Shawn Levy Demands ‘Avatar 2’ Treatment for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ for This Surprising Reason

Published 07/07/2024, 8:52 PM EDT

via Imago

After years of anticipation and months of fighting unauthorized leaks, Deadpool & Wolverine is now just a final countdown away for fans. However, what has changed recently is that teasers for the MCU movie are now coming directly from the star-studded cast or the director himself, Shawn Levy. As Levy travels the globe with stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, he recently made a claim reminiscent of the demands made by James Cameron before the release of Avatar's sequel. 

For fans worldwide, this means a cautious trip to the theater, but for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it could result in a summer box office performance that outshines the summertime sadness.

Shawn Levy unknowingly likens Deadpool & Wolverine to Avatar 2 for an unexpected reason

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As Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman shake off summer jet lag with water fights during the Deadpool & Wolverine promotions, Shawn Levy is turning up the heat to ensure an unprecedented summer box office turnout. In an interview in the latest issue of SFX Magazine via Games Radar, Levy admitted that cinemagoers will need to see the superhero flick more than once, as they are likely to miss some dialogue due to the film's extensive comedic moments and sheer amount of humor.

via Imago

Levy recalled having numerous “brotherly debates” with Ryan Reynolds in the editing room about the possibility of viewers missing lines because they were still laughing from the previous joke. He acknowledged that Reynolds often won these debates, convincing him that fans would be compelled to watch the movie multiple times. Interestingly, ahead of the release of Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, James Cameron made a similar claim in an interview, suggesting audiences would rewatch the movie to catch scenes they missed the first time.

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Levy’s confidence in Deadpool & Wolverine’s potential to cause a box office frenzy makes it clear that there was not an ounce of exaggeration when they dubbed the movie The Marvel Jesus. With early projections already released, the superhero flick appears poised to rescue the Marvel Cinematic Universe from its box office slump.

Early projections for Deadpool & Wolverine claps back at Shawn Levy’s claims

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Deadpool & Wolverine has long been hailed as the savior of the MCU’s box office drought, and early indicators strongly support these claims. According to NRG, Screen Engine, and other three-week-in advance box office tracking devices reported via Deadline, the movie is projected to debut with an impressive $160 to $165 million in its opening weekend three weeks from now. While predicting ticket sales this early is challenging, these initial forecasts lend credence to Shawn Levy’s recent assertions.

via Getty

If the film achieves this opening figure, it will undoubtedly set a new benchmark for 2024 launches and become the highest-ever debut for an R-rated film. Beyond ending the MCU’s box office drought, this potential success could be a defining moment for Ryan Reynolds, surpassing the previous Deadpool films, which opened at $132.4 million and $125.5 million, respectively. Thus, Levy’s projections and early statistics underscore one inevitability: Deadpool & Wolverine is poised to carve its name in cinematic history, validating one bold claim after another.

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What do you think of Shawn Levy's claims about Deadpool & Wolverine, echoing the ones made by James Cameron for Avatar: The Way of Water? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

927 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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