Cinema isn’t undergoing a Dark Age. Rather, a peculiar phenomenon is unfolding; glimmers of positivity are interspersed with wave of desolation instead of epidemic following Vandals as they sweep through the continents. The underperformance of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Fall Guy were met with foreboding tolling of bells by the monks. But then, suddenly, Inside Out 2 brought cinema a lifeline, sparking a potential resurgence.
Such dynamics have introduced a unique set of challenges for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The once invincible franchise has been experiencing its own fluctuating fortunes in recent years. It had a downturn with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a revival with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, and major dip with The Marvels. It seems like the Disney-owned machine is gathering its breath before taking the plunge into the latter half of this decade. Excluding the outlier year of 2020, this would be the first instance since The Avengers’ dominance in 2012 that there would be only one Marvel launch for an entire year.
The piece of this complex puzzle that is Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine doesn’t quite fit seamlessly. Firstly, it’s a sequel to two films that, although based on a Marvel comic figure, weren’t officially integrated in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The complicated logistics of all of this would be enough to make your head spin. Deadpool, the crude mercenary, was part of the X-Men world, a fraction still owned by 20th Century Fox when Disney acquired Marvel Studios. Then Disney purchased Fox, bringing down the dividing wall. Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were also notably more explicit, sensual, and violent than the typical MCU offerings. Deadpool & Wolverine – with Ryan Reynolds returning as the former ruffian and Hugh Jackman as the latter member of X-men – is the inaugural film in the series to carry a US R-rating. Notably, even the less conservative British rating board felt the need to enforce a 16 certificate.
Shawn Levy, the amiable Canadian with an impressive record including Night at the Museum and Free Guy, seems quite nonplussed about the monumental task of rescuing cinema on his shoulders.
Taking on the role of director for the third film in the Deadpool series was not something he initially knew or accepted as his duty when Ryan approached him, declares Shawn Levy. Even now he would dispute its inclusion in his responsibilities. Having come into filmmaking as a devout fan of Marvel and its various cinematic creations, which have weaved themselves into the very threads of ours and the world’s shared culture, he remains humble. His venture into this project started before discussions about superhero fatigue and the MCU’s trajectory even began. However, all such larger issues weigh in on a level beyond his remuneration.
Sidestepping speculation about Shawn Levy’s income, the casting of the movie stands out for its curious range of actors. Even the more casual observers of the MCU might express shock at spotting big names such as Robert Redford, William Hurt, Harrison Ford, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Rachel Weisz and others on the list. Indeed, it is quite a coveted role when available. A notable newcomer to this list is British actor Emma Corrin, an alumnus of St John’s College, Cambridge, who is famous for her role as Princess Diana in The Crown, and has now joined Deadpool playing the menacing character of Cassandra Nova Xavier – the twin sister of Charles Xavier from X-Men.
Identifying with “they” and “them” pronouns, Corrin seems to be thoroughly enjoying the experience. Is it in any way similar to roller-skating around the royal palace for The Crown? Not quite so. Despite both productions being big-budget affairs, the process of melding with computer-generated surroundings of the MCU involves a stark contrast. They are now a part of a special niche within the wider industry.
“I anticipated vaast differences,” says Corrin, “I felt prepared for an abundance of green screen. Contrarily, in none of my scenes did I perform against a green-screen backdrop. Thanks to Ray Chan, our production designer, we had these incredibly authentic, comprehensive and fully detailed sets that were actual words in themselves. Pressing a button would make stairs appear – all such functional intricacies were included. Clearly, it was very different – obviously, as I’ve never been part of anything at this magnitude previously.”
Corrin, who was born and raised in Tunbridge Wells, took their first steps in television with an episode of Grantchester, before being cast in the prime role on The Crown in 2020. Their performance as the late princess brought them Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice awards, making them the first nonbinary actor to grace the cover of Vogue. Corrin will soon be seen in Robert Eggers’ eagerly awaited Nosferatu.
Regarding the Deadpool job, Corrin expresses it has been an absolute pleasure, given it’s considerably unique from prior works. They have increasingly sought roles that present a challenge, finding thrill in exploring unchartered territories. They describe this new journey with an amazing cast as purely exhilarating.
Corrin realises their immersion into this overwhelming production was established on the first day. They admit entering the project with a hefty dose of impostor syndrome, intimidated and unsure of what the experience would encompass.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), indeed, hasn’t seen anything quite like this. Deadpool, a character known for his inappropriate humour and self-deprecating jokes, will now needle the controversies involving the Disney corporation. Hence, there can be an anticipation of humour regarding Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, as well as jibes concerning the corporation’s so-called family values. The Deadpool & Wolverine publicity has significantly highlighted its alleged edginess
The question remains, did the management, including the president of Marvel, Kevin Feige, ever oppose any of the jokes for being inappropriate?
Levy emphasises his surprise at the amount of artistic liberty afforded in the project, noting that around 15 possibly controversial jokes made their way into each script draft. However, these jests, which took aim at various aspects such as the genre, the studio, and the culture, remained intact provided they induced laughter. Much to his delight, Levy found the constraints placed on his creative process to be minimal in this endeavour, affording him more agency than in any of his past film projects.
“The day it took on the identities of Deadpool and Wolverine, the focus became inherently clear: the juxtaposition of one character against another. Thus, elements of conflict, comedy, and camaraderie were forefronted,” expressed Levy.
Despite spoiler warnings, it can be revealed that Wade Wilson, Deadpool’s other persona, is brought back from semi-retirement to tackle yet another monumental threat, alongside Jackman’s agreeable, Wolverine, last observed in the solemn ‘Logan’ from 2017. Deadpool 2 in 2018 opened up the possibilities for a third installment, with plans for one that included a Deadpool and Logan road trip, in a stylised nod to the obscure Akira Kurosawa film, as tweeted by Reynolds in 2021. Discussions have equally centred around the commercial aspects of Marvel as well as the narrative content. Levy, however, seems to underestimate the latter.
“Our narrative did not hinge on the broader aspects,” Levy clarifies. “Indeed, we are part of the MCU, Disney has acquired Fox, and Fox’s Marvel films have a legacy. While it was amusing to use these elements for self-aware comedic aspects, the arrival of Hugh Jackman gave rise to a clear focus. The emphasis was on the forced pairing of two characters, leading to subsequent conflict, comedy, and ultimately, brotherhood.”
Levy seems to have hit his stride in his commentary.
He commented, “The central focus of this film revolves around Deadpool and Wolverine – these two morally ambiguous characters who discover salvation within each other, function as its guiding star with the rest orbiting around like the Saturn’s rings. I’m certainly indulging in metaphorical descriptions today.” There’s no denying that the Deadpool franchise has a distinct touch when compared to the first set of Marvel productions. However, the franchise in recent years has been granted the leeway to diverge from the previously laid-out narrative. Taika Waititi’s remarkable Thor: Ragnarok and the less triumphant Thor: Love and Thunder essentially act as humorous interpretations of the broader franchise. Television shows like WandaVision and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law further explored disparate genres. Given the enormous empire that has arisen since Iron Man’s deploy in 2008, maintaining uniformity is an insurmountable task. This level of innovation is paramount for Marvel to aid cinema to break away from the so-called Age of Uncertainty.
I am curious to know Corrin’s feelings towards this current landscape. Did they adjust well to the cruder style of comedy?
“Since the very beginning, Ryan has beautifully exercised subversion with Deadpool,” they mention, “I believe his main target of ridicule is himself. His self-deprecating comedic style establishes an environment where the humour is no harm intended, no scrutiny involved, no judgment rendered. It’s light-hearted, elevating a good mood. I think it’s pretty astounding for people to accommodate this form of humour. That is definitely my impression as well.”
Certain elements stand unchanged while others evolve. Do they sense they are inheriting a legacy from James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart, both of whom portrayed renditions of Charles Xavier in previous X-Men productions? Undoubtedly, Cassandra is a malevolent character, yet they all belong to the same clan.
“They reveal that they re-watched the depictions of Xavier by Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy,” they state. “Those performances display such subtlety and elegance in their characterisation. There’s a significant amount of authenticity there. It was entertaining to then redirect the focus towards my role, where aspects of Xavier are included but also reversed due to the evil sister character. It was exciting to decide which commonalities I desired to reflect upon and where I wished for clear distinctions to be present.”
This could be enough to restore balance to the MCU. Deadpool & Wolverine is set to premiere a week after the friendly sequel to Twister. If both of them can ignite the late summer, the doomsday monks may have to put their bells away for a couple of months. The leadership, including Feige, will anxiously wait until Captain America: Brave New World kicks off the Marvel universe again in February. Tense moments indeed.
Deadpool & Wolverine will be hitting theatres on Friday, July 26th, with advanced screenings on Thursday, July 25th.