Summary
- Deadpool & Wolverine acted as a love letter to pre-MCU Marvel movies, bridging various storylines and characters from the past.
- The film showcased a wish fulfillment opportunity by bringing back beloved heroes like Gambit played by Channing Tatum.
- The movie highlighted the camaraderie, dedication, and behind-the-scenes humor of the cast and crew, solidifying a significant Marvel moment.
Deadpool & Wolverine was a love letter to pre-MCU Marvel movies, and the incredible cast and crew have shared some behind the scenes images that capture the feeling of the movie. Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a dominating force in Hollywood, Marvel already had a presence with superhero titles in the 1990s and 2000s. And after the ball began rolling on the MCU and the Infinity Saga began to gain momentum, other studios with claims to the Marvel catalog of characters continued to put out new releases in an adjacent timeline.
However, Deadpool & Wolverine was a singular event that took the loose ends of all of these stories, and plugged them straight into the sacred timeline. But, in order to do it right, director Shawn Levy, and the incredibly talented and passionate cast and crew put in enormous efforts behind the scenes. From casting spectacular supporting characters from the Marvel graveyard, to including callbacks to previous Fox films, Deadpool & Wolverine was a significant moment in Marvel movie history, and Levy and the stars have been posting images that bring those feelings flooding back long after the credits roll.
Related Was Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine return on par with previous iterations?
Hugh Jackman is an incredible talent who can pull off any role, but I found his story in Deadpool & Wolverine to be far less engaging than previous iterations. One thing that felt lacking was the narrative impact of his action scenes. In previous X-Men movies, an important aspect of him was that he felt pain, even when drawing his claws, and it was always such an authentic way of explaining the rage and ferocity Hugh Jackman gives him in fights. In the new movie, he just doesn’t seem to feel anything, which allows for these comedic, bombastic fights at the sacrifice of something I always appreciated as a grounded narrative element.
10 Channing Tatum Debuts As Gambit In Deadpool & Wolverine
One of the absolute best parts of Deadpool & Wolverine was the wish fulfillment capabilities of the film. With a story that takes place in a void where variants and lost souls are cast away, it was the perfect opportunity to bring back some heroes who never got their moment to shine. And central to that idea, was the fan favorite character, Gambit, played by Channing Tatum. Tatum was initially announced to be playing the role of Gambit in a live action solo film back in 2014.
However, with delays, changes in creative directions and leadership, and general development struggles, the movie never began filming in the first place. The casting of Tatum was widely praised, and considering how popular the character had been in comics and animated TV shows, the movie was set to be one of the more promising Marvel movies outside the MCU. Fortunately, Shawn Levy shares some incredible images of Tatum jumping into the role with both feet, and finally making the dream a reality.
9 Wesley Snipes & Ryan Reynolds Put Aside Their Differences
In 2004, when Reynolds was still an up-and-coming star in Hollywood, he landed a prominent role in the third entry of the Blade franchise, Blade: Trinity. Reynolds played Hannibal King alongside Wesley Snipes, who returned to play the leading role. However, reports spread far and wide of the difficulties that were had on set, and the frustration that the cast had with each other on occasion. For this reason, it was always assumed that Reynolds and Snipes had bad blood between them.
So, when Snipes appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine, it was a huge shock to see him sharing the screen with Reynolds after two whole decades. And while the film addresses this with Deadpool cracking fourth wall shattering jokes, it’s still special to see Reynolds post this image to his personal Instagram. Regardless of whatever history the two stars had, both put their pride aside in order to deliver a movie that broke barriers in several literal and metaphorical senses.
Related Why Chris Evans’ Human Torch Was Defeated So Easily In Deadpool & Wolverine Explained By Pyro Actor
The fight between Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm and Aaron Stanford’s Pyro in Deadpool & Wolverine was originally going to be very different.
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8 Hugh Jackman Unleashes The Wolverine
Another actor who appeared to be far removed from his superhero role was Hugh Jackman. Since 2000, Jackman had been the face of Wolverine, and one of the few castings that was universally beloved. However, when his movie Logan came out in 2017, it provided the perfect ending for the character after 17 years. However, Jackman had a major change of heart, and quickly got himself back into the mindset of the character he had made his own for a quarter of a century.
This video shared by Levy showcases his determination and excitement at getting back into the Wolverine mindset. Jackman provides some audio fill for the scene where he and Deadpool fight the Deadpool Corps. And while things may look slightly less impressive in a soundstage, Jackman gives his all to providing the iconic grunts, and roars of the Wolverine as he helps to score this incredibly violent and well-choreographed scene.
7 Dogpool Blooper From Deadpool & Wolverine
If a movie doesn’t have a blooper reel, was it ever actually in production? As seen in the above video shared by Reynolds, there were plenty of moments where the cast broke down in laughter and had to go for an additional take. In the above, Reynolds and Jackman listen half-heartedly to Nicepool, while Deadpool has his bare face completely slobbered on by Dogpool. However, the licking, and the expressions proves too much for the actors to keep a straight face.
This scene in the film is one of the most unusual, but it also caused a lot of laughs. So, it’s great to see the actors getting in on that action and enjoying themselves. Plus, all great movies with good actors needs to have a blooper reel. A point that is further proved in the film’s mid-credits footage of older Marvel movie bloopers and blunders across a wide variety of pre-MCU movies.
Related Marvel Finally Respects The X-Men Legend Cut From 3 Different Fox Movies
Deadpool & Wolverine is a love letter to the Fox Marvel universe, but it also delivers justice to an X-Men member who kept getting cut by Fox.
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6 The Rebel Heroes Return In Deadpool & Wolverine
In the above sections, the return of Channing Tatum and Wesley Snipes has already been praised, but this image from the director takes things to a whole new level. One of the best scenes in the movie features the reveal of the rebel forces in the void, which consists of old heroes from other timelines. The lineup includes Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Snipes as Blade, and Tatum as Gambit. This scene in the movie plays out in slow motion with dramatic music that elevates the moment.
However, director Levy may have had the best seat in the house when he got this picture of the heroes standing off camera in the passage way where they would shortly enter the scene. Seeing the heroes together, and finally getting another chance to shine was spectacular, and this BTS footage brings that moment to life. Easily one of the best BTS photos from the movie.
5 The Marvel Movie Hero Team-Up We Didn’t Know Was Possible
Continuing on from the above, Levy once again shows off his deep respect and admiration for these heroes with two images from behind the scenes. One casual photo includes the director with the latest Deadpool superhero team, and another which features the heroes ready for battle at Cassandra Nova’s base. In both, the images are full to the brim with characters and elements worth celebrating.
However, it’s the second image which showcases these heroes in front of the iconic Honda Odyssey that stands out. This is one of the best moments in the movie when Wolverine and Deadpool team up with their newfound friends to storm Cassandra’s base of operations. The fact of the matter is, no one saw this lineup coming. These heroes all play an important part in the history of Marvel movies, and they are brought together here for the first time.
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Related Forget Logan, Deadpool & Wolverine Ruins An Even Better Marvel Movie Way More
Logan’s return in Deadpool 3 may undermine his ending, but another legacy is at risk of being ruined, particularly considering subsequent events.
4 Deadpool & Wolverine Putting Family At The Heart Of The Story
However, Ryan Reynolds took things a step further when he literally brought his family together to be a part of Deadpool & Wolverine. In the Deadpool Corps., there are dozens of variants of Deadpool with similar suits, and some wildly differing outfits. However, beneath the masks and red suit, Reynolds actually took his wife, daughter and infant son to be a part of the movie.
In this image, Reynolds can be seen speaking with his daughter, Inez Reynolds, while both are fully suited up and keep their faces concealed. Despite their young age and small stature, Kidpool remains the dirtiest Merc with a Mouth in the entire movie. It’s great to see Reynolds putting his family first and seeking to have them join the cast, even if these roles see them wearing a mask for their entire stint on the movie. But making it a family affair was a great move on Reynolds’ part.
3 “Respectfully” Bringing Logan Back From The Dead
One of the biggest questions going in to Deadpool & Wolverine was how they would bring Jackman’s character back from the dead. In the Fox universe, Logan passed away in an alternative future timeline. His death was extremely emotional, and the perfect send-off for such an important character in the X-Men films. However, with Deadpool & Wolverine advertising his return and literally putting his name in the title, speculation for how he came back was high.
Then, when the movie was released and the scene exploring his return comes up in the first couple of minutes, it’s clear that Deadpool & Wolverine had no intention of approaching the topic gently. Of course, this adds to the irreverent nature of the movie, and it made for a great comedy moment early on. Looking at the BTS photos immediately brings the moment back and makes it that much better.
Related This Marvel Theory Explains How Deadpool & Wolverine Secretly Sets Up Avengers 5 & 6
A clever Marvel theory has been formulated that claims Deadpool & Wolverine directly set up the events of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
2 Deadpool & Wolverine, Or Ryan And Hugh (And Shawn)
The making of Deadpool & Wolverine was also a passion project for what amounts to be three best friends. Jackman and Reynolds have a very public, playful feud online where both men will post images, captions and videos to mess with each other. In addition, Shawn Levy has been a dear friend of Ryan’s since their previous collaborations such as Free Guy. With all three men having a working relationship and a friendship, its easy to see that they had a blast making the movie.
This behind the scenes image reveals a candid shot of Reynolds without his full suit and no make-up, Levy enjoying the moment with his friends, and Jackman finally wearing the iconic yellow cowl. While not every movie will have such a tight-knit group of people behind it, it’s clear that the bond between these three helped make Deadpool & Wolverine into what it is. And this connection continued throughout the press tours and beyond.
1 And That’s A Wrap On Deadpool & Wolverine
And continuing on from that point, Reynolds reasserts just how close these men are in this beautiful collection of photos. Across three separate photos, taken with many months in between, Jackman, Reynolds, and Levy can be seen huddling together in pure, unadulterated joy. From the day they began shooting, to their bittersweet final day, and on to events like SDCC, these three men continued to uplift and support each other.
These moments capture the soul of the movie, and while they don’t display the actors in full costumes, they are some of the most important moments and people in getting the movie made. And it’s fitting for a movie that constantly walks the line between what is real, and what Wade Wilson is experiencing as a result of his health issues, is so candid in revealing the core of the movie. Deadpool & Wolverine would not be anything without these stars and director Levy, and these BTS shots help eager fans to dive even deeper into the incredible Deadpool & Wolverine.
Deadpool & Wolverine 
4.0 RAction Sci-FiComedySuperhero
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.
Director Shawn Levy Release Date July 26, 2024 Studio(s) Marvel , Maximum Effort Distributor(s) Disney Writers Rhett Reese , Paul Wernick , Shawn Levy , Ryan Reynolds , Zeb Wells , Rob Liefeld , Fabian Nicieza Cast Ryan Reynolds , Hugh Jackman , Emma Corrin , Morena Baccarin , Rob Delaney , Leslie Uggams , Karan Soni , Matthew Macfadyen , Brianna Hildebrand , Shioli Kutsuna , Stefan Kapicic , Lewis Tan , Randal Reeder , Jennifer Garner , Aaron Stanford , Billy Clements , Ollie Palmer , Chris Hemsworth , Rob McElhenney Character(s) Deadpool , Wolverine , Cassandra Nova , Vanessa Carlysle , Peter , Blind Al , Dopinder , Mr. Paradox , Negasonic Teenage Warhead , Pinkie Pie , Colossus , Shatterstar , Buck , Elektra Natchios , Pyro , Russian , Bar Patron , Thor , TVA Minuteman Runtime 127 Minutes Franchise(s) Deadpool , Marvel Cinematic Universe prequel(s) Deadpool , Deadpool 2 Main Genre Action Expand
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