Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds & Shawn Levy Tease ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ As “Romance” Film, Promises “R-Rated” Audacity

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Love is in the air, and no detractor, toxic fandom, or naysayer can think otherwise. On one hand, you have the beloved Hugh Jackman – one of the longest serving actors who has played a superhero on film – as Wolverine and 24 years after his debut in X-Men (2000), he is teaming up with fan favourite Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine.

While Reynolds had spent a shorter 15 years as the Merc with a Mouth, and this includes his best-forgotten debut in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine that no one cares for, comic book fans and audiences have embraced his two recent turns as the mouthy mutant. While fans have practically demanded a cinematic union of the two, legal wrangling, a studio sale and even a retirement jeopardised any opportunity, so when both actors announced in September 2022 that they would team up in a sequel, the universal love crossed the multiverse.

And on the cusp of the film’s impending release, the air in South Korea crackled with the kind of energy you only get when two iconic characters, known for their sharp wit and even sharper claws, collide. 

Together with director Shawn Levy, the now seemingly legendary trio behind the highly-anticipated film took the stage at a recent press conference in Seoul that Geek Culture attended. But amidst the adulation, playful banter and witty remarks, one unexpected revelation caught everyone a little off guard: could this highly anticipated superhero flick actually offer another love of another type… perhaps a romance? 

“There’s romantic elements to this. It’s poetry,” Reynolds quipped when asked about the movie being the most anticipated romance film of the year. It also helps that Jackman and Reynolds are close friends in real life, with a Hollywood-style fake feud in place, so a bromance isn’t entirely out of the question.

Jackman, however, quickly countered with Wolverine’s signature gruffness, describing his character’s approach to romance as “punching [Deadpool] in the face a lot”, as Logan expresses love with his claws.

The room erupted in laughter, but the actors’ subsequent comments hinted at a deeper truth. While Deadpool & Wolverine undoubtedly looks to deliver the action and humour fans crave, it also delves into the complex and often hilarious dynamic between these two beloved characters that started decades ago in the funny books. As Levy, who previously directed Jackman in Real Steel (2011) and Reynolds in Free Guy (2021), puts it, “It’s certainly a movie about friendship, and it’s certainly a movie about brotherhood.”

Deadpool & Wolverine, set to breathe new life into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), carries the weight of high expectations due to the MCU’s current low point, with Jackman reprising his role as Logan/Wolverine for a record tenth time, and Reynolds returning as the horribly disfigured and irreverent Regenerating Degenerate. However, the actors expressed no trepidation about the pressures of legacy or audience expectations, and would prefer to emphasise their focus on delivering a film brimming with joy and creativity. 

“When the three of us set out to make this film, we had a very specific North Star, and that was to deliver unbridled joy and audacity to audiences, to delight audiences all over the world,” Reynolds explained. “The best and most powerful magic in all of storytelling in the modern day and age, particularly the last 5 to 10 years, was to create as much joy as humanly possible.”

But what about the little nugget in the first trailer, which saw Wade ‘Deadpool’ Wilson declare himself as Marvel Jesus, implying that (as fans saw it) he was here to save the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Sorry fanboys, but that line was written with something else entirely in mind, explained Reynolds.

“We wrote this sort of Marvel Jesus bit in the movie, which is really just more of a way to illustrate Deadpool’s own self delusion. It certainly wasn’t meant to be a commentary on the film industry, Marvel, comic books, any of that stuff,” noted the 47-year-old, who is married to actress Blake Lively.

“I remember Blake said to me, ‘Did you somehow orchestrate it this way? Did you try to make it so that that line was relevant?’ I’m not that smart, I promise.”

According to Reynolds, the essence of Deadpool & Wolverine lies not in its potential to revolutionise Marvel’s cinematic fortunes but in its celebration of joyous filmmaking. “For us, it’s a dream come true for us all to work together,” Reynolds shared, reflecting on his 17-year friendship with Jackman. He highlighted how their personal bond and mutual respect translate into an on-screen chemistry that is both genuine and infectious. 

“We’ve been through all kinds of ups and downs. We’ve been there for each other. There are moments in the movie where it’s hard to distinguish whether Deadpool is talking to Wolverine, or is it Ryan talking to Hugh or Hugh talking to Ryan?” he mused.

Added Jackman, 55, “We’re keenly aware of anticipation and expectation, but I can promise you, and I say this on behalf of all three of us – no one expects more of us than us ourselves, or that’s one thing we have in common. I know these two as writers and as producers, had so much of their heart and soul poured into making sure that this was a version of Wolverine that was the best yet, and they gave blood.”

This camaraderie is also extended to Levy with whom Reynolds has also been friends with for a decade, underscoring the film’s foundation built on genuine relationships and collaborative spirit rather than mere star power. 

“We genuinely love each other and we cheer for each other, and I think that’s why it translates to the screen, that kind of enthusiasm and joy, because you have these folks who are not competing with one another. Each one of us really wants to put the other ahead and put them in the best possible light,” Reynolds continued.

While the film promises the hallmark Deadpool audacity, discussions also touched on the challenges and triumphs of merging this R-Rated boldness that originated and fit neatly under 20th Century Fox, but now had to adhere with the family-friendly Disney brand after the House of Mouse took a bite out of the Fox. Levy, 55, was quick to assure that there was never any pressure to dilute Deadpool’s essence. 

“This was going to be the first R-rated audacious MCU movie, and they supported that unique Deadpool tone every step of the way. So it’s very fun to play in the MCU. It’s a big sandbox filled with mythology and heroes and history, but the blood that flows through this movie is very much that of Deadpool DNA,” he explained.

Reynolds echoed this statement, “My friend who’s the most die-hard Deadpool fan on Earth, who loves that audacity, saw it and loved it as well. So I felt like we didn’t skimp on anything, but there’s nothing in there that is meant to shock or spill. Everything is story-driven.”

It’s this same dynamic, the underlying affection beneath the audacious bickering and brawling, that promises to elevate Deadpool & Wolverine beyond a mere superhero flick. “We’re very, very proud of this film,” Reynolds said, “We’re very proud to show it to you all.”