Alright, before we dive into anything, let's make one thing crystal clear right from the start — this is not an announcement for Deadpool & Wolverine 2. We've done our due diligence and even formed special sock circles, but even the mightiest of empires doesn't have the power to make that happen. Instead, what we have here is some exciting news about a fascinating project that the Golden Trio of Deadpool & Wolverine — Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Shawn Levy — have been working on for quite some time: Boy Band.
Speaking to THR after being named the outlet's Producer of the Year for 2024, Reynolds was, unsurprisingly, asked about the future of Deadpool following the third movie's record-breaking box office success this summer. As expected, the Canadian actor was tight-lipped about the Merc With a Mouth's future in the MCU ("I have some pitches and ideas, but none of them focus on Deadpool," he told THR); however, he was a bit more open about Boy Band, a long-in-development film about the aftermath of young fame that would feature Reynolds and Jackman (who is currently in talks to co-star) as former boy band members reuniting in their middle age.
When asked about the progress of the film, which falls under his production company Maximum Effort's first-look deal with Paramount, Reynolds provided a promising update. "I'm on a second draft," he said. "The first draft was fantastic and written by one of my favorite writers, Jesse Andrews [Me and Earl and the Dying Girl]. Now, I'm working on it solo." Although Reynolds — who plans to produce Boy Band alongside Shawn Levy — hasn't set any shooting dates or solidified a production schedule, he's already brainstorming ways to make the film.
"Shawn, Hugh, and I are open to creative ways to make this movie on a budget," Reynolds shared. "Many members of boy bands — and there are quite a few — had managers who abandoned them. They experienced a level of fame that would be challenging for anyone to handle, let alone a teenager, when you're basing your self-worth on an audience of screaming fans. It leads to a kind of arrested cultural development. [...] This film would be about people in their 40s and 50s trying to reclaim their lives."
While Reynolds had his Dancepool stand-in for the spectacular opening sequence of Deadpool & Wolverine (which, by the way, made it onto our Best Soundtrack Songs of 2024 list), the 'Bye Bye Bye' needle drop at least showed that Levy, Reynolds, and Jackman are no strangers to a boy band tune. With Jackman's background in musical theater and his impressive vocal skills — showcased in Les Misérables and The Greatest Showman — there's no doubt that Wolverine can carry a tune. So, even though it might be a while before Boy Band hits the screens, it's never too early to get excited — or to start brainstorming band names. *NSNIKT, anyone? Mutant Boyz II Men? Hmm... we'll leave that up to you.
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