How Hugh Jackman Played Matchmaker For Ryan Reynolds With The Free Guy Director

There have been quite a few actors and directors over the years who just work and in turn continue to work together on multiple projects. Think Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, Bill Murray and Wes Anderson or Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese. Well, there’s a new dynamic duo in Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy, who made Free Guy together and the upcoming Netflix film The Adam Project. The story about how they found each other is very on brand for the Deadpool star, and involves Reynolds’ frenemy, Hugh Jackman. 

Apparently, it was their common collaborator Hugh Jackman who brought them together. As Reynolds quipped: 

While speaking to CBS News about their latest collaboration, the duo touched on their mutual friend, with whom the Proposal star shares a past in the Marvel world and has an ongoing playful feud with. In Shawn Levy’s words:   

Hugh Jackman worked with the director in 2011’s Reel Steel, which has recently found a new life since it hit Netflix. Since its renewed interest, a Reel Steel series is in development on Disney+, but whether Jackson will be back is a question mark. It sounds like Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds have similar sensibilities about them that make them great collaborators that Jackman could gather by knowing them both separately. 

The pair’s first movie together, Free Guy, hit theaters over the summer and received positive reactions overall and, similarly, The Adam Project seems to have really impressed critics thus far. The upcoming Netflix movie follows Reynolds’ character as he travels back in time to team up with his younger self and late father to save the future. 

While Hugh Jackman is not involved in the sci-fi film, the actor supported his faux rival and former director at the movie’s recent premiere. Check out this trio of gentlemen via Jackson’s Instagram: 

Okay, so all we need next is a Shawn Levy, Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds collaboration, right? Though it would be perfect for it to be a Wolverine and Deadpool team-up flick, Jackman has already hung up his claws for good with Logan. On the other hand, Reynolds is set to star in another Deadpool movie. Maybe Levy can direct that and Jackman can show up in a Wolverine-esque dream sequence? On the other hand, recent word from the 20th Century Studios’ president is the studio is just “days away” from receiving a script for a Free Guy sequel – maybe that’s his way in. 

It certainly seems like Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds are clicking when it comes to making movies, especially with films based on more original stories. You can check out The Adam Project with a Netflix subscription on March 11. It’s one of the biggest new movie releases of 2022.