The superhero genre continues to be wildly popular, although it's constantly going through changes. Case in point: the DCEU ended with Aquaman 2, and co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are creating a new shared universe. While we wait for the first phase Gods and Monsters, stories are still coming out about the previous universe. Case in point: Shawn Levy finally broke his silence on nearly directing the Flash movie.
The Flash (which can be streamed with a Max subscription) was directed by Andy Muschietti, but it went through a number of other filmmakers. Per a conversation with EW, Shawn Levy got close to taking the job for "a brief moment in time," but that didn't' come to fruition. He explained why hasn't taken superhero movies before, saying:
I get offered some IP-based movie every week, and, as you've noticed from a lack of announcements, I pretty much always turn them down because I need to feel that I see a story worth telling.
Shots fired. I guess the story offered to him with The Flash wasn't enough to get Shawn Levy to sign on the dotted line. Although The Flash's reviews ended up being positive despite its long journey to theaters.
It makes sense that Levy is offered all types of IP projects given his previous work. Specifically, his acclaimed contributions to Stranger Things (which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription), as well as his genre movies Free Guy and The Adam Project.
The Flash lost a number of directors during its time in development hell, although Andy Muschietti might have ultimately been the right man for the job. The movie felt like it was ripped straight from the comics, with bright colors, wild spectacles, as well as the inclusion of multiple Batmen. While The Flash's CGI took some heat upon its release, it was a fun ride made possible in no small part by Muschietti himself.
While Shawn Levy (understandably) has been rejecting offers to join major IPs, he's finally doing just. What we know about Deadpool & Wolverine is limited, but it looks like it's going to be a delightfully bonkers romp. Not only will fans get to see Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's faux feud play out on the big screen, but that chemistry is also shared by Levy himself. He's very close with both Reynolds and Jackman, and they seemingly had a ton of fun both on set and during the post production process.
It should be interesting to see if Levy ends up doing more work on major IPs after Deadpool 3, or if he puts that behind him for a while. With Stranger Things' final season filming now, his schedule could be freed up for more work in the MCU.
Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
