Shawn Levy Expresses Deep Regret for Turning Down ‘The Wolverine’

The most anticipated release in the MCU this year is ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’ It marks the franchise’s inaugural installment within the MCU, the first “R” rated movie in the MCU, and the directorial debut of Shawn Levy.

While the initial installment was helmed by Tim Miller and the sequel by David Leitch, it wasn’t unexpected to learn that the third installment would have a different director as well.

Unlike other candidates, Shawn Levy had personal reasons for accepting the opportunity to direct ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’ In a recent discussion with Empire, Levy revealed that he had missed a great opportunity years ago, one that he regretted declining all this time.

On the set of The Adam Project, Ryan asked me if I would consider doing Deadpool 3. And I remember him saying, ‘I know you’re gonna say no, but I’m really going to try and talk you into it.’ And my response was, ‘I’m not gonna fucking say no, are you kidding? It’s a hard and immediate yes, sir! When we were making Real Steel, Hugh was looking to do The Wolverine (2010), and he asked me if I wanted to do it,” reveals Levy. “And like a moron, I said, ‘No’. Because I was thinking at that time, ‘Well, it’s your fifth time playing the character, I’m doing original films et cetera’. And I regretted it deeply for years. And so, when the opportunity came around again, thank God I was older and wiser enough to jump at the opportunity.

Levy probably believed he wouldn’t have another chance to collaborate with Wolverine, especially since Hugh Jackman was expected to retire the character after ‘Logan,’ a decision even encouraged by Feige. However, with the MCU’s approval, that’s changing, and the Wolverine character is gearing up for a comeback.

The movie Levy mentions received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who praised its faithfulness to the comics while keeping casual viewers entertained. Who knows how it might have turned out under Levy’s direction? Got something to share? Drop it in the comments below!