Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds has revealed his surprise that Disney let the filmmakers behind Deadpool & Wolverine go as R-rated as they have done with the upcoming Marvel movie.
Deadpool & Wolverine is Disney's and the MCU's first R-rated film, and, based on teaser trailers, includes a number of fourth wall-breaking jokes at Disney’s expense.
Speaking to Fandango’s Jacqueline Coley as part of an interview to promote ticket sales, Reynolds discussed the significance of Disney’s decision to trust director Shawn Levy when it came to knowing how far to push Deadpool & Wolverine’s out-there scenes and dialogue.
“I'm really proud of them for doing this,” Reynolds said. “I think it's a huge step for them. It adds a whole other color to this kaleidoscopic wheel that is that company and the different people that they have been entertaining for forever.
“I was surprised though that they let us go as Hard R... but very grateful. I mean there's no other way to do it. For this character and this world and particularly Logan being an R-rated film as well, I felt like that was the most full-throated version of Wolverine or Logan that we've ever seen as well, so it really allowed us a lot of freedom, not exploiting the R rating just to do R-rated stuff, but really allowing us to do anything and everything in a world where anything and everything is possible.”
Not only is Deadpool & Wolverine Disney's and the MCU's first R-rated film, it’s the only MCU movie slated for release in 2024. Marvel has struggled to keep fans interested post Endgame as the amount of MCU content has increased exponentially. Disney CEO Bob Iger said the volume of shows has "diluted focus and attention" of fans and in response Marvel will release no more than three movies and two shows per year going forward.
Deadpool & Wolverine, though, looks set to be one of the biggest movies of the year as it teases a long list of cameos and plot points fans will no-doubt enjoy.
Elsewhere in the interview, Wolverine star Hugh Jackman insisted that when he said he was done playing the X-Man after the release of Logan, “I really thought I was done.” But he returned to the role after a gut feeling while out driving.
“I was driving, I was on my way, I was just driving and literally just like a bolt of lightning came this knowing deep in my gut that I wanted to do this film with Ryan, for Deadpool and Wolverine to come back together,” Jackman said. “And Jacqueline, I swear to you, when I said I was done I really thought I was done.
“But in the back of my head, ever since I saw Deadpool 1 I was like, those two characters together, I knew it. I knew the fans wanted it. Ever since I'd put on the claws people talked about these two.
“So that had always been there, but I just knew. And I literally couldn't wait to arrive. As soon as I arrived I rang Ryan and I just said, let's do it. Like, I hadn't rung my agent, no-one. I had to ring my agent and said, oh by the way, I've just committed to a movie!
“Sometimes in life things come really clearly to you, and when that happens I've learned you just jump, you go for it.”
In a recent interview it emerged that Kevin Feige initially told Hugh Jackman not to come back as Wolverine after Logan. The Marvel Studios president said he was just as touched as everyone else when Logan delivered a fitting conclusion for Jackman’s take on the mutant hero in 2017.
Deadpool & Wolverine will weave its title characters into the MCU when it comes to theaters on July 26, 2024. For more, be sure to read up on why viewers won’t have to do any additional homework before seeing the movie this summer. You can also check out why Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld thinks the film features some of the best action scenes in the MCU.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
