Nearly six years after ‘Deadpool 2,’ the self-proclaimed “Marvel Jesus” has returned to the big screen and this time, he brought his BFF Wolverine with him. Real-life BFFs Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reprise their roles as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ finds Wade at a peaceful time of his life, retired from his usual superhero duties. All was well until the TVA came knocking on his door. Agent Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) reveals to him that his entire timeline and everyone he cares about will soon cease to exist due to it losing its “anchor being”. Deadpool travels to various timelines to find a Wolverine to replace the one that was lost in order to save his world.
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Director Shawn Levy (‘Free Guy’) is at the helm for the highly anticipated film. The movie features a slew of familiar Marvel characters, unexpected cameos, visceral fight scenes, and a fantastic soundtrack.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds, Peggy aka “Dogpool” and Hugh Jackman attend the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.
The film premiered at the David H. Hoch Theater in New York City on July 22, 2024. The movie was released domestically on July 26 in formats such as IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, and 4DX. Initially, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ was set to release on September 6, 2024. However, the film moved up to its July 2024 release date following the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. The movie has a total runtime of 2 hours and 8 minutes.
Did you miss it in theaters? You’re in luck! The movie became available for rent or purchase on digital on October 1. You can rent for $24.99 or purchase for $29.99 on platforms such as Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube, Vudu, and more.
After debuting at a staggering $636.6 million domestically, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ surpassed the 2023 box office hit ‘Barbie,’ becoming the 12th highest-grossing film. Globally, the movie has earned over $1.3 billion. It currently holds the record as the highest grossing R-rated movie.
For physical media lovers, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is now available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K Ultra HD. A steel book Blu-Ray edition is also available, and you can pre-order it at retailers such as Target, Walmart, or Amazon.
The Blu-ray and 4K version will include bonus features such as a gag reel, deleted scenes, commentary with director Shawn Levy, and stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, and featurettes such as:
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Watch the official trailer for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’:
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The official synopsis for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is below:
Deadpool’s (Ryan Reynolds) peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.
Who’s In the Cast of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine
(L to R) Dafne Keen, Hugh Jackman, Channing Tatum, Wesley Snipes, Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Garner in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
As we all know, it’s been a rough time in recent years for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some undercooked movies and TV shows, a lack of direction, and a general malaise have plagued the most successful film franchise in history ever since ‘Avengers: Endgame’ concluded the Infinity Saga in peak form. That’s why the MCU needed “God’s perfect idiot” to help get it back on its feet again in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’
The long-awaited integration of the Fox universe of Marvel films – featuring characters like the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and of course Deadpool – has finally begun in earnest, some five years and a few tantalizing hints after Disney purchased Fox and brought most of those Marvel characters under its roof. Who better to kick it off than the Merc with a Mouth, said mouth pottier than ever and his ability to make you laugh out loud at extreme violence and wildly filthy jokes as intact and R-rated as before.
And who better to join Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) in this quest to save the MCU than Wolverine, still dead (at least in one universe) since 2017 but also alive and well in the form of Hugh Jackman, whose retirement from the role and return to it (“We’re gonna have you do this until you’re 90”) is constantly made fun of through ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’
The movie not only serves as a swift kick in the you-know-what to re-energize the MCU, but also, somewhat surprisingly, as a genuine tribute to all those Fox movies and even a couple of non-Fox entries in the Marvel pantheon. It wouldn’t work, however, if we didn’t care about these characters, and there’s no question that Reynolds and Jackman nail their twisted buddy-cop chemistry as well as their characters’ inner torment.
Like its two predecessors, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is fairly thin on story, and what there is doesn’t always add up. Rebuffed by the Avengers, retired from superhero work, and still longing for a way to make himself matter both to the world and especially to estranged girlfriend Vanessa (an underused Morena Baccarin), Wade Wilson finds himself kidnapped by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen), an agent of the Time Variance Authority, who informs Wade that while he is special and has been selected to live, the rest of his timeline – and all his loved ones – will soon cease to exist because it’s lost its “anchor being.”
That “anchor being” is Logan/Wolverine, who died in Wade’s universe at the end of the 2017 movie ‘Logan,’ but whose passing signals the end of that corner of the multiverse. So Wade steals Paradox’s time-hopping device and goes in search of a replacement Wolverine – only to end up finding the most dismal version of Logan of all, a Wolverine who failed catastrophically at his superhero duties in his own universe.
Tiring of them both and eager to set his “time ripper” machine in motion, Paradox consigns Deadpool and the dissolute, embittered Wolverine to the Void at the end of time – where their efforts to get back to the TVA and get things fixed are stymied by a new menace: Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), who rules over the wastes of the Void and has no intention of letting Wade and Logan escape.
As the story progresses – into a series of turns that don’t always make sense – a certain rinse-and-repeat cycle sets in. Wolverine and Deadpool square off verbally, hurling insults at each other (with Deadpool also firing off either one inappropriate sex joke after another or a string of meta-quips aimed at the Disney/Fox merger, the MCU’s foibles (“Welcome…you’re arriving at a low point,” he says to Wolverine at one point), his or Hugh Jackman’s own careers, or all three at once. It inevitably ends in a violent, shockingly gruesome fight between the two, with the battles eventually expanding to include both Cassandra’s minions and another army of variants that has been cast into the Void, usually all set to instant-grat needle drops.
Director Shawn Levy, who Reynolds apparently plans to work with for the rest of his life, handles this all efficiently. The fights are especially visceral early on, even if they begin to get tiresome; the filthy back-and-forth patter – there are a hell of a lot of “f**ks” in this movie – proceeds breathlessly (we would have liked to have caught a few more of the lines, actually), and although the movie’s energy flags, particularly in the second act, Levy always manages to put the pedal to the metal again. The movie looks largely bright and crisp, with the digital FX smoother here than we’ve seen in a while if occasionally iffy.
The most important part of all this, however – aside from the mind-melting cameos that will elicit both gasps and bouts of stunned laughter from Marvel fans (along with some puzzlement from the non-diehards) – is that relationship between Logan and Wade. Even though their dynamic can get repetitive, the movie gradually reveals the deep pain that both men – both mutants, both outsiders – carry in their hearts. It’s a tribute to the actors, certain aspects of the script (on which Reynolds and Levy worked with regular ‘Deadpool’ scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, as well as Zeb Wells) that these two beloved characters can still shine through and make us care about their fates, dilemmas, and bro-mance.
Ryan Reynolds has the Deadpool schtick down pat, and even if he becomes a bit irritating after two hours, his asides, throwaway jokes, fourth wall breaks and innocently raunchy observations still make him hilariously entertaining to watch and listen to. The blankness of the Deadpool mask makes it somehow even funnier. But this is also a more emotional Wade Wilson, with more at stake than ever before, and Reynolds handles that ably as well.
What’s most interesting is that as the ostensible star (as well as co-writer and producer), Reynolds steps back and gives others a chance to shine – well, we pretty much mean Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. While his end in ‘Logan’ was as epic and moving as one could want, the truth is that it’s fantastic to see Jackman in the role again (and, for the first time, in a comics-accurate suit), especially since he delivers perhaps his best performance as Logan following his 2017 swan song. This Logan is more full of rage than ever, but also possesses a deep sense of loss and profound regret. His heart has been badly broken, and what makes it worse is that he’s the one who shattered it.
Our other two main characters – our lead villains – don’t fare quite as well. Matthew Macfadyen chews the scenery as the sputtering, wheedling Paradox, and while Macfadyen is a brilliant actor it’s a fairly one-dimensional role. But we were less enthralled with Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova. The actor doesn’t quite have the gravitas to make Cassandra much of a menace, leaning instead on the VFX to do a lot of the work. Even with her interesting history (which comics fans will know), Cassandra never quite becomes a formidable presence.
And then there are the much-rumored cameos. We certainly won’t reveal any here, but there are a few faces in the film that might vindicate some fan speculation, while others prove to be complete and utterly riotous surprises – which in turn cumulatively end up as a celebration of more than 20 years of Marvel movies that did not fall under the MCU banner.
It’s that last bit that is the most fascinating thing about this film. While there is a certain game-changing aspect to it (and a huge meta component), ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ winds up being a genuinely affectionate tribute to the Fox Marvel universe and its own ups and downs. It acts more as an acknowledgment of how those early movies helped light the torch that was eventually passed to the MCU than any kind of major reset of the latter itself – although that door is certainly wide open now.
How that reset happens from here – and whether Wade and Logan will play a major part in it – is anyone’s guess. Like ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ ties up some loose ends from the past through a generous helping of fan service that may confound some viewers. Yet it doesn’t set down a clear path forward either. What it does do is bring back the energy, zaniness and sense of “anything can happen” fun that has often been part of the MCU’s best moments. All it took was a moron in a mask to make it all work again.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’?
Six years after the events of ‘Deadpool 2’, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) lives a quiet life, having left his time as the mercenary Deadpool behind him, until the Time Variance Authority (TVA)—a bureaucratic organization that exists outside of time and space and monitors the timeline—pulls him into a new mission. With his home universe facing an existential threat, Wilson reluctantly joins an even more reluctant Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) on a mission that will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Premiering its final episode of its second season on Apple TV+ October 25th is the popular sci-fi series ‘Invasion,’ which was created by Simon Kinberg (‘Dark Phoenix’), who also wrote the episode, and David Well (‘Hunters’).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with series creator Simon Kinberg about the season 2 finale of ‘Invasion,’ telling a different alien invasion story, the scope of the series, working with the new season 2 directors, and as a producer on ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Logan,’ how he feels about Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine opposite Ryan Reynolds in the MCU’s ‘Deadpool 3.’
Shioli Kutsuna in ‘Invasion’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to fans of the show to tease them about the season 2 finale, and will it act as a satisfying ending to the overall story or will there be a cliffhanger for a possible season 3?
Simon Kinberg: I think what people can expect from the last episode is certainly bigger action than they’ve seen so far in season two. There’s been a lot of action in season two, obviously a lot more than there was in season one. But really it culminates in episode 9 and gets massive in episode 10. The other thing I would say about the last episode is, in many ways, the first two seasons have been obviously about these different characters from all over the world, but they’ve been slowly coming together in terms of their storylines over now 19 episodes and going into 20. The last episode brings them together in some surprising ways, and you see in some ways why we chose these particular stories to tell. It wasn’t completely random. I hope that the end of episode 10 is satisfying to people because it’s got a big battle and it has a measure of closure to it. But like all of my favorite television and certainly my favorite science fiction and mystery television, there’s still whole worlds to unfold beyond this season.
Azhy Robertson and Golshifteh Farahani in ‘Invasion’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
MF: Can you talk about developing the series and what you wanted to do differently with the alien invasion concept?
SK: In general, from the beginning, what I felt was missing from the alien invasion genre was a truly global perspective, that it was often or always told from the perspective of one character and that character was usually American. If it was an ensemble, they were all Americans, like in ‘Independence Day.’ So if the whole planet came under attack, America’s not the only place that’s dealing with the problem, everywhere is and I wanted to see what the different reactions from different types of characters in different types of societies would be. That was the thing that was the spark of inspiration for me, and if you were to do a mashup of ‘War of the Worlds’ with a movie like ‘Babel,’ that was the North Star from the beginning.
Shioli Kutsuna in ‘Invasion’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
MF: Can you talk about the scope of the series and the challenges of telling an international story about an alien invasion?
SK: It’s an incredibly ambitious television show, and I have to applaud and just get on my knees with gratitude to Apple. They really believed in the show from the very beginning, despite the fact that it’s not based on a huge piece of IP. It doesn’t have huge stars in it. They just believed in the concept and quality of the show, and they backed it in a way that was really extraordinary. The first season was incredibly challenging because we were filming in Tokyo, London, Morocco, New York, and other places I think I’m forgetting, but those were our main hubs, in the middle of the pandemic. So that was really a challenge unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my career, having made some really big movies all over the world. The second season had different challenges, and I would say the biggest challenge was less about the physical production, though the production is really big, and more about the visual effects. We really amped up the aliens, the action and the world building in season two. I wanted the visual effects to feel like it was the same level quality as you’d see in big budget movies I’ve worked on in the past, like the ‘Star Wars’ movies, the ‘X-Men’ movies, those kinds of films. So designing all of that with a lot of the geniuses I’ve worked with in my feature film life, designing all of those worlds was a whole lot of fun. And trying to find new designs for aliens, motherships and things we’ve seen in lots of movies done extremely well, trying to find new versions of that. So there was a conceptual challenge and then there was the execution challenge of those visual effects.
Shamier Anderson in ‘Invasion’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
MF: As a director yourself, what has it been like for you to collaborate with other directors on this series?
SK: It’s really fun working in television with directors. It’s so different than features. With features, you’re working with one director and you’re living for years with that director telling that story. I’ve had some amazing relationships with filmmakers on films. In TV, you’re working with a director and they’re in and out, if they’re doing one episode. We had incredible filmmakers in season two. I mean, from really seasoned people, like Alik Sakharov who directed episodes of ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Ozark’ and I mean he is truly one of the greatest television directors. No exaggeration, obviously, because those are among the greatest shows of all time. He was the DP on the pilot of ‘The Sopranos.’ I mean, the guy has seen and done everything you could possibly do in TV. I learned an immense amount from him actually about TV storytelling and production. Then we had people that were less experienced come in for an episode. So it was really fun just working with such a diverse group of people, diverse in terms of their personal experience and their professional experience.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds Instagram account.
MF: Finally, since you were a producer on both ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Logan,’ I have to ask how you feel about Hugh Jackman returning to the role of Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3’ and having those characters now exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
SK: I love Hugh so much. I mean, he’s somebody who’s really been a huge part of my life. I’ve made six or seven movies with him, even a movie outside the ‘X-Men’ universe. He’s one of the kindest, just sweetest humans, let alone movie stars, I’ve ever met. I love him as Wolverine, and it’s really hard for me to imagine another actor playing Wolverine. That’s not true for every comic book character, but I can’t imagine anyone else playing that part. So as much as I really love what we did with ‘Logan’ and really feel like we gave that character and Hugh’s journey as that character a fitting goodbye, I’m really excited to see him do it again. I’m really excited to see him do it in a different toned story. I adore Ryan and I adore what Ryan does with Deadpool, so I’m just really excited to see those two guys together.
‘Invasion’ series creator Simon Kinberg.
‘Invasion’ Season 1 Recap
An alien invasion is seen through the different perspectives of various people on different continents across the world.
What is the plot of ‘Invasion’ season 2?
Season 2 picks up just months after the events of season 1, with the aliens escalating their attacks in an all-out war against the humans. As the aliens continue their land grab, pockets of resistance across the world join the World Defense Coalition searching for ways to destroy the enemy, including the grassroots vigilante alien hunters, The Movement, and the experiments being done at the Alien Research Facility.
(Left) Ryan Reynolds in 20th Century Fox’s ‘Deadpool.’ (Right) Hugh Jackman as James Howlett / Logan / Wolverine in director James Mangold’s ‘Logan.’
Preview
What is causing the delay for ‘Deadpool 3’?
Who will be returning for ‘Deadpool 3’?
Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine, and why it won’t affect James Mangold’s ‘Logan’
Looks like we may have to wait a bit longer to see Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman share the in ‘Deadpool 3’. The film may be moved off its May 2024 release date due to the actors strike, reports Deadline. Disney has not officially confirmed or commented on the release date change.
The third installment of ‘Deadpool’ was originally slated to be released on September 6, 2024. Later, it was pushed back to November 8, 2024, until Disney announced the new date of May 3, 2024. The movie began filming in late May of this year during the WGA strike, but the production halted once the SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14.
With the ongoing strike and the film being unfinished, the alleged delay is inevitable. On top of the ‘Deadpool 3’ release date change, other Marvel films could face the same fate, such as ‘Thunderbolts’, which was slated to release on December 6, 2024. ‘Thunderbolts’ also halted production in May due to the writer’s strike.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will be the next Marvel film to release in 2024, no word on whether this film will face a release date change.
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Who Is In ‘Deadpool 3’?
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman discuss Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds YouTube channel.
‘Deadpool 3’ is directed by Shawn Levy and will see the return of Ryan Reynolds as the fourth-wall-breaking merc with a mouth Deadpool/Wade Wilson. Joining Reynolds is Hugh Jackman, reprising his role as Wolverine/Logan. Also returning to the franchise are Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Leslie Uggams as Al, and Karan Soni as Dopinder. Zazie Beetz, who played Dominio in ‘Deadpool 2,’ is not reported to return.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds Instagram account.
The announcement of Hugh Jackman joining ‘Deadpool 3’ came about in an unconventional way, yet on brand for the franchise. In a video released in September 2022 on Reynold’s YouTube channel, the actor revealed that Hugh Jackman would be donning the adamantium claws again as Wolverine. “His first appearance in the MCU obviously needs to feel special,” the actor starts in a voiceover through a montage of walking through the woods and working on a typewriter. Reynolds continued to talk about staying true to the character and finding depth before trailing off, saying, “…and I have nothing.” All this build-up leads to Hugh Jackman nonchalantly walking across the screen as Reynolds poses the question, “Hey Hugh, you wanna play Wolverine one more time?’. Jackman answers, “Yeah. Sure, Ryan.”
Jackman’s return as Wolverine caused a wave of excitement through the fans. The last we saw the actor in the role was in James Mangold’s ‘Logan’. Although Jackman will be playing Wolverine again, Reynolds explicitly states that ‘Deadpool 3’ would not affect the end of Mangold’s film. This could mean the Wolverine we’ll see in ‘Deadpool 3’ is from another universe or timeline, as the MCU has leaned into the multiverse in recent films like ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness’ and shows such as ‘Loki’.
Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’
Premiering on Apple TV+ on August 23rd is the second season of the popular sci-fi series ‘Invasion,’ which was created by Simon Kinberg (‘Dark Phoenix’) and David Well (‘Hunters’).
‘Invasion’ Season 1 Recap
An alien invasion is seen through the different perspectives of various people on different continents across the world.
What is the plot of ‘Invasion’ season 2?
Season 2 picks up just months after the events of season 1, with the aliens escalating their attacks in an all-out war against the humans. As the aliens continue their land grab, pockets of resistance across the world join the World Defense Coalition searching for ways to destroy the enemy, including the grassroots vigilante alien hunters, The Movement, and the experiments being done at the Alien Research Facility.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure speaking with director Alik Sakharov (‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘The Witcher’) about his work on season 2 of ‘Invasion,’ where he directed the first three episode as well as episode five. Sakharov discussed the pressure of joining a series in the second season, how his previous work as a cinematographer informs his work as a director, the most challenging aspect of directing ‘Invasion,’ and bringing something fresh to the genre.
Shioli Kutsuna in ‘Invasion,’ premiering August 23, 2023 on Apple TV+.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, as a director, when you join a series that is already in progress, do you feel pressure to continue the success of the show, or is that something that you’ve gotten use to at this point in your career?
Alik Sakharov: I don’t think I had the pressure, to be honest with you. I mean, as a seasoned pro, I didn’t feel pressure. I just felt responsibility of delivering good product. I had a very wonderful set of meetings with Simon Kinberg, and (executive producer) Audrey Chon, and with Apple executives. I felt, it was a wonderful dynamic, if you will, it was very friendly atmosphere, and very encouraging. Obviously, I read the scripts beforehand. So, we started talking about concept, about this and that, and the design, and it all felt very natural. The reason why it felt natural to me is because, although it’s sci-fi, it’s based on character and based on drama. It’s based on very important universal things that virtually everyone can relate to. We’re talking about, if Anisha is on the run with her kids, trying to protect them and save them, then we understand what that is. So the universality of it is very palatable and very palpable. So, relating to it wasn’t very complicated. For me personally, it was great to have this drama against the sweeping backdrop of this huge canvas of aliens invading.
Golshifteh Farahani in ‘Invasion,’ premiering August 23, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: You began your career as a cinematographer, how does that experience inform your work as a director?
AS: To answer your question, as a director of photography, coming to directing, is really, for me, a crucial thing, because you understand the language, you understand how to tell the story, by way of where the camera is going to be. It’s not to say that every director has to do that, not at all. But, most accomplished directors that I really respect, Stanley Kubrick, David Fincher, the CoenBrothers, Christopher Nolan, they understand what lenses can do. They understand what photography can do. So, you don’t usually want to give way for someone to set up the shot. You either bring them on board, the director of photography, the camera operators, and discuss what needs to get accomplished, as opposed to just farming it all out, because then, you’re immediately losing a bit of the language that you’ve been designing to tell the story. So, very important to engage everybody, to bring everybody together, and to set shots up, such that, everyone’s happy. So usually, I know exactly what the lens is going to be. I know exactly what the camera angle is going to be. I don’t try to be fascistic about it, but I would suggest where it would be, and then I’d say to my crew, “Guys, go crazy. Enhance it. Make it great.” So, everyone participates in it, and finds their own, and they’re all fulfilled. That’s, to me, key to a great collaboration on set. So, if I communicate my ideas to the director of photography and he communicates his ideas to his lighting crew, and grip department, and his camera operator, and then we’re all discussing how it’s going to resolve itself on the screen, then the resulting image, or images, or set of storylines through visuals can invoke some reaction from you as a viewer. So if the camera is too high, you go, “Guys, the camera is too high.” If the verticals are not correct, you go, “Verticals are not correct.” If the camera is too low, “It’s too expressive. Let’s bring it up to the human perspective.” You have to choose all those things. You have to, not dictate it, but propose it, such that, it’s much more humanized.
(L to R) Cache Vanderpuye, India Brown and Louis Toghill in ‘Invasion,’ premiering August 23, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: ‘Invasion’ is a series that is very large in scope and told from several different perspectives. How did your work on shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Rome’ prepare you to direct this series?
AS: Well, because of the scope, I could see why you are comparing it to ‘Game of Thrones.’ But, I mean, I was involved in big scope shows like ‘Rome’ for instance, and ‘Marco Polo’ for instance. Those are very scopey shows. I mean, the dictate of this particular show, of this particular parameters is grand scale. So, you need to approach it in grand scale. It’s not so much a TV mentality. You have to approach it like a cinematic event, because of the cinematic event, it could be compared to these shows that you’re proposing.
(L to R) Azhy Robertson, Tara Moayedi and Golshifteh Farahani in ‘Invasion,’ premiering August 23, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: You directed the first three episodes of season 2, what was the most challenging scene to shoot in those first couple of episodes?
AS: The most challenging was, believe it or not, was the very first scene of episode one, where we’re just thrown into the invasion. The challenge of it was basically that we needed to shoot it fast. I mean, it’s a huge scene. Initially, we planned to shoot it over the course of five days. We needed to find a location which would be able to guide us through, basically the timeline of the scene. In order for us to do that, we needed to find a particular set of streets that one street would lead into the other, into the other, and into the other. So, it’s all making sense, because it was not a backlight. We found a little section in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, where it was basically one and two-story buildings with tin roofs. From a bird’s eye view, it felt like the right way of approaching the scene. So, our production designer, Simon Rogers, was basically instrumental in dressing the streets. Then, I started discussing with my crew how are we going to approach it, and how we’re going to break down the scene, such that, we would have absolutely everything, broken down into, not only just shots, but also into little segments that would segue from one to the other because there’s a very propulsive energy throughout that scene. So, the challenge was to accomplish everything in set time and the allotted time to rehearse everything. It was involving 200 extras. We had six cameras. We had to deal with the weather. We had to deal with a helicopter landing. We had to deal with so many elements. It became like a feature film, yet, we needed to do it as a television schedule. I think we actually did tremendously well. We shot the whole thing that was designed to be shot in five days, in four days, and we were able to accomplish everything.
Shamier Anderson in ‘Invasion,’ premiering August 23, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Finally, can you talk about finding a way to bring something fresh to a genre that has seen a lot of entries? How did you go about finding something fresh, even for season two compared to season one?
AS: I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think about that. What I think about is the human perspective, the drama. Look, if I sit in my chair, and I react to the acting, and it works, and it feels right, then your audience is going to react that way too. If you feel that it’s false, you go for another take. Because, if you’re going to move on and you have a false take, your audience is not going to buy it. So, I always come from a perspective of it’s not to design the most fresh, the most interesting, the most this, and that, look, we’re not going to be reinventing the wheel. It’s been invented. So, what you’re going to go for is the performance. What you’re going to go for is for the trueness. The value of whether or not it is good. It has a capability to hook you, to appeal to you, to convince you that this is what’s happening, and this is the right thing, and it’s the honesty.
‘Invasion,’ premiering August 23, 2023 on Apple TV+.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds Instagram account.
If you liked the 2000s ‘X-Men’ movies but had an issue with the black leather costumes the team wore –– there was even a meta reference about it when Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine complained about them, to which James Marsden’s Cyclops responded, “What would you prefer? Yellow spandex?” –– prepare to be happy.
Getting ahead of more set pictures arriving showing him in it, the ‘Deadpool 3’ team (including star Ryan Reynolds) has posted an image of Reynolds in his newly modified Deadpool suit walking next to Jackman –– who is in the traditional yellow garb and spiky high hair.
It does seem a little incongruous to see Jackman in such comics faithful attire after years of black leather (or civvies), but the thought of the jokes to be had about it truly makes it worthwhile. And it would truly indicate that there’s either some compelling reason for him to wear that suit or confirmation that this is an alt-universe variant of ‘Logan.’
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Deadpool 3: What do we know so far?
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman discuss Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds YouTube channel.
‘Deadpool 3’ has been in the works for a while now, with Reynolds naturally driving development. Animation veterans Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin worked on the early drafts of the script, and more recently, regular ‘Deadpool’ writer duo Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick came aboard to help Reynolds get it into shooting shape. Because as we know, the screenplays for these movies are usually heavily reliant on the star and others riffing as well as established pages.
Levy has had the cameras rolling for a few weeks now, and of course pictures have begun to appear online. But, as filmmakers such as ‘Shazam’s David F. Sandberg learned, it’s better to get your own, properly lit and composed images is preferable to bad paparazzi pictures.
(L to R) Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio and Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead in ‘Deadpool 2.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
With the cameras now reportedly rolling on the third ‘Deadpool’, director Shawn Levy has been busy gathering the cast he needs to surround Ryan Reynolds’ titular Merc With A Mouth, who also goes by the name Wade Wilson.
Some are new recruits –– ‘The Crown’s Emma Corrin, for example is reportedly playing one of the movie’s main villains, while ‘Succession’sMatthew Macfadyen is also aboard in an unknown capacity (we could see him being a Weasley character of some sort, though he might want to do something different after years of Tom Wambsgams).
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And the headliner, of course, is Hugh Jackman, who after two films (and years of a fake rivalry with his good friend Reynolds) is bringing Wolverine to both the ‘Deadpool’ franchise and the MCU (since the new movie will be overseen by producer Kevin Feige and counted as part of the sprawling superhero universe for the first time).
Hildebrand has played sullen, sarcastic teen X-Men hero Negasonic Teenage Warhead (who has the ability to generate nuclear explosions) since the original, while Kutsuna joined in the second as her girlfriend, the cheery Japanese mutant ninja Yukio.
(L to R) Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio and Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead in ‘Deadpool 2.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
Alongside Hildebrand and Kutsuna, many of the movies’ veteran characters are coming back. Morena Baccarin, who plays the main character’s great love, Vanessa, will return (thanks to some convenient time-travel shenanigans that retconned her character’s death at the start of the second movie). Karan Soni is once again playing humble, nervous taxi driver Dopinder, while Leslie Uggams will be the sardonic Blind Al, Wade’s roommate. And we’ll also see more from stoic, metallic X-Men member Colossus, brought to life via performance capture and CGI by Stefan Kapicic.
Those have all been with the franchise since the original. Joining from ‘Deadpool 2’ is Peter (Rob Delaney) the unassuming human who stumbled into Wade’s auditions for his X-Force team and somehow ended up joining the group. Though Peter ended up dying like (most of) the rest of the ill-fated squad, Wade also used time travel to save him at the end of the movie.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman discuss Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds YouTube channel.
What will ‘Deadpool 3’ be about?
So far, director Shawn Levy, who collaborated with regular writers Reynolds, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese and new recruit Zeb Wells, has not said explicitly what the storyline will be.
Yet we know from comments that Jackman in particular has made, that we can expect Wolverine and Deadpool to butt heads (probably literally at several points), and there will of course be knowing nudges at Wade’s new superhero reality –– we’d be shocked if there aren’t at least cameos from one or two MCU characters.
‘Deadpool 3’ is currently targeting a November 8th, 2024, release date.
Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’
In other news, Ridley Scott is rounding out the cast for his long-anticipated sequel ‘Gladiator 2’ –– but he’s been required to make a change as he does.
Hechinger’s casting is just the latest piece of news on the film, and he’s part of an eclectic group of fresh additions to the movie.
Also new this time? ‘Moon Knight’ breakout May Calamawy, who was picked after an extensive audition process and is apparently a key character in the movie.
Besides her, Lior Raz, Peter Mensah (no stranger to gladiators after appearing on Starz series ‘Spartacus’ as Doctore) and Matt Lucas are all playing new characters. Plus, Derek Jacobi, who played Senator Gracchus in the original movie, will be reprising the role in the sequel.
Nielsen, of course is another returning veteran of the originally, and she’ll be reprising the role of Lucilla, mother to Lucius, played as a boy by Spencer Treat Clark in the original and now by ‘Aftersun’s Paul Mescal.
And there has been chatter that Djimon Hounsou, Juba from the original, will be back for this one.
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How does the sequel continue the story of ‘Gladiator’?
You’ll recall that the 2000 original saw Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the scheming Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who killed his father the emperor and seized power.
While Maximus isn’t likely to show up –– short of CG-enhanced flashbacks since the character died in the original and went to a lush heavenly zone to reunite with his slaughtered family –– the story for the new movie, written by David Scarpa, sets the clock forward by several years.
In addition to being Lucilla’s son, he was the nephew of Commodus. Maximus saved Lucius and Lucilla while avenging his own family and left a strong impression on the young boy.
Quite what Lucius is up to in the new film remains to be seen, but there’s a chance he’ll be ending up in the arena himself, especially since Mescal has reportedly been training for the role.
Knowing Scott’s current prolific output, there’s every chance he’ll be hopping on to a different film as soon as ‘Gladiator 2’ is in good shape. He already has ‘Napoleon’ (a reunion with Phoenix) due in theaters on November 22nd this year.
‘Gladiator 2’, meanwhile, has earmarked the same date –– November 22nd but for next year.
(Right) Russell Crowe in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator.’
