"There's nothing like coming together," the official trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine states, giving the titular team-up a lewd twist that the Merc with a Mouth himself would be proud of. That, combined with the poster that sees Wade gently caressing Logan's claws, makes it impossible to deny the marketing's erotic undertones.
According to director Shawn Levy, though, who co-wrote the Marvel movie with Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, and Ryan Reynolds, this story is explicitly "one of friendship, one of brotherhood, and really a redemptive connection". He tells GamesRadar+ and Inside Total Film: "[It] doesn't bring sexual tension onto the table… or the bed, or any other surface one could use." Sad news for those who are already shipping Poolverine...
Throughout the superhero flick's promotional run, some fans have voiced frustration over the queering of its heroes' relationship online, accusing it of reducing Wade's canon pansexuality from the comics to a gimmicky sales tactic. With that in mind, we ask Levy whether there's space for the character's fluidity to be explored in a less-jokey manner in the future. In this movie, perhaps even, given that he and Morena Baccarin's Vanessa aren't together anymore?
"Wade is a flirt, Wade is, indeed, open to attraction anywhere [but] what I think is clear is that Wade's heart belongs to Vanessa," he notes. "Wade's heart will likely always belong to Vanessa, and even though we meet Wade and Vanessa at a different point in their relationship in Deadpool and Wolverine, there is a profound devotion to her that supersedes all the rest."
Also starring Rob Delaney and Emma Corrin, Deadpool and Wolverine lands in UK cinemas on July 25, and a day later in the US. For more, check out all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way, as well as our guide to how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
Listen out for our chat with Levy on the upcoming episode of the Inside Total Film podcast, which is available on Apple, Audioboom, Spotify, and more.
