Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy confirms Logan is still canon

Hugh Jackman had played Wolverine for nearly twenty years when he finally hung up the claws with Logan. The James Mangold movie was a fitting conclusion for the character, but just a few years later, Ryan Reynolds convinced Hugh Jackman to return to his famous role for Deadpool 3. However, there was concern among fans that Jackman’s appearance in Deadpool 3 could mean that the events of Logan would be ignored or changed, but director Shawn Levy has said that won’t be the case.

“I have always said that I can’t wait for Deadpool 3 to come out because all I want to do is give interviews alongside Ryan where we talk about our reverence for the movie Logan,” Shawn Levy told BroBible’s Post Credit Podcast. “Logan is canon. We love Logan. That happened. I want the world to know, as the producer and director, all of us share a deep love and respect for Logan, every aspect of how it’s crafted, and all the events that take place.“

Logan director James Mangold said earlier this year that he’s “thrilled” Hugh Jackman is playing the character again. “Whether one way or another, I knew Logan wouldn’t be the last time we see a Wolverine movie,” Mangold said. “We had our moment to kind of let that movie play and I’m really moved by how much that picture lives in people’s memories. You can’t put a moratorium on characters.”

In addition to Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, the upcoming sequel will see the return of Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, and Rob Delaney as Peter. Deadpool 3 will also star Emma Corrin, who is expected to play the villain, and Matthew Macfadyen in an undisclosed role.

The biggest addition to the Deadpool 3 cast is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who finally broke down after being pestered by Ryan Reynolds for so many years. Reynolds said that the sequel will present a new challenge for Jackman. “I think [Jackman] was excited and what we pitched him was enough of a divergence from the character that he knows and the character that he’s left behind,” Reynolds said, “that it gives him something completely new to play and something that he’s really excited to do.” Clearly, all that pestering paid off. “I mean, I never stopped,” Reynolds said. “I was just pestering him like a gnat over the last many years. I actually just think… I believe in timing … and I think he was ready.“

Deadpool 3 was slated for a May 3, 2024 release, but with production currently on pause due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, it has been pulled off the schedule.