“Deadpool & Wolverine” Director Shawn Levy Eyed for Next “Avengers” Film

With Deadpool & Wolverine slashing its way toward its July 26 premiere, its director, Shawn Levy, remains a very busy man. He’s got the final season of Stranger Things on his dance card—he’s directing two episodes and executive producing, which will carry him into 2025. This was the initial reason why Levy, when offered the opportunity to possibly direct the next Avengers movie, had to turn it down. Now, things have changed a bit.

Sources have told The Hollywood Reporter that with the shifts in development for the upcoming Avengers film, which has been changed dramatically as it will no longer focus on Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, now makes it possible for Levy to direct. He’s not the only director in contention for the job, but Levy’s a hot commodity, and Marvel is clearly pleased with his work on their one and only 2024, the big ticket team-up of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine.

The timetable for the fifth Avengers film shifted by several months as the script was being re-written, and with that shift, Marvel reengaged with Levy about the project. Loki creator Michael Waldron has written the recent drafts, while the previous director, Destin Daniel Cretton, departed this past November.

Levy has previously directed Night at the Museum, Real Steel, Free Guy, and The Adam Project (the latter two starring Reynolds). He’s also been a major force on Netflix’s Stranger Things. Now that he’s in the Marvel Studios family with Deadpool & Wolverine, it would make plenty of sense for the studio to want to keep him around for what will be one of the most crucial films in their Phase Six.

For more stories on all things Marvel Studios, check these out:

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Hugh Jackman on the Secret to Bulking Up to Become Wolverine Again

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Featured image: (L-R): Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Director Shawn Levy on the set of Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.