MarvelBlog News for June 9th, 2024
This past week, a favorite emerged to direct the next Avengers movie…and you’re gonna like it.
Similarly, Robert Downey Jr. made some interesting comments that open the door for his return to the MCU.
Source: Marvel
Oh, and we got a new Venom 3 trailer. It’s a good week for MarvelBlog News.
Shawn Levy for Avengers 5?
Free Guy Movie Poster. Photo: Fox
You may not know Shawn Levy’s name, but I guarantee that you’ve seen his movies.
I used to write box office analysis, and Levy was the rare talent who impressed me due to his sustained excellence.
Photo: Ryan Reynolds YouTube
As the director of projects like Just Married, Cheaper by the Dozen, and A Night at the Museum, Levy did the unlikely.
For a period of 20+ years, virtually every Levy movie earned at least double the box office of its production budget.
Source: Variety
Generally, studios assigned him low-rent fare like romantic comedies and family films.
Then, the director returned an exceptional film that exceeded expectations financially and critically.
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Over time, Levy’s track record earned him bigger budgets like he had in 2011 with Real Steel.
That film cost $110 million to produce, but it returned right at $300 million in box office, making it a solid hit.
(Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)
Importantly, the star of that movie was Hugh Jackman, who quite liked working with the affable, selfless Levy.
Hold that thought, as it’s all connected. Eventually, Levy hooked up with a fellow Canadian named Ryan Reynolds.
Source: @ShawnLevyDirect
Their project, Free Guy, cost $125 million to produce, but the action-comedy somehow earned $331 million.
That total may sound modest until you recall that Free Guy came out during the pandemic. Thus, it was an unqualified blockbuster.
Source: Marvel Studios/ @VancityReynolds
Disney inherited that movie as part of its Fox purchase, and there’s a running rule at the company.
When performers return results, they get hired for other projects.
Source: @VancityReynolds
In the case of Levy, we learned in 2023 that he’d been offered a Star Wars film, which he’d accepted.
That’s not his next Disney project, though.
I Think Deadpool & Wolverine Is Good
Source: @VancityReynolds
Next month, Levy’s next directorial effort, Deadpool & Wolverine, will debut in theaters.
The film currently tracks as the top title of the summer and possibly the entirety of 2024.
NY Post
None of this would have happened unless Jackman had agreed to return as Wolverine.
What made that decision easier for him? Jackman trusted Levy from their days working on Real Steel.
Photo: Popsugar
Meanwhile, Reynolds and Levy have worked together multiple times recently, including on a Netflix film entitled The Adam Project.
At this point, Levy is Reynolds’ go-to director, and he’s developed a working relationship with Jackman as well.
Photo: HELLO! Canada
Do you know two people Marvel trusts and wants to keep happy? Yes, I’m referencing Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.
On a seemingly coincidental note, Deadline just reported that Shawn Levy has emerged as the favorite to direct Avengers 5.
Photo: 21st Century Fox
Formerly (and maybe currently?) called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, this title will reunite the Avengers after a prolonged break.
We’ll see the band get back together, and some newer characters will join as well. In fact, here’s the exciting quote that matters:
Photo: Marvel
“Sources close to both the project say more than 60 MCU characters could reprise their roles, including everyone from Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Benedict Cumberbatch to Tom Hiddleston, Simu Liu and Karen Gillan.”
That’s potentially not all, either…
Whither Iron Man?
Source: Marvel
During a recent Esquire interview, a reporter asked Robert Downey Jr. a tantalizing question.
In the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, RDJ had nothing left to prove at Marvel, and he knew it.
Source: Marvel Studios/Hot Toys
So, the actor returned to his roots. The former Brat Pack member won a BAFTA in 1992 and a Golden Globe in 2000.
Missing from his mantle was an Academy Award…until a few months ago. Downey, Jr. checked off that box with Oppenheimer.
Source: Marvel
Now that RDJ is a made man in Hollywood in terms of box office AND awards success, the question arises about what’s next.
Here’s Downey’s reply about whether he would potentially return to the MCU:
Source: Marvel Studios
“Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me. And look, I always say, Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
Let’s put two and two together here, folks. Avengers 5 is coalescing with Shawn Levy as director.
Photo: Marvel
Presumably, Deadpool and Wolverine will appear in that film as well since Reynolds and Jackman love Levy.
Now, imagine what would happen if RDJ said he were coming back as Iron Man as well? Exactly. Stay tuned…
Marvel Miscellany
Source: Marve/ Fox
In other Deadpool & Wolverine news, multiple outlets have confirmed that the film is rated R.
This is kinda like confirming that the sun will set tonight and rise in the morning, but it’s official now.
Source: Marvel
Also, speaking of Ryan Reynolds’ buddies, Rob McElhenney, who famously co-owns an English soccer team with Deadpool, will appear in the film.
Apparently, in the fifth episode of the latest season of Welcome to Wrexham, McElhenney and Reynolds reveal this fact.
Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool. Image: Marvel.com.
Specifically, the star of Mythic Quest and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will portray a TVA agent.
The other big Marvel story this week comes from the Sony side.
Photo: Sony Pictures
We finally have a trailer for Venom: The Last Dance!
That…definitely looks like a Venom film. Of course, a symbiote infestation raises the stakes substantially.
Photo: Sony Pictures
Finally, I should mention that Ant-Man and the Wasp co-star Evangeline Lilly has announced her retirement from acting.
Realistically, that’s like saying she quit after she was fired, as some of her recent publicity is a non-starter in Hollywood circles.
Still, Lilly was delightful on Lost and as The Wasp, and I hope that her current hiatus isn’t a permanent one.
Realistically, I’ll be surprised if it lasts for more than a few years, though.
Source: Marvel Studios
At 44, she’s extremely young to retire permanently from acting.
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Featured image: Marvel
