Deadpool & Wolverine: Matthew Macfadyen on MCU Debriefing, “They Didn’t”

Whatever your level of knowledge about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going into Deadpool & Wolverine this weekend, it’s definitely more than star Matthew Macfadyen got when he took the role of Paradox, a member of the Time Variance Authority who plays a role in Deadpool’s quest to save his universe and his loved ones. Ahead of the movie’s release on Thursday, ComicBook spoke with Macfadyen, as well as the movie’s villain Emma Corrin about the Marvel onboarding process, which they say involved basically no “need-to-know” information about the MCU at all. Rather, they took it more or less like any other job, and just worked from the script and the instructions onsite.

Both actors said they didn’t have any concerns about messing up continuity; they kind of assumed that somebody would be on top of that. It isn’t like director Shawn Levy would have allowed an ad-lib that somehow created a new world within the Marvel multiverse or something.

“I didn’t have any kind of briefing like that, but I think it’s okay,” said Macfadyen with a laugh. “You sort of can’t play…I trust they would have chimed in and said, ‘Oh, by the way, this doesn’t make sense.”

“You feel very safe in Shawn’s hands,” added Corrin. “If you’re doing something wrong, he’ll definitely tell you.”

Levy, who previously directed Ryan Reynolds in Free Guy, is one of a number of directors rumored to be circling a number of high-profile Marvel projects in the near future.

In Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film also stars Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, with the return of Deadpool alums Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Lewis Tan as Shatterstar. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, with Jennifer Garner rumored to return as Elektra Natchios. 

Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. Deadpool & Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy. Deadpool & Wolverine will be released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.