Shawn Levy hails Marvels creative freedom to R-rated 'Deadpool & Wolverine'

Shawn Levy recently talked about directing Marvel's first R-rated superhero movie, Deadpool & Wolverine.

In an interview with the Arab News, Levy, known for his previous work with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, praised Marvel for its creative freedom.

He said, "I was thrilled by Marvel’s lack of boundaries, Clearly (they) understood that to make a ‘Deadpool’ film that’s satisfying, it needed to be creatively and audaciously free. So, we were given very few limits. I think there was one joke in the entire movie that was requested to be changed."

The film integrates Deadpool (Reynolds) and Wolverine (Jackman) into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following their earlier films with 21st Century Fox.

Levy, who has been a fan of the Deadpool series since the first film’s release in 2016, stated, "I remember watching (the first) ‘Deadpool,’ and I was stunned because it redefined the superhero genre and it was also one of the most relentlessly funny and creative movies I’ve ever seen. It still is. I’ve watched it seven or eight times. So, I really came to this as a fan."

He added, "(When the opportunity came to direct this film), I realized: ‘I have the privilege to tell the first Deadpool-Wolverine story.’ I also thought: ‘Oh, I can not only honor these characters, I can also tell a story about friendship and about brotherhood that is as poignant as it is funny.’ And that felt like a great opportunity."