Wolverine’s emotional send-off in 2017’s Logan left a lasting impact. So much so, that when Ryan Reynolds (co-writer and actor), Kevin Feige (President of Marvel Studios), and Shawn Levy (director) decided to reunite Wolverine with Deadpool in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, a big worry was how to do it right.
Apparently, the team know exactly how much Wolverine’s last stand meant to fans. They don’t want to take away from that emotional punch. So, they are focusing on giving Wolverine a true-to-heart story while honoring his legacy.
Major Concern for Deadpool 3 in Bringing Back Wolverine
Ryan Reynolds knows fans loved the emotional ending for Wolverine in Logan. Everyone involved is a big fan of Logan and didn’t want to take away from how powerful that film was.
At first, they were not sure how to bring Wolverine back without messing with Logan’s story and what he stood for. Reynolds, Kevin Feige, Shawn Levy, Hugh Jackman, and all cared deeply about this. As the Deadpool star said in an interview with Vanity Fair:
Initially, we had a very loose idea of how we would bring Wolverine back in ways that don’t necessarily interact or interfere with Logan and that legacy. I know Kevin, like Shawn and I and Hugh, were all very concerned about that. We really needed to protect that and still allow us to tell the most full-throated Wolverine story we could ever imagine, which for us was just a huge nerve-wracking privilege.
It was crucial for them to honor Logan’s legacy while still telling the most epic Wolverine tale they could think of. This means the new movie won’t contradict what happened in Logan.
Deadpool 3 to Respect Logan’s Legacy
The director of the upcoming Deadpool 3, Shawn Levy hinted at a solution in the same interview:
The legacy of Logan as a movie and a character means a lot to Hugh, of course, but to Ryan and Kevin, and me as well. Is there an awareness of that legacy within the movie as well? The answer is yes. And that’s another way to protect it.
It seems likely that the new movie might connect with what happened in Logan, maybe by including those events in the story or using them to show how Wolverine changes as a character.
It could be a win-win for fans. They will get to see Wolverine again (while staying true to his previous arc). It’s a balancing act, but one that could create a satisfying new chapter for the character.
Deadpool & Wolverine is set to release on July 26, 2024!
Frequently asked questions
What concern did Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, and Shawn Levy have about bringing Wolverine back?
The creative team was concerned about undermining the emotional impact of Wolverine’s death in 2017’s Logan when reuniting the character with Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds explained they wanted to protect that legacy while still telling “the most full-throated Wolverine story” they could imagine. Director Shawn Levy echoed that the legacy of Logan mattered deeply to Hugh Jackman, Reynolds, Feige, and himself.
Will Deadpool & Wolverine contradict the events of Logan?
Based on statements from Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds, the filmmakers intended for Deadpool & Wolverine to respect rather than contradict what happened in Logan. Levy suggested the story might incorporate or reference Logan’s events to show how Wolverine’s character has changed, rather than ignoring his prior arc entirely. The goal was a satisfying new chapter that still honors the original film.
When did Deadpool & Wolverine release?
Deadpool & Wolverine was set to release on July 26, 2024, marking Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine following his character’s death in 2017’s Logan. The film reunites Jackman with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, with Shawn Levy directing and Kevin Feige overseeing the project as part of Marvel Studios’ slate.
