The enduring friendship between actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman was unpacked in detail in London on Friday, as the pair screened their new film, Deadpool & Wolverine.
The stars, who have often clashed in the press and on X, are fronting Marvel’s latest superhero flick, which sees the fictional superhero Deadpool (Reynolds) retire and then team up with Wolverine (Jackman) is under the heel, seven years. after his apparent death in 2017’s Logan.
Speaking at a press conference, Reynolds and director Shaun Levy said they were looking for ideas to continue the franchise until Jackman agreed to return. Among the rejected pitches was a film in which it was revealed that Deadpool was the hunter who shot Bambi’s mother.
Marvel boss Kevin Feige quickly shot down the idea, Reynolds reported. “They were like: we don’t fuck with Bambi.”
Jackman, meanwhile, said creativity and accountability were essential for a surprise return. “I was broken,” he said. “I was doing theatre.” Reynolds confirmed: “The money for her skincare regime alone would bankrupt you.”
Jackman praised his co-star’s ability in physical comedy, recalling, “when I go to Ryan’s house, which I do a lot because he’s rarely there as a father, there’s always a TV playing Turner Classic Movies. And Buster Keaton is often there.
“Ryan is a modern-day Keaton or Charlie Chaplin. That’s that level of expertise. And you don’t have to be a great dad to have that talent.”
Reynolds agreed, saying that her children will “make up for all that trauma with dad’s accomplishments. And, you know, famous kids – they’re good.”
He described the moment he returned home once to find his four daughters re-watching their favorite film, The Greatest Showman, with its star – Jackman – showing off the moves in front of the TV.
“I’m like: you little bastards, you have no idea how good you got it. They won’t appreciate this for another 20 years.”
Both men agreed that the USP of their new film was their antagonistic – but sometimes flirtatious – characters riffing off of real-life friendships that were based, for all their joviality, on mutual respect.
Related: Will Deadpool & Wolverine mark the true introduction of the X-Men into the MCU?
“We’ve known each other for almost two decades,” Reynolds said, “and we’ve had a lot in common. And he and I joke a lot, but in real life, most of our conversations are intense and emotional.”
Jackman continued, “the best, as advertised, everything you want it to be and more. I’ve never met someone with that level of integrity.”
Reynolds recalled watching Jackman while working on a film set in 2007 and realizing that he was “not only great, but kind and grounded and he understood the mission of unity on that set and he knew his name everyone. And I remember thinking to myself: if I’m ever lucky enough to be in his job, I hope I’m only a tenth of that guy.”
He added: “And now that I’m a lot older than him, I’ve learned a lot of those lessons. I realized that I’m too big to fail at this point, so I just crush my enemies and drink their blood.”
While children’s sequels have dominated the summer box office so far, with record-breaking Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and Illumination/Universal’s Despicable Me 4 hot on its heels, fares are widely expected to have a bigger impact. for adults on.
Deadpool & Wolverine – the first superhero film of the year – is expected to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time in the US after its worldwide release on July 25. Later in the season, sequels to Joker, Venom and Gladiator will take the baton.
Reynolds said the creative freedom Feige allowed his filmmakers was key to the new film’s appeal, with potshots at 20th Century Fox and the studio acquiring them in 2019 not only approved but encouraged.
“I feel like Disney is fair game,” Reynolds said. “A huge capitalist machine. I don’t feel like I’m going to get a lot of hate mail about that.”
In contrast, the high expectation and deep commitment of the fans to the series was something they were eager to nurture. The stars were vocal in their agreement that not revealing spoilers was the most challenging aspect of the press tour.
“I hate it,” Reynolds said. “It’s the worst. We live in constant terror. I’ve been on the brink of disaster six times in the last five days.”
He said the wildest rumor he had heard about the film so far was that King Charles III was going to make an appearance. “And we had a moment where we thought: could we do that?” All approaches seem to have been unsuccessful.
Speaking on Thursday, the actors expressed optimism about England’s chances in Sunday’s Euro final, with Jackman predicting that “Harry Kane is going to score a hat-trick”.
Reynolds, meanwhile, who owns Welsh side AFC Wrexham has successfully promoted the club to great acclaim, said: “I’m a believer. I think England has the stuff.
“This is the time,” he said. “He must be coming home.”