Director Reveals One ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Joke Was Toned Down for Film

Warning: This article contains minor spoilers from Deadpool & Wolverine.

Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson is known for his foul mouth across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Only his variants across the multiverse come close to matching his irreverence. In the latest film, Deadpool & Wolverine, there’s no shortage of outrageous humor. The film includes jokes about Hugh Jackman’s divorce, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, and even cocaine, Bennifer (Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez), soiling oneself, and anal play. It also takes jabs at the state of Marvel itself.

They don’t call him the Merc With a Mouth for nothing.

Director, writer, and producer Shawn Levy explains that he and the team had considerable freedom to push boundaries in this R-rated addition to Disney’s superhero lineup. However, Levy reveals that there was one joke they were asked to change.

“The general rule is to never punch down and to only take the piss out of people who can take it,” Levy says. “Certainly, when it was about Hugh in a meta way, Hugh was always the first to laugh uproariously. There was only one line in the entire movie that we were asked to change. We have made a pact, Ryan and I, to go to our grave with that line. But I will say that it was replaced with an equally dirty line of dialogue about Pinocchio shoving his face up Deadpool’s ass and starting to lie like crazy. I was like, ‘Ryan, that’s your replacement line in response to, ‘Can we clean it up?’ That’s Ryan Reynolds for you, audacious to the very edge.”

Deadpool & Wolverine marks Wade Wilson’s R-rated antics’ arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, debuting in theaters on July 26. In this installment, Wade is plucked from his reality by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen), an agent for the Time Variance Authority. Mr. Paradox asks him to join their multiverse organization to save a dying world. To do this, Wade seeks out a parallel universe’s Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman. Together, they embark on a cross-dimensional adventure featuring a star-studded lineup of cameos and guest appearances from past Marvel and X-Men films.

Levy collaborated on the script with Reynolds, longtime Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and comic book writer Zeb Wells. He notably highlights Disney and Feige’s willingness to give them “creative autonomy” in maintaining Deadpool’s signature style within the generally family-friendly brand.

“As an MCU fan, I remember hearing rumors about how much control directors get at Marvel,” Levy says. “They were churning out so many hits. What is their magic inside that myth-making factory? I didn’t know any of that, and I probably went in with some apprehension, but this movie — it’s by far the biggest movie I’ve ever made — it may very well be the most creative autonomy I’ve ever had.”

Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters.

Source: Entertainment Weekly