Deadpool & Wolverine wastes no time in getting Hugh Jackman in his iconic blue and yellow costume from the comics, but doesn't introduce the hero's mask until the final act.
As the clawed mutant and the Merc with the Mouth get ready to clash with the Deadpool Corps, Logan dons the cowl and wears it right up until the movie's emotional - and abs-heavy - climax when the title heroes defeat Cassandra Nova.
The scene of Wolverine "masking up" has led to cheers in theaters but why did we have to wait so long to see it? Director Shawn Levy addressed exactly that in a recent interview with Collider.
"So did we when we filmed it, by the way. So did we," the filmmaker responded when the interviewer pointed out what a celebratory moment it was. "I just remember very early on when I was storyboarding, it became clear, 'Okay, he's got to wear the mask but don't give it up too early. Make them wait for it. Make it later and make it count.'"
"We were shooting that day and when Hugh pulled it on, we knew that we were gonna undercut it with Deadpool [saying], 'You save the good stuff for special occasions,' Wolverine says, 'Killing mostly.'"
It was at this point Ryan Reynolds chimed in to say, "There's a little smile on his face when he says it. Wonderful."
Levy continued. "We loved that reading. That's one literally 500 readings of Hugh's Ryan and I are obsessed with but we just knew that moment would land so it had to be something that the audience waits for and it's really suiting up for the ultimate battle royale which was always going to be this single shot, lateral tracking move of Wolverine and Deadpool for the first time not fighting each other but fighting together against the Deadpool Corps."
We've seen plenty of The Void's Resistance in recent days, but aside from a couple of behind-the-scenes photos, an official shot of Wolverine's mask still hasn't been revealed. While that's hopefully coming, it seems Marvel Studios would prefer we experience that exclusively on the big screen for the time being.
In our review Deadpool & Wolverine last month - which you can read by clicking here - we concluded by saying, "A contender for the best superhero movie ever, Deadpool & Wolverine is two hours of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman proving they were born to play these roles and, crucially, be part of the MCU. It’s a f***ing masterpiece."
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, and Dafne Keen. The movie is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.
Kevin Feige, Reynolds, Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, Simon Kinberg and Jonathon Komack Martin serving as executive producers.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters.