Ryan Reynolds Had One Condition for Returning to Marvel

Back in 2022, Shawn Levy was determined to bring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman together in a movie. He told /Film, “I’m not going to say where and how, but I absolutely will confirm my intention and determination to be the lucky son of a b***h who puts these two magnificent gods in the same movie together. That will happen and it will be me.” Then, he did it. Or rather, Reynolds did it.

Reynolds, who is a major movie star, has worked with Levy on “Free Guy” (2021) and “The Adam Project” (2022). When the time came for the third “Deadpool” film, Reynolds and Levy teamed up once again to integrate the Merc with a Mouth into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Lucky for Levy, Reynolds also convinced Jackman to join the project.

Hugh Jackman had seemingly retired from his iconic role as Wolverine after 2017’s “Logan.” However, Jackman approached Reynolds about the possibility of returning as Wolverine for a Deadpool team-up. When “Deadpool & Wolverine” got the green light from Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, Levy managed to unite the “magnificent gods.” But really, Reynolds’ main focus was working with Levy again.

A lot had to happen for “Deadpool & Wolverine” to become the R-rated box office hit it is. Firstly, MCU movies had to show decline, prompting Kevin Feige to try new strategies. Feige then had to agree to Jackman resurrecting Logan, which he did after Jackman made a personal call to the Marvel Studios head. Finally, Shawn Levy had to create a good movie, a feat depending on one’s perspective of “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

For Ryan Reynolds, Levy’s involvement as director was a non-negotiable. In an issue of SFX, Levy recounted how Reynolds only agreed to reprise his Deadpool role if Levy directed. Levy admitted, “I’d love to direct that movie, because the truth is, if you work in the big-canvas filmmaking space, as I have since those ‘Night at the Museum’ movies, it’s a dream to be able to tell a story on that kind of epic and anthemic canvas.”

“[Reynolds] says, ‘Okay, I know you’re going to say no, but I’ll only do Deadpool again if you direct it.’ I told him I’d love to direct that movie, because the truth is, if you work in the big-canvas filmmaking space, as I have since those ‘Night at the Museum’ movies, it’s a dream to be able to tell a story on that kind of epic and anthemic canvas.”

Given their previous collaborations on “Free Guy” and “The Adam Project,” Reynolds’ enthusiasm for having Levy direct his MCU debut isn’t surprising. Perhaps their close friendship or Levy’s potential loyalty to Mint Mobile played a part as well.

Shawn Levy directed “Deadpool & Wolverine” with what some critics, like /Film’s Chris Evangelista, described as the energy and style of a car commercial. Despite this, Levy tried to avoid the standard Marvel green screen look that has become prevalent in recent MCU movies. This attempt indicates he took his directorial role somewhat seriously.

Interestingly, Levy expressed his enthusiasm for Marvel movies, mentioning, “I was already a fan of Deadpool and a huge fan of Wolverine, so the opportunity to join the ‘Deadpool’ franchise but to do something notably different was compelling.” What Levy meant by “different” remains unclear.

While “Deadpool & Wolverine” included numerous cameos and showcased Deadpool in a buddy cop-style dynamic, some argue it merely indulged in the very impulses that contributed to the MCU’s decline. Regardless, the film grossed over a billion dollars, ensuring that nobody involved is particularly concerned about its critical reception.