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*Warning, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ spoilers to follow*
Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy has revealed that Henry Cavill made himself “sick to his stomach” by inhaling massive amounts of cigar smoke for his brief cameo as Wolverine variant “the Cavillrine.”
In a montage sequence early in the film, Deadpool travels the multiverse seeking a version of Wolverine who will team up with him. While most variants are played by longtime Wolverine star Hugh Jackman, one is played by Cavill. Levy told The New York Times that the British actor fully committed to the role.
“[He] not only had that pumped-up muscular body but kept that cigar lit and in his mouth for the entirety of the shoot day,” said Levy.
“I remember hearing the next day that Henry was sick to his stomach because he had been inhaling cigar smoke for eight hours straight, but never once did he waver.”
Levy also explained that they cast Cavill, who played Superman in several DC Comics movies from 2013 to 2022, soon after he left that high-profile role behind.
“It was not long after everything went down with DC and word came that Henry was being replaced as Superman,” said Levy.
“Given that Deadpool is in constant conversation with culture, it felt like a great opportunity to first of all cast Henry Cavill in a part that he would kick ass at, but also to poke fun at that other comic-book-founded movie studio and play with some self-awareness there.”
Deadpool & Wolverine has become a huge success, and is on track to become the highest-grossing film of the year. That title currently belongs to Inside Out 2, making 2024 a bankable year for Disney after a lacklustre showing at the box office in 2023.
Along with Cavill, Channing Tatum also makes a surprise appearance in the film and the star effusively thanked Ryan Reynolds for allowing him to play X-Men character Gambit.
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Tatum spent several years developing a standalone Gambit film for 20th Century Fox, but the project fell through when Disney and Fox merged in 2019.
“I thought I had lost Gambit forever. But [Ryan Reynolds] fought for me and Gambit. I will owe him probably forever,” Tatum wrote on social media.
“Cause I’m not sure how I could ever do something that would be equal to what this has meant to me. I love ya buddy. [Shawn Levy] as well. Truly such a brilliant creator on every single level. All things happen for a reason. I’m so grateful to be in this movie. It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. And just pure bad ass joy. I was literally screaming in the theater. LFG!!”
