If director Shawn Levy had his way, the first look at Hugh Jackman actually wearing the Wolverine mask in Deadpool & Wolverine would come in the form of actual footage and not stickers, popcorn buckets, or other tie-in merchandise.
However, he understands that when it comes to working with a company like Disney, these sorts of leaks are inevitable.
Speaking to Collider at CinemaCon, Levy stated, "The truth is, Disney is a big machine. They've empowered us with huge freedom in the making of this movie but this is a big movie release and there's going to be a lot of those merchandise, ancillary things in the world. And it's a balance between being in that world and preserving the delight of surprise. Those are conversations we're having all the time."
However, there was one bit of tie-in merchandise that seems to have Levy excited, the rumored popcorn bucket (designed by Ryan Reynolds) that's said to rival and possibly outdo the Dune: Part Two popcorn bucket.
Said Levy, "That might be one of the greatest strokes of genius that Ryan Reynolds has had on this movie. You'll just have to wait and see [what that looks like]."
While unconfirmed, the popcorn buckets are rumored to look similar to the concept below.
Also at CinemaCon, Levy was asked to comment about those persistent Taylor Swift rumors, which have the pop star playing Lady Deadpool or Dazzler. Levy opted to keep fans guessing with his reply.
The cast of Deadpool & Wolverine features Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, Owen Wilson as Mobius, Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, Karam Soni as Dopinder, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Stefan Kapicic as Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio, Rob Delaney as Peter, Jennifer Garner as Elektra.
Shawn Levy is directing from a script he co-wrote with Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells.
Deadpool & Wolverine arrives in North American theaters on July 26, 2024.
Deadpool & Wolverine Official Synopsis: After some professional disappointments and an ongoing midlife crisis, Wade Wilson now sells used cars. He’s completely hung up his boots until his family, friends, and whole world are threatened.
With everyone he loves at risk, DP teams up with a reluctant Wolverine to fight for their survival and ultimately, their legacy.