Deadpool & Wolverine: How Succession Prepared Matthew Macfadyen for MCU Role

Deadpool & Wolverine actor Matthew Macfadyen explains how starring in HBO's Succession prepared him for his MCU role.

By Kofi Outlaw

Deadpool & Wolverine marks the Marvel Cinematic Universe debut of actor Matthew Macfadyen – who is best known for his role as butt-kissing corporate worm Tom Wambsgans in HBO's Succession. During the press day for Deadpool 3, ComicBook had a chance to sit down with Macfadyen and talk about how his performance in Succession prepared him for the MCU. In Deadpool & Wolverine, Macfadyen plays "Mr. Paradox," an agent of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) who is vying for a leadership position by pruning Deadpool's home universe (Fox's X-Men Universe) from the multiverse. Paradox recruits Deadpool to help him – only for Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) to rebel, recruiting an emotionally broken Wolverine variant to be his ally. 

If you watched Succession, the description of Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Paradox reads like Tom Wambsgans working at a Multiversal version of Waystar Royco. That's not a projection, either: When ComicBook interviewed Matthew Macfadyen, he openly admitted that Succession probably provided a great framework for playing Mr. Paradox in Deadpool & Wolverine: 

"I'm sure it did, I'm sure it did, yeah!" Macfadyen confirmed. "I think 'work environment' is the keyword, isn't it? Mr. Paradox... it is a version of sort of Waystar in the multiverse, you could argue."

Playing Tom Wambsgans in Succession earned Macfadyen Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series nominations for three out of the show's four seasons – and Emmy wins for the final two seasons of the show. It blew a lot of fans' minds to finally hear Macfadyen's UK accent – a far cry from the all-American guy he played in Succession. The mix of spineless yes-manning, conniving ladder-climbing, and sociopathic ruthlessness (hidden beneath the mask of subservience) made Tom one of the more fascinating characters on TV during Succession's run. Hopefully, Mr. Paradox will be just as layered of a character, and not just a backboard for Deadpool and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to bounce their jokes and banter off of. 

Marvel's Deadpool & Wolverine: Everything to Know

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(Photo: Marvel Studios)

Six years after the events of Deadpool 2 (2018), Wade Wilson is retired as the mercenary Deadpool and lives a quiet life until the Time Variance Authority (TVA)- a bureaucratic organization that exists outside of time and space and monitors the timeline – pulls him into a new mission. With his home universe facing an existential threat, Wilson reluctantly joins an even more reluctant Wolverine on a mission that will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Deadpool & Wolverine 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. 

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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 in theaters on July 26th. 

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