by Hugh Jackman is getting ready for his eagerly anticipated return as Wolverine, and Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, has made a big deal out of Jackman’s involvement in the first R-rated film in the MCU.
The MCU will make its first excursion into R-rated narrative with Deadpool 3, which will maintain the same rating as the prior two films while departing from Marvel Studios’ long-standing PG-13 tradition.
For the first time in more than ten years, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman will collaborate as Wade Wilson and James Howlett, bringing the MCU’s first totally R-rated team-up to fruition.
As Deadpool gets to bring his antics and shenanigans into the same universe as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, anticipation is over the sky, despite the fact that it will have taken the MCU 16 years to make a movie with an R-rating. The fact that Wolverine will be accompanying him is even more intriguing, particularly in light of the fact that Hugh Jackman’s Logan became one of the most popular R-rated superhero films ever.
Celebrating R-Rated Wolverine, Kevin Feige
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, expressed his excitement about the return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine for more action in Deadpool 3 in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Having began his career working on 2000’s X-Men, Feige was questioned about his opinions on adding mutants to the MCU. He emphasised how incredible it was to have Jackman be a part of the MCU‘s first R-rated film:
“It’s amazing. And we’ve got Hugh Jackman coming back for our first ‘Deadpool’ film within the MCU. That’s our first R-rated film. To have Hugh come back is incredible.”
The Marvel executive reflected on Jackman’s original casting for the film, giving tales of how everything came to be while rejoicing in the moment of completeness that this threequel brings:
“For me, personally, that is where I started. I remember sitting behind the camera — well behind the camera — at his audition for the film. It was his first on-set audition, and he flew up to Toronto to do a read with Anna Paquin. For him, and for me, and I think for all of the fans of Marvel, it’s unbelievable what has happened in those 23 years. It’s very full-circle having him come back in this new ‘Deadpool’ film.”
After Jackman’s participation in Deadpool 3 was announced, Feige spoke about the X-impending Men’s entry into the MCU around a month later, especially after She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s Season 1 finale mentioned the mutants for the first time in the MCU:
“That’s what Jennifer Walters just asked the robot in the final episode of ‘She-Hulk.’ And I’ll give you the same answer that he gave, which was, I don’t remember, no answer, I think was what he gave, yes. But Deadpool and Wolverine, you know, we’re getting close.”
The director of Deadpool 3 Shawn Levy also spoke about the December 2022 release of the MCU‘s first R-rated film, saying how much fun he was already having and how much he loves creating something so distinctive:
“I’m having so much fun, and I haven’t even hit the shooting floor yet. […] I have to say, developing a Deadpool movie is one of the most fun creative experiences of my life because it’s not just that it’s rated R. It’s that it’s so filled with self-awareness, and that makes in-writing very, very fun in a way that is unique to that franchise.”
Marvel Studios is moving forward with the R-rated Logan.
These lines further demonstrate that Marvel isn’t holding back on the adult content, despite many fans’ fears that Disney might tone down the R-rated gore, violence, and language for which the Deadpool series is known.
And even if more R-rated material is planned for the MCU in cinemas and on Disney+, it’s not surprising that Deadpool will break the ice on that front in addition to his regular fourth wall-breaking.
Hugh Jackman‘s portrayal of Wolverine in this scenario is drawing more and more attention after Logan, which became one of the most popular comic book movies ever made, in which he gave one of his best performances.
Jackman will be able to use the same passion and grit that he has in all of his performances over the years thanks to the R-rating, in addition to the hysterically bloody exchanges that he probably will have with Wade when they reunite.
Reynolds’ extensive involvement in production and development will only help make his move into the franchise as seamless as possible, even though R-rated stories are novel for the MCU as a whole.
The MCU fans as a whole should gain from Jackman and Reynolds being able to engage in as much adult-oriented storytelling as they please.
On November 8, 2024, Deadpool 3 is slated for release in theatres.
