How Deadpool 3 was saved by Hugh Jackman

Ryan Reynolds thought Deadpool 3 was dead, according to Vanity Fair.

The first two films, released in 2016 and 2018, collectively earned $1.5 billion worldwide. The Merc with a Mouth was also a breath of fresh air in the world of comic book superhero movies, more irreverent and raunchy than his peers, and ultimately proved to the studios that adults also watch comic book movies. But the third time initially didn't prove to be a charm.

It wasn't until Hugh Jackman agreed to resurrect his Wolverine to trade barbs with Reynolds. But resurrection is not an easy business.

One of the issues Deadpool and Wolverine had to overcome was licensing. The foul-mouthed Marvel character was originally licensed to 20th Century Fox, part of the X-Men franchise. If you recall, we first met Deadpool in the studio's 2009 movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Then in 2019, the Walt Disney Company acquired Fox, which whipped X-Men fans into a frenzy at the thought of their beloved mutants being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, this was tempered with concerns on how the wholesome Mouse would deal with Deadpool's shenanigans.

The Mouse and the Merc with a Mouth

After all, the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine movie is the first R-rated film in MCU's history. But that risk seems to be paying off as Fandango reported last month that it broke the record of the site's day one of advanced ticket sales for an R-rated movie.

Marvel Studios still wanted to take a shot at making a third Deadpool movie. Enter director Shawn Levy, who previously worked with Reynolds on the 2021 film Free Guy and the following year's The Adam Project. Levy also worked with Jackman in the 2011 robot-fighter film Real Steel. Even though these connections existed, Jackman's joining the team wasn't even considered at first since the actor and the character Wolverine had very publicly made his bow after the critically and commercially successful Logan, released in 2017.

Even Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige thought that Jackman's legacy shouldn't be messed with.

With all of that going on in the background, Levy and Reynolds worked with a team of writers for months on a third Deadpool story, but nothing would stick. They were prepared to hang the mouthy Merc's swords when Jackman finished an argument with himself and bring Wolverine back to life. And that's how Deadpool 3 became Deadpool & Wolverine, in theaters July 26.

Levy said the he and Reynolds “struggled to find a story that felt original and non-derivative of the other two Deadpool movies.” He added they wanted the third story to deserve being the first Deadpool story in the MCU, but at the same time grounded in the original lore.

The director continued that they both were on the verge of telling Feige, “You know what? Maybe no is not the right moment because we're not coming up with a story.”

“You came (to play Wolverine).” “You called.”

That's when Reynold's phone rang and it was Jackman on the other end, calling from his car.

Jackman, for his part, remembers it very clearly, even if he had to check his phone to find the exact date: Aug. 15, 2022. He was on a week's vacation from starring on Broadway's The Music Man from 2021 to 2023. He was on stage “nine months in, six days a week.”

He continued, “And for some reason, the thought came into my head: What do you want to do? And the first two things had nothing to do with work — then literally, I thought: Deadpool-Wolverine. I want to that movie. That's what I want.”

But after that thought came, “But you've already finished with Logan. We stuck the landing. What are people going to think?”

However, the heart wants what it wants. Jackman didn't know where both Levy and Reynolds were in their process, and thought that they were about to begin filming.

The Deadpool 3 mainstays had a Zoom meeting scheduled with Kevin Feige that day, Reynolds added.

When Jackman called, he told them, “I want to do this movie. I know it in my bones. I know it in my gut.”

To which he said Reynolds replied, “I can't believe the timing because we were about to have a meeting and I'm not sure where we're at.”

From there, Deadpool himself told Feige, “Look, this call just came in. I feel like we'd be idiots to look this gift horse in the mouth and ignore it. This is a one in a billion chance. I really feel like this is what we've been looking for.”

A friendship reunion

For Jackman, it was a reunion, comparing them to the Three Amigos. He also added that he “felt so rejuvenated playing the part.” Which is something, since he's been Wolverine for at least a quarter of a century.

Reynolds said he and Levy wanted to bring Wolverine back but at the same time protect and not interfere with what had already become Logan's legacy.

Jackman admitted that he sent “an exceedingly long voice note” to share his ideas on how to go about it.

Both Levy and Reynolds explained how some actors come into a Deadpool movie and think that they get to break the fourth wall, as is the character's trademark. But they quickly disabuse them of that notion.

“We're like, ‘No, no, no. There actually is a system here.' And that keeps Deadpool's tone unique to him,” the director continued.

“There are rules. Very specific rules. You would diminish stakes in the film if everyone—or even anyone else—was also aware of the fourth wall or any kind of meta aspect. Deadpool is the only character who has that ability to do that. If everyone did that, then you would no longer invest in that character as much,” Reynolds explained.

Jackman made that mistake during the first day of filming, but Reynolds had to explain that he “needed people as invested as humanly possible in every other character while knowing that only Deadpool is the unreliable narrator.”

But it seemed to have worked out okay.

Levy describes Jackman's performance in the film as lending it “a gravitas and a raw, soulful quality that is unbelievable.”