Deadpool & Wolverineis taking theaters by storm right now, but it wasn’t always destined to be that way. Although the film marksHugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine, as well as Ryan Reynolds' first appearance in the MCU,Jackman nearly didn’t make the cut. That probably would have been a mistake (in more ways than one). During an interview withMTV News, Jackman was asked about how he would have felt hadDeadpool & Wolverineproceeded without him. As it turns out,Jackman would have been quite let down:
I would have been upset. Every cell in my body was like, ‘I really want to do it.’ So I would have been heartbroken, I would have cried, I would have been angry. I probably would have ended the friendship, and filed for custody of his children.
Deadpool & Wolverine
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
In all seriousness, Jackman’s enthusiasm for the role is well-documented. After playing the character for more than 20 years,it’s no shock that Jackman would have such loyalty to the role. It’s a little surprising to hear that there was a very real possibility that Jackman wouldn’t have returned forDeadpool & Wolverine, though the circumstances were largely out of anyone’s control.
Ryan Reynolds' Lucky Day
The story of how Jackman signed up forDeadpool & Wolverineis fortuitous.Jackman had famously retired from the role of Wolverine with 2017’sLogan, which concluded with the death of Wolverine. But that didn’t stop Reynolds from wanting Jackman inDeadpool 3. He had been teasing a Wolverine team-up since the firstDeadpoolwas released — only to be told it was unlikely.
Marvel Reveals the Surprising Strategy To Protect Deadpool & Wolverine Secrets
The super secretive Marvel Studios has gone above and beyond to protect Deadpool & Wolverine.
When Disney acquired Fox back in 2019,it wasn’t even clear to the general publicwhetherDeadpoolwould be a returning franchise. An R-Rated franchise seemed to be an unlikely addition to the generally family-friendly MCU. Behind the scenes, however, Reynolds and MCU head honcho Kevin Feige listened to various pitches: a low-budget road trip movie, a film with Mephisto as the villain, etc.
No pitch seemed like the right fit, however, and Reynolds revealed that he was close to walking away from the project. On the day that Reynolds was due to give the final pitch forDeadpool 3, he received a phone call that changed the game:Jackman had pulled over to the side of the road and called Reynolds to tell him that he wanted back in. Years away from Wolverine had made him miss the character, and he wanted to reprise the role. It was the film Reynolds really wanted to make: a team-up between Wade Wilson and Wolverine.
It took a little convincing for Disney to run with it, but they eventually did and the rest, as they say, is history.Deadpool & Wolverineis now in theaters, and Jackman didn’t have to sue for custody of Reynolds' children.
