Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy suggests he could have ended up overseeing another superhero-themed cinematic universe if things worked out differently. Levy reveals he nearly signed on to helm the ill-fated DC Extended Universe film, The Flash, before turning the movie down.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Levy opened up on how he was engaged in talks to direct The Flash, admitting he was close to helming the DCEU effort for "a brief moment in time." While Levy didn't elaborate why talks with The Flash fell through, he implied the film's story was ultimately why he rejected it. "I get offered some IP-based movie every week, and, as you've noticed from a lack of announcements, I pretty much always turn them down because I need to feel that I see a story worth telling," Levy said.

After Levy passed on The Flash, directorial duties ultimately went to Andy Muschetti, who later landed the DC Universe's upcoming movie, The Brave and the Bold. Starring Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, The Flash became one of multiple DCEU bombs in 2023, with the blockbuster pulling in $271.3 million against its $220 million. Though The Flash received respectable reviews, critics admitted concerns about its story, especially its third act. Despite its box-office failure, The Flash has found some recent streaming success.

Levy makes his superhero film debut with Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the eponymous roles. Levy is a multi-time collaborator of Reynolds, having worked together with him on Free Guy and The Adam Project, as well as an upcoming feature-length collaboration at Paramount. Additionally, Levy worked with Jackman on the critically acclaimed Real Steel, with the filmmaker expressing regret about passing up a chance to direct a past X-Men installment he was offered.

Deadpool & Wolverine sees Reynolds and Jackman star alongside Emma Corrin, Jennifer Garner, Stefan Kapičić, Karan Soni and Morena Baccarin, with multiple rumored celebrity cameos ranging from Taylor Swift to Halle Berry. Levy owns up to the pressure put on Deadpool & Wolverine to restore prestige to the MCU after recent flops and believes there's enough potential in the team-up film for a sequel to happen down the line.

Deadpool & Wolverine Is the MCU's First-Ever R-Rated Movie

The first R-rated film in MCU history, Deadpool & Wolverine sees the titular characters embark on a game-changing mission which could forever alter how the Multiverse works. The upcoming Phase Five tentpole is on track for a pace-setting opening weekend at the box office, potentially putting it in contention to become 2024's highest-grossing movie, a title currently owned by Dune: Part Two ($711 million).

Deadpool & Wolverine opens in theaters on Jul. 26.