From Three Wolverines to a Multiverse Montage: How the "Deadpool & Wolverine" Opening Scene Took Shape
The opening of "Deadpool & Wolverine" features a chaotic and hilarious journey through the multiverse, as Deadpool desperately searches for the right Wolverine to restore his shattered reality. This sequence, brimming with nods to comic book history and packed with surprise cameos, wasn’t originally envisioned as the delightful, expansive spectacle it became.
Shane Reid, one of the editors on the film, revealed in an interview with io9 that the original Wolverine montage planned for the movie was vastly different, featuring just three variants. "There was mini Wolfie, Patch, and Cavillrine," Reid explained. "And the idea originally [was] he walks right into mini Wolfie and leaves, and then he’s into Cavillrine, and that’s kind of it. I think Patch was the third one." This initial concept, however, left the editors feeling dissatisfied. "It was almost like, ‘What is this sequence?’ Like we’re not committing to seeing these Wolverines, but we’re kind of jumping into it."
The creative team’s desire to fully embrace the multiverse’s potential was further ignited by the unforeseen challenges posed by the writers’, followed by the actors’ strikes, which brought production to a standstill. While the cast and writers were unable to work, Reid, alongside director Shawn Levy, star-producer Ryan Reynolds, and fellow editor Dean Zimmerman, remained dedicated to refining the film, focusing on the editing process.
During this period of downtime, Reid and Zimmerman saw an opportunity to elevate the Wolverine montage. "Dean and I really went to Shawn and Ryan and went ‘Guys, there’s so much more we can do with this, but like we need at least three more variants to be able to sort of weave this story together and have this fun montage.’"
Impressed by the editors’ vision, Levy and Reynolds entrusted them with expanding the scope of the scene. "We had a storyboard artist find us like 10 more Wolverines," Reid shared. "We were like, ‘If we’re going to do it now, let’s go deep cut. Like if you’re playing one dude in the audience who knows that one insert on that comic, let’s do that.’"
This led to the inclusion of iconic Wolverines like Old Man Logan, whose appearance was inspired by his brutalized and aged appearance in the comics, and the unique John Byrne brown and tan iteration, a nod to the artist’s distinctive style that even subtly incorporated the Hulk due to Byrne’s famous run on the character.
"We built that with storyboards and then Ryan would record dialogue, saying like, ‘That’s going to need coconut oil’ et cetera, and we wove that together and felt good about it," Reid explained, highlighting Reynolds’ dedication to bringing the project to life even during the standstill.
However, the expanded montage required more than just storyboards; it demanded actual filming. Fortuitously, the strikes allowed for a reassessment of the production schedule, allowing the team to repurpose time previously allocated for other scenes. "When we went back into production, we were able to get rid of a few things we were going to shoot that we felt like we didn’t need anymore because we’d exhausted the dailies," Reid explained. "And so we were able to fold that into production and not expand it, but get us three more to work with. And then you get that sequence."
Another key element of the montage’s success is the unexpected soundtrack choice: "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News. Reid, whose personal music taste clearly influenced the direction of the scene, found the 80s hit a perfect fit. "It was just in my playlist and it felt like a perfect fit as far as, you know, time travel and bringing something back that was just inherently nostalgic for everybody," he shared. "But also just funny and out of left field."
The resulting Wolverine montage is a testament to the creative collaboration and dedication of the entire team. This evolution from a simple three-Wolverine sequence to an expansive, multiversal journey, fueled by a shared passion for the characters and the potential of the story, exemplifies the power of creative vision and perseverance in the face of unexpected challenges.
What began as a small idea blossomed into a vital, laugh-out-loud sequence that has become one of the most iconic elements of "Deadpool & Wolverine". This behind-the-scenes look highlights the collaborative and adaptable nature of filmmaking, where setbacks can inspire new and exciting creative approaches, resulting in a final product that resonates with audiences on a deeper level.
