In a widely-anticipated union of the unlikeliest of MCU anti-heroes, Shawn Levy brings together the foul-mouthed irreverence of Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and the gruff seriousness of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in this highly-entertaining contribution to the franchise. Who knew the X Man was Deadpool’s (aka Marvel Jesus) Anchor Being?
“These are resonant Marvel anti-heroes because of their imperfections,” says writer/ director Shawn Levy. “There’s a humanity to how messed up they both are. And while they may seem like they have divergent and very different personalities, Wade (Deadpool’s alter ago) and Logan (Wolverine’s alter ego) are both really flawed and haunted by a lot of regret and trauma. They are fascinating to us because they cover up their pain in such different ways,” he adds.
MCU – Phase 5
This raft of MCU films embraces the multi-verse storylines forms the basis of Deadpool & Wolverine where the characters are yanked from their quiet lives by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) into a new mission to leave behind a world that they are no longer part of because it no longer needs to exist. The multi-verse storylines have previously been explored, so it was a natural inclusion in Deadpool & Wolverine to plausibly bring these two characters together to maintain the Scared Timeline.
Shawn Levy. Photo Photo by Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images for Disney
Screenwriters Deb Wells, Paul Wernick, and Rhett Reese joined forces with Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy to come up with a story that was honest to the Deadpool franchise, but also worthy of the MCU. Levy recalls, “over the course of a few months, it was hard, and frankly, not as fruitful as we thought it would be. We were going to put it aside.”
They were ready to deliver the bad news to producer Kevin Feige. “At that juncture where we were starting to think we wait rather than make a sequel that is unworthy of this mantle, Hugh Jackman called.” The fate-altering epiphany came in August 2022 when Jackman indicated he wanted come back to life to do a Logan and Wade movie.
This is the ultimate antidote to sequel derivations. This is not Deadpool 3. This is Deadpool & Wolverine.
Any organic pairing of MCU characters is an arduous task. “For one thing, when you are in the MCU, you instantly get the greatest, most bottomless toy chest imaginable as a storyteller. You have characters, legacy, gadgets, themes, and mythology,” notes Levy.
With this cornucopia of possibilities, the filmmakers require strict discipline. “You can’t just use everything because it’s fun.” Creating a film with two iconic characters means you can’t subjugate one over the other. “Each deserves their own film and we knew that we needed to honor, both equally, but differently.”
“That being said, we wanted a storyline that was worthy of Wade Wilson that allowed him to show sides of himself and wrestle with demons and aspirations that he hasn’t thus far,” adds Levy. Similarly, the team had to craft a version of Logan that is not a redux of what audiences have already seen.
The character clash of Wade and Logan presents in the same way as an “odd couple buddy” cop film where their relationship is greater than the sum of the parts. “The paradigm drew inspirations and invocations from Midnight Run, 48 hours, Lethal Weapon, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles.” These films also feature unlikely pairings who trigger each other with their flaws.
“It is a movie where you have two characters who would never choose to spend time with each other, who are forced to do so, and in their differences, you have an incredible recipe for comedy and for conflict, which is itself comedic sometimes. But most critically, you’re setting a superstructure, a gradual thought, and a connection.”
They are different in every way. Deadpool is morally flexible and sexually fluid while Wolverine is stoic and curmudgeonly.
Shawn Levy describes Deadpool & Wolverine as “subversive” and “action-packed,” but it’s also very “moving because it explores the unlikely connection and the mutual redemption that Deadpool and Wolverine find.”
The movie is deceptive in its light-heartedness, but it’s rooted in human connection. Wolverine’s world has already ceased to exist along with those who once cared for him. Deadpool’s world is about to suffer the same fate, yet Wolverine helps him – albeit by force. Both want to be somebody and matter and make things right as best they can.
Deadpool & Wolverine are two anti-heroes who do heroic things when they realize why they need to save their universes. “You don’t do it because you need it. You do it because they need you.”
Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) Photo by Jay Maidment for 20th Century Studios/ MARVEL
The richness of the MCU ensures that most fans have read every book and comic and watched every film and television show have an intimate knowledge of the Deadpool and Wolverine worlds. This needs to be offset against audiences who are newly introduced to them.
“I didn’t want to presume maximum fluency from the audience. There are a tremendous amount of breadcrumbs, nods, and Easter eggs for the fans who do have fluency, but you’ll notice that the very first scene in the TVA with Matthew Mcfadyen as Mr. Paradox, he defines the TVA and its backstory,” mentions Levy. He performs double duty by explaining the rules of the TVA to Wade and to the audience. Deadpool even delivers a quick refresher on the Wolverine legacy to ensure both Wade and the audience are up to speed. Levy defines these moments of exposition as “sacred texts.”
Cultural Nods & Industry Winks
Deadpool & Wolverine prides itself on inserting cultural references into the movie – some subtle (thank you Gossip Girl), some not so subtle. Nothing is sacred, not even screenwriting!
“The meta-textual awareness is part of the Deadpool franchise and its DNA,” explains Levy. “That is arguably for me the most fun to write because you’re getting to comment on the form while you are also contributing to the form.” He also identifies a flip side, where he and Reynolds would make several self-referential jokes in the room and dismiss them because they were “too much.”
A key tenet of Deadpool is that he regularly breaks the fourth wall. Once again, this needs to be kept in check to avoid undermining the audience’s investing in the characters and upsetting the cadence and flow of the narrative.
“Even if they were A+ jokes, we would often take them out because the investment in Deadpool & Wolverine and their journey was the North Star and most important in the film.”
Shawn Levy strives to infuse every film and TV series he makes with humanity and heart, whether it be a light-hearted comedy like Night At The Museum, boxing robots in Reel Steel, or a frenetic video game actioner like Free Guy. “My movies need to be as warm-hearted as they are funny and entertaining.”
There are several scenes late in Deadpool & Wolverine where the movie gets unexpectedly emotional
Don’t be fooled by the clownish stunts in Deadpool & Wolverine. It has a serious heart about loving and being loved despite one’s long list of imperfections. We’re all here to take care of each other no matter how gnarly things get. In this case, we do it with an edgy subversiveness and a whole lotta cussing.
