his earlier conclusion to Wolverine’s story in ‘Logan,’ Jackman felt compelled to explore this new idea and immediately phoned Ryan Reynolds. Coincidentally, Reynolds was preparing for a Zoom meeting with MCU chief Kevin Feige about the future of ‘Deadpool 3.’ Jackman’s timely call sparked a crucial discussion about integrating Wolverine into the project. Reynolds later described the moment as a rescue just in time.

On the Zoom with Kevin, we just cut right to the fucking chase. We said, “Look, this call just came in. I feel like we’d be idiots to look this gift horse in the mouth and ignore it. This is a one in a billion chance. I really feel like this is what we’ve been looking for.”

Ryan Reynolds outlined their initial approach to reintroducing Wolverine without compromising the legacy established in ‘Logan.’ Kevin Feige, Shawn Levy, Hugh Jackman, and Reynolds shared a dedication to honoring that legacy while crafting a captivating Wolverine narrative. Levy stressed the significance of respecting ‘Logan’s’ impact, a sentiment echoed throughout their discussions and reflected in their new project. Jackman contributed ideas, humorously noting only a fraction proved valuable. Levy underscored the importance of preserving Deadpool’s distinctive tone, including its fourth-wall-breaking style, which not all actors grasp immediately.

There are rules. Very specific rules. You would diminish stakes in the film if everyone—or even anyone else—was also aware of the fourth wall or any kind of meta aspect. Deadpool is the only character who has that ability to do that. If everyone did that, then you would no longer invest in that character as much. You really want to believe that the villain is a villain. You really want to believe that your costar’s character is true as well. Deadpool can undermine that—and does undermine that—because you don’t want the audience to take him as seriously.

With the Multiverse concept in play, the return of almost any character is now possible. In the MCU, notable characters like Gamora and Loki have returned through their alternate variants. As for the rest of the interview, more details are likely to become clearer upon the movie’s release.

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