Shawn Levy is no novice when it comes to rumors around his projects. Years on 91裸聊视频淪tranger Things91裸聊视频� taught him how to tune out the noise.

Yet even he91裸聊视频檚 found himself astonished by the sheer volume of speculation around 91裸聊视频淒eadpool & Wolverine.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he rumors around this movie are overwhelming,91裸聊视频� Levy told The Associated Press earlier this year. 91裸聊视频淏ut so is the anticipation, which is a nice situation.91裸聊视频�

Anticipation might be an understatement for a movie that is poised to be when it opens on Thursday.

The , which aired during the Super Bowl, was viewed a record 365 million times online in its first 24 hours. The second broke another record 91裸聊视频� for the most 91裸聊视频淔-bombs91裸聊视频� in the MCU (six in less than three minutes).

Much of that excitement is because this film marks the first time Ryan Reynolds91裸聊视频� foul-mouthed Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman91裸聊视频檚 Wolverine are being folded into Kevin Feige91裸聊视频檚 Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both properties existed previously under the 21st Century Fox banner.

When Disney acquired the studio91裸聊视频檚 , Wolverine had already died in 91裸聊视频淟ogan,91裸聊视频� a third 91裸聊视频淒eadpool91裸聊视频� was in development and Marvel was still firmly in the PG-13 business, a rating that allows for only one F-bomb.

On a call with investors as the deal was going through, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was already reassuring people that a Disney Deadpool would remain R-rated. Soon after, Reynolds also posted a photo on social media showing his character with Mickey Mouse ears on a yellow school bus labeled 91裸聊视频淒isney.91裸聊视频� The meta humor, it seemed, was also firmly intact.

But what would the story be? Levy was announced as the film91裸聊视频檚 director in early 2022, coming in as a fan of Reynolds91裸聊视频� snarky tone and fourth wall breaking.

91裸聊视频淭here was no way I was going to reinvent a wheel, a tonal wheel, that works so beautifully,91裸聊视频� Levy said. 91裸聊视频淏oth Disney and Marvel, up and down the food chain, empowered Ryan and I to make this movie exactly as we dreamed.91裸聊视频�

WAIT, HOW IS WOLVERINE HERE?

Things really started to really take shape when Jackman signed on that fall, however. It would mark the first time that the characters would be together in a movie since 200991裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淴-Men Origins: Wolverine.91裸聊视频� In the years since, Reynolds and Jackman have staged a very tongue in cheek, very funny 91裸聊视频渇eud91裸聊视频� with one another on social media, dancing around the idea of sharing the big screen again.

The dream seemed to have died after 91裸聊视频淟ogan91裸聊视频� and Jackman91裸聊视频檚 retirement as Wolverine. But death is never exactly final in the multiverse, and, they promised, this film would not interfere with 91裸聊视频淟ogan.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a really interesting duo,91裸聊视频� Levy said. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e built for huge conflict with each other because they91裸聊视频檙e so different individually. But that makes for a very interesting story, because the best two hander stories, whether it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频楳idnight Run91裸聊视频� or 91裸聊视频�48 Hours91裸聊视频� or 91裸聊视频楶lanes, Trains and Automobiles,91裸聊视频� yes, it91裸聊视频檚 littered with conflict. But it91裸聊视频檚 ultimately about something more as well and that91裸聊视频檚 what audiences will see.91裸聊视频�

The dynamic was also fueled by the real-life friendship between Levy, Jackman and Reynolds that goes back a decade off screen and includes films like 91裸聊视频淔ree Guy91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淩eal Steel.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he real benefit of being friends off set is that you can try crazy stuff without fear of falling. Because some of it won91裸聊视频檛 work and that will be momentarily embarrassing, but if you91裸聊视频檙e among friends, it91裸聊视频檚 okay to make a fool of yourself in the pursuit of something surprising and something unexpected,91裸聊视频� Levy said. 91裸聊视频淭his movie is filled with moments, both comedic and character based, that we didn91裸聊视频檛 expect and were the result of a freedom that that came from being friends.91裸聊视频�

At the New York premiere Monday, Jackman and Reynolds were definitely in friend mode, praising one another with no snark.

91裸聊视频�(Ryan91裸聊视频檚) exactly as you think,91裸聊视频� Jackman said. 91裸聊视频淎n extraordinary man. Generous, humble brilliant and a great friend.91裸聊视频�

Reynolds added that Jackman was 91裸聊视频渟omeone who operated in a completely different way, did everything through the prism of genuine kindness, diligence, hard work. And that was modeled to me in 2008 when we did our first movie together. And we91裸聊视频檝e been best buddies ever since.91裸聊视频�

IT91裸聊视频橲 SUMMER. NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED.

The Marvel multiverse has gotten a bit overwhelming in recent years for the more casual fans who may have seen most of the films but only dabbled in the Disney+ offerings that regularly introduce new concepts and characters that eventually find their way into the films.

91裸聊视频淒eadpool & Wolverine,91裸聊视频� for instance, uses the Time Variance Authority (TVA) 91裸聊视频� a major part of 91裸聊视频淟oki91裸聊视频� but new to the movies 91裸聊视频� to help get Deadpool to the MCU. But Levy promises that enjoyment of 91裸聊视频淒eadpool & Wolverine91裸聊视频� requires no bingeing or studying beforehand.

91裸聊视频淚 was a good student in school. I91裸聊视频檒l do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies,91裸聊视频� Levy said.

91裸聊视频淚 very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn91裸聊视频檛 want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.91裸聊视频�

OH, RIGHT, THE MOVIE91裸聊视频�

So, what about what91裸聊视频檚 IN the film? Well, that91裸聊视频檚 something that Levy won91裸聊视频檛 really talk about. Until Monday91裸聊视频檚 premiere, reporters were only allowed to see 40 minutes; Soon the floodgates will open and spoilers will take over social media.

But 91裸聊视频淒eadpool & Wolverine91裸聊视频� hasn91裸聊视频檛 needed to tease out plotlines to stoke enthusiasm. The fans are already there and ready, whether or not Taylor Swift is involved (by all accounts, she91裸聊视频檚 not).

Marvel has had some Phase 5 bumps, with films like 91裸聊视频淭he Marvels91裸聊视频� and others underwhelming critics. And outside of the MCU, the industry is feeling the pains of so-called 91裸聊视频渟uperhero fatigue91裸聊视频� that has sent DC . But 91裸聊视频淒eadpool & Wolverine91裸聊视频� is not to be underestimated.

Critics have been largely positive too. that the film 91裸聊视频渓eans into its genre more than the franchise91裸聊视频檚 first two movies.91裸聊视频� She cautions that the plot starts to feel a little aimless toward the end, but that, 91裸聊视频淭he bloody but comedic final fight scene 91裸聊视频� is enough to perk viewers back up for the last act, solidifying the film91裸聊视频檚 identity as a fun, generally well-made summer movie.91裸聊视频�

And it could be the first MCU movie since 91裸聊视频淪pider-Man: No Way Home91裸聊视频� to crack $1 billion, which would also put it in the running to become the highest grossing R-rated film of all time. That title currently belongs to 91裸聊视频淛oker91裸聊视频� with its $1.08 billion. It91裸聊视频檚 currently tracking to open around $160 million, but some bullish analysts are forecasting as high as $200 million. To beat 91裸聊视频淏arbie91裸聊视频檚91裸聊视频� opening last year, it has to surpass $162 million.

91裸聊视频淎udiences are hungry for a great time at the movies,91裸聊视频� Levy said. 91裸聊视频淭hey want to be delighted, transported and entertained. And when they are given that, whether it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频楤arbie,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频極ppenheimer91裸聊视频� or any number of other recent movies, they show up.91裸聊视频�

He added: 91裸聊视频淭he movie is built for audience delight. I think that (they91裸聊视频檙e) in for a very fun ride.91裸聊视频�