The massive global success of Deadpool & Wolverine has fans asking one big question. Is there more coming? The film smashed records with a staggering $1.3 billion at the global box office. It seemed like the perfect ending for Ryan Reynolds and his clawed companion. But director Shawn Levy just gave an answer that is both exciting and honest. He is officially thinking about the next chapter.
He is not promising anything yet. But he admits the gears are turning in his head. Levy recently sat down for a candid interview on the On Film With Kevin McCarthy podcast. He revealed that he is contemplating what a fourth film could look like. However, he also warned that making sequels is terrifying work. He knows the risks involved in trying to top a cultural phenomenon.
The Heavy Pressure of Following a Billion Dollar Hit
Shawn Levy is currently riding high on victory. Deadpool & Wolverine was not just a hit. It was a savior for the Marvel Cinematic Universe during a rough patch. The movie brought together two icons and delivered huge financial returns. Now the obvious question is about the follow-up. Levy discussed this on the podcast with remarkable transparency. He stated that he is already turning the idea over in his mind.
He posed the question to himself during the interview. He asked how they would even make another Deadpool movie. This was not a prepared studio statement. It was a director wrestling with a creative puzzle in real time. The financial incentive is clearly there for Disney and Marvel Studios. But Levy seems more concerned with the creative integrity of the franchise.
Box Office Context:
- Deadpool & Wolverine: $1.3+ Billion Global
- Deadpool 2: $785 Million Global
- Deadpool: $782 Million Global
The jump in revenue for the third film is massive. This creates immense pressure. A fourth film would need to match this energy. Levy noted that sequels are dauntingly hard. He speaks from experience. He directed three Night at the Museum movies. He admitted that the process kicked his “ass” every single time. He knows how quickly a franchise can become exhausting for the creators.
Shawn Levy director Deadpool sequel interview concept art
Why Legacy Characters Are Key to Franchise Success
Levy dove deep into what makes a third movie work. He believes it is all about emotional credit. You cannot just throw action at the screen. The audience needs to care about the history. He pointed to trilogies he personally loves. He cited Back to the Future 3 and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. These films worked because viewers lived with the characters for years.
“When you are telling a story that has the benefit of legacy connection between the audience and the characters, you are sort of like on second base already.”
He used Avengers: Endgame as the perfect modern example. That movie rode a decade of storytelling to a massive emotional payoff. Levy mentioned the specific scene where Falcon says “On your left” to Captain America. That moment earned thunderous applause because it took ten years to build. It was not a cheap trick. It was a withdrawal from an emotional bank account filled by previous movies.
Levy believes this is the secret sauce. A sequel cannot just exist to make money. It must utilize the time the audience has invested. This philosophy guides his approach to filmmaking. It is why he is so careful about committing to a fourth Deadpool adventure. He needs to know he can use that legacy correctly again.
Learning Lessons From Stranger Things and Wolverine
The director sees a straight line between his Marvel work and his other projects. He applied this same logic to Stranger Things. He is currently working on the fifth and final season of the hit Netflix show. He notes that having a legacy connection makes finding the creative “juice” much easier. You do not have to start from a blank slate.
Deadpool & Wolverine succeeded because it embraced this history. It was a love letter to the 20th Century Fox era of Marvel movies. It did not pretend to be a fresh start. It used the baggage that Wade Wilson and Logan carried. This allowed the memories of the audience to do half the work for the filmmakers.
Key Elements of Levy’s Strategy:
- Respect the History: Acknowledge what came before.
- Emotional Payoff: Use audience memory to create feelings.
- Character First: Let the heroes drive the plot.
This approach suggests a potential direction for a fourth film. It would likely need to tap into another deep vein of Marvel history. It cannot just be Wade Wilson making jokes alone. It needs weight. Levy clearly understands this requirement. This understanding is likely what makes the prospect of a sequel so stressful for him.
The Real Stress of Getting Another Sequel Story Right
The most honest part of Levy’s interview was about fear. He did not spin the idea of a sequel as easy money. He called it a terrifying prospect. He described the “sausage making” of sequels as a stressful process. The goal is to not hollow out what people loved in the first place. There is a tightrope walk involved here. You must give audiences what they want without simply repeating yourself.
Levy joked that he has seen how the machine works. The punchline was stark. He finds the whole subject stressful because he wants to get it right. He feels a responsibility to the fans. These characters have been carried through multiple movies and now into the MCU. Breaking them now would be a disaster.
He is wary of coasting on success. Repetition is the enemy of good storytelling. He and Ryan Reynolds have set a very high bar. They positioned the third film as a legacy send-off. Undoing that finale requires a story that genuinely justifies its existence. It cannot just be because the franchise clock says it is time for another one.
Levy left the door open but guarded. He is thinking about it. He is contemplating the plot. But he is also very aware of the pitfalls. Fans can take comfort in one thing. If a fourth movie happens, it will be because Levy and Reynolds cracked the code. They will not return unless the story is worth telling.
