Shawn Levy, Hugh Jackman, and Ryan Reynolds discuss Deadpool & Wolverine

The buzz surrounding Marvel Studios' first R-rated film Deadpool & Wolverine reached a fever pitch during a press conference on July 4 in South Korea. Writer-director Shawn Levy, along with actors Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, addressed the press with insights into the film's production and their respetive characters.

Hugh Jackman spoke fondly of his connection to Seoul. "It's good to be back in Seoul; my sixth time here. I do not know if you know about this, but I was once made a goodwill ambassador to Seoul and I still feel like one. It's wonderful to be back here, particularly with this film, this character I have been doing for the last 25 years." This marked Jackman's emotional return to Wolverine, a character he never expected to revisit. "I never thought I would play this character again. I couldn't be prouder of the film; it's the best film with Wolverine in it," he said.

Ryan Reynolds then spoke about the film. "Deadpool, to me, represents a sense of perseverance in a way. It took ten years for me to get the first Deadpool film made. The second film was a case of doubling down on the absolute labour of love. It was not easy to convince Marvel Studios for the third film, especially in terms of the crossover of the universes of Deadpool and Wolverine. It feels great to have been able to do the film with some of my good friends."

Levy echoed the sentiment, highlighting the dream team aspect of the project: "Everyone has embraced these iconic heroes, alongside the actors who play them. To bring them together for a summer film, with them (Reynolds and Jackman) co-starring for the first time, is a dream come true for any director."

When asked about the pressure of living up to the expectations of Deadpool and Wolverine saving Marvel, Reynolds said, "No pressure. I remember the early days of writing the film in NYC. I wrote the bit about Jesus saving Marvel in the film as a joke. They hit a tougher patch than normal, but we are not here to save Marvel at all. Rather, our objective is to bring joy to millions of audiences all around the world through the film."

Jackman echoed the focus on the film's core purpose, saying, "No one expects more of us than ourselves. This is my tenth film as Wolverine. They have given me a version of Wolverine that is so exciting and satisfying."

The press conference also addressed the unique challenge of integrating Deadpool, known for his R-rated humor, into the family friendly Disney universe. Levy reassured fans: "I was never under any pressure to dilute Deadpool. Marvel and Disney knew from the get-go that it would be the first R-rated MCU film. They supported us on our endeavour the whole way through." Reynolds explained the violence in the film with a touch of humor: "Even my nine-year-old saw the film. There is nothing in the film to shock the audience too much."

Adding to the lighthearted atmosphere, a question about it being considered the "most anticipated romance film of the year" brought a laugh from Jackman. "It is a film about friendship at its heart and a comic book film. Romance is also there. My character expresses his love for Deadpool by punching him in the face with his claws."

Deadpool & Wolverine also stars Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Tyler Mane, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, Jennifer Garner, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapicic, Shiori Kutsuna, and Aaron Stanford. Levy directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Reynolds, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, and Rhett Reese. Produced by Kevin Feige, Reynolds, Levy, and Lauren Shuler Donner, Deadpool & Wolverine is slated for a July 26 release.