Deadpool & Wolverine Director Shawn Levy Confirms He Turned Down DC’s The Flash Movie

Shawn Levy was close to adding The Flash to Deadpool & Wolverine on the list of superhero movies he’s helmed. The Deadpool & Wolverine director is quickly becoming a hot commodity, with rumors swirling that Marvel Studios is eyeing him to direct Avengers 5. Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and is the only release from Marvel Studios after it made changes to its calendar. What some comic book fans may not have known was Shawn Levy almost directed The Flash, one of the last films to release under the old DC Films regime.

“I get offered some IP-based movie every week, and, as you’ve noticed from a lack of announcements, I pretty much always turn them down because I need to feel that I see a story worth telling,” Shawn Levy told Entertainment Tonight. There was mention of Levy’s resume being light on sequels and more focused on original content like Date Night, This Is Where I Leave You, and The Internship. Levy then admitted that he was considered for The Flash director starring Ezra Miller, but that was “a brief moment in time.”

Logan won’t break Fourth Wall in Deadpool & Wolverine

Logan isn’t known as a jokester, so he leaves Breaking the Fourth Wall to Wade Wilson. This trend will continue in Deadpool & Wolverine, according to director Shawn Levy. Levy told Vanity Fair, “So many actors come into a Deadpool movie and they’re like, ‘Great, I get to talk to the camera and break the fourth wall.’ We’re like, ‘No, no, no. There actually is a system here.’ And that keeps Deadpool’s tone unique to him.”

“There are rules. Very specific rules. You would diminish stakes in the film if everyone—or even anyone else—was also aware of the fourth wall or any kind of meta aspect,” Ryan Reynolds said. “Deadpool is the only character who has that ability to do that. If everyone did that, then you would no longer invest in that character as much. You really want to believe that the villain is a villain. You really want to believe that your costar’s character is true as well. Deadpool can undermine that—and does undermine that—because you don’t want the audience to take him as seriously.”

Hugh Jackman added, “Ryan beautifully describes Deadpool’s brain as a half-baked omelet. And so, whatever he’s doing—talking to a camera, to Wolverine—it’s just another layer of annoying crap that I’ve got to put up with. Who knows what the hell he is doing? But it’s just another excuse to punch him in the face.”

What is Deadpool & Wolverine about?

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.