Deadpool 3 director suggests it won’t be a mindless cameo-fest: "We let the story dictate the characters"

Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy has suggested the upcoming R-Rated threequel won’t be packed with mindless fan service and cameos, even pointing to a returning X-Men actor as proof of concept.

"I'll say we didn't start off with a wishlist," Levy told Entertainment Weekly. "From the day we started devising this Deadpool and Wolverine story, we let the story dictate the characters, not the other way around."

Among them – in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it comeback during the Deadpool 3 Super Bowl trailer – is Pyro, the fire-based mutant played in X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand by Aaron Stanford.

"Aaron and his return as Pyro was an outgrowth of that, and that applies to pretty much all the characters you'll see in the movie."

Pyro in Deadpool 3 — (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

In line with that philosophy, Levy previously stated that homework is off the table for Deadpool & Wolverine – and you won’t need to watch a single MCU movie before watching Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine join forces.

"I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world," Levy said in an interview with AP News. "But I didn't want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research."

Deadpool & Wolverine, the latest entry in Marvel Phase 5, is set to release on July 25 in the UK and July 26 in the US.

For more, check out the rest of the upcoming Marvel movies heading your way. If you’re still playing catch-up, you’ll need the complete guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.