Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy on how Hugh Jackman’s voice memo “unlocked” ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

In a lengthy three-way video interview with Variety, director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds described how Hugh Jackman “unlocked” what became Deadpool & Wolverine. 

While Jackman’s “epiphany” that he wanted to put on Wolverine’s claws once again after 2016’s Logan has already been covered, they shared new information about how central he was to the movie coming together. 

Levy said he and Reynolds had been working on a Deadpool 3, “but it never gelled.”

“We won’t belabor the creative part of it too long, but Hugh … unlocked the biggest thing when he sent us a 10-minute voice memo,” Ryan says.

“It was more like 17 minutes,” Levy corrected.

“Which is a terrifying thing to get from anyone. You’re like, ’17 minutes?!'” Ryan exclaimed.

Jackman says, “It was inarticulate. I learned this from my acting teacher: When you first read a play or script, write down everything you think because you never have those eyes again. So, I read the script and immediately did a voice note. I didn’t call because I wanted it just to be my ‘blah blah blah’ without any questions. And 16 minutes of it is crap, but there’s probably a minute in there that ends up [working].”

Whatever that was, the trio isn’t saying, but it did work. “Suddenly it triggered epiphany after epiphany,” Ryan says. “So, Hugh, you have a huge hand in writing the movie, as well. One of my favorite parts of your character in the film is from that voice memo.”

They also hinted at whether we’ll see either of the heroes again in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “We’ll see,” Reynolds allows.

Deadpool & Wolverine opens July 26. 

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