With Deadpool & Wolverine joining the MCU, Marvel exec Kevin Feige has discussed how important it was to blend the styles of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The third film in the Deadpool franchise will be the first movie dedicated to an X-Men character in the MCU, following the tease at the end of The Marvels.

Many fans were worried that Marvel Studios may tone down Deadpool’s signature crass humor, but Marvel has committed to an R-rating, and isn’t shoeboxing Deadpool & Wolverine into the MCU’s typical style.

Speaking on The Official Marvel Podcast, Kevin Feige discussed the creative process for bringing Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) into the MCU. Feige talked about the movie’s tone, and how Marvel Studios wanted to honor the template and style that Ryan Reynolds had already created with the first two Deadpool movies. Feige said:

“We had nothing to do with the first two extremely successful Deadpool movies. Marvel Studios had nothing to do with those. So, in a way, we were playing on Ryan’s turf. We were playing on somebody else’s sandbox. The other way is that they were coming into our sandbox. We wanted to make it unique with the blending of those styles.”

Kevin Feige then praised director Shawn Levy’s work on the new movie, saying he perfectly captured the tone of the original Deadpool movies, while also making something fresh for the characters’ first journey in the MCU. Feige continued:

“It was really, really nice the way Shawn Levy, our director, and Ryan were able to come in and embrace the best of what Ryan had pioneered with Deadpool and what Hugh had pioneered on those early X-Men films and bringing them in a very irreverent way, which people are already starting to piece together based on the trailers and the presence of the Time Variance Authority into our sandbox.”

Kevin Feige Shares His Personal Connection to Wolverine

MCU fans now know Kevin Feige as the creative overlord presiding over the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, what some fans might not know is that Feige got his start at Marvel working on the very first X-Men film, 24 years ago. Feige discussed his early career on the podcast, saying that Hugh Jackman returning to play Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine has brought his career full-circle. Feige explained:

“When Hugh came on board, it became very emotional on a personal level for me, because my Marvel career absolutely started 26 years ago in pre-production on the first X-Men film. I was a part of X-Men 1 and X-Men 2, and really the first three to a certain extent, before we had the honor and privilege of becoming Marvel Studios and developing the MCU. I had not seen Hugh in a while and certainly had not thought about Wolverine or the X-Men as something that we could do ourselves for many, many years.”

Deadpool & Wolverine pits the two ‘heroes’ against Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). In the comics, Cassandra Nova is an Omega-level mutant, and the evil twin sister of Professor Charles Xavier.

Deadpool & Wolverine releases in theaters on July 25, 2024.