Things were not looking good for Deadpool 3, and the film was close to not being made until Hugh Jackman stepped in, turning the project into the billion-dollar blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine.

In a new interview with Variety between Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and Wicked director Jon M. Chu, Levy revealed that his film was nearly scrapped until one phone call from Hugh Jackman saved it. It began with a question from Chu, who asked Levy if he felt enormous pressure directing a project like Deadpool & Wolverine. Levy’s answer might surprise fans.

Levy answered, “People assumed the pressure would be ‘Oh, it’s my first Marvel movie, and the MCU needs a big hit.’ It had been years since Endgame, and when we were prepping, Quantumania came out. I expected Marvel was going to be intense. It wasn’t.”

But even more surprising was that none of the ideas Levy and Reynolds were developing for the Deadpool sequel seemed to be working. This echoes Levy’s previous comments about how the duo wanted the film to be “deserving” of being the first Deadpool movie set within the MCU. Levy explained, “We worked for months to come up with Deadpool 3. We did not crack it. Every idea felt either too big and bombastic for Deadpool or too small for Marvel. We failed. We scheduled a Zoom to tell Kevin Feige, ‘Let’s come back to this in a year or two.’”

How Jackman Saved Deadpool

But then, something unexpected happened. Jackman, who had seemingly retired from the role of Wolverine after portraying the character in the highly successful, Academy Award-nominated Logan in 2017, reached out to the Deadpool team. Levy explained, “On that day, Hugh [Jackman] called and said, ‘I had an epiphany. I want to be with Deadpool.’ He had no idea the movie was going to evaporate. From the minute Hugh called, I knew what it would be. It’s a friendship-redemption-road trip movie like Midnight Run or 48 Hrs.

Deadpool & Wolverine united two of Marvel’s most iconic characters, with Reynolds reprising his role as the irreverent anti-hero Deadpool and Jackman making his triumphant return as Wolverine. Directed by Levy, the film marked Deadpool’s first official entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, blending its signature R-rated humor with intense action and a dynamic character pairing that thrilled fans. Released to widespread critical acclaim, the film grossed over $1 billion globally, becoming one of the highest-grossing entries in the MCU and setting records for an R-rated film. Praised for its sharp wit, emotional depth, and Jackman’s return to the role, Deadpool & Wolverine cemented itself as both a fan favorite and a box office phenomenon.

Deadpool & Wolverine is now available to stream on Disney+.