Deadpool & Wolverine was one of 2024's biggest hits and a movie that went a long way in restoring faith in the MCU after a somewhat hit-and-miss Multiverse Saga.
Rather than bringing the Merc with the Mouth into the MCU - or Earth-616, to be a little more specific - it celebrated 20th Century Fox's X-Men Universe and franchises like Blade, Elektra, and Fantastic Four. Of course, what truly made the R-Rated blockbuster excel was the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
Talking to IndieWire, Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and writer/star Ryan Reynolds were asked whether "Deadpool vs. Wolverine" was always the plan.
"I must have pitched Kevin a dozen, maybe 16, Deadpool movies, a Sundance Deadpool, which was like a road trip with Margo Martindale, shot on no money, no special effects needed, just character," Reynolds explained. "I pitched 'Deadpool Is Hunting,' the hunter who shot Bambi’s mom finds him, and they fall in love, become, like, Butch and Sundance. And of course, I was told we don’t touch Bambi at Disney, and rightly so."
The actor confirmed that Deadpool vs. Wolverine was a possible title for a time, something Levy elaborated on when he said, "The title was 'Deadpool 3' for a long time, then it was going to be 'Deadpool and Friend,' and we had a late-in-the-process epiphany that the arc of the screenplay is they are pitted against each other until eventually, and frankly, for audiences, satisfyingly, are joined together. So it’s 'versus' that transitions into 'and.'"
"For some reason, we weren’t allowed to use the name Wolverine in the title," Reynolds later revealed. "I’d have no idea why, some weird loophole thing, but at the last minute, we changed it to 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' and they somehow pushed it through. But a lot of times, it’s persistence. We were told we couldn’t use Blade or Gambit."
Levy added, "A lot of things started with 'no.' Not because they were micromanaging, but because the lawyers down the hall said, 'That’s not part of the deal.' And yeah, we were hopefully respectful hammers. But for sure, we were hammers. If we felt that something was right for this story, if it became a had to have, then we just were a little bit relentless."
It's clear from these remarks that, even after the Disney/Fox merger, bringing these characters together wasn't a simple process. It's a shame Reynolds didn't talk more about why "Wolverine" couldn't be included in the title and we can't help but wonder what legal issues like that could mean for Marvel Studios' future X-Men plans.
Elsewhere in the interview, the Deadpool actor shared a familiar update on future plans for Wade Wilson in the MCU:
"I can tell you that 'Deadpool' works best on scarcity and surprise. So the character is a better supporting player than he is a central figure. And I say that because Deadpool works best when you take everything away from him. And in order to take everything away from him, you have to centralize him, and we’ve done that now. I can’t keep taking everything away from him. I would love to, if we’re in the future, have an idea for an ensemble where it doesn’t necessarily center on Deadpool, but includes Wolverine and some other interesting pair-ups within that. I always think simpler is so much better. Say very little. Very, very clean stakes right at the beginning, not plotty. And then we’re off to 'My Dinner With Andre' mixed with 'X-Men.' No, I’m joking."
Deadpool & Wolverine is now streaming on Disney+. Watch our interview with the movie's editors below.