It looks like Shawn Levy’s directing duties on Marvel Studios' Deadpool 3 will conflict with his work for Netflix’s fifth and final season of Stranger Things.
Earlier this summer, the hit sci-fi horror show blew away audiences as it introduced the world to Vecna and had him give Hawkins, Indiana, quite the scare.
Of the newest nine episodes, Levy directed the third and fourth—a tradition he’s kept across every season. On top of directing, he also has a hand in producing the show.
On top of the hugely popular series, Levy will also be joining frequent collaborator Ryan Reynolds for Deadpool 3, where he'll be directing. To add to the pressure that comes with that movie, Hugh Jackman will also be returning as Wolverine.
As great as it will be to have Levy's talents join the MCU, it looks like his upcoming work on Deadpool 3 will keep him from working on the final season of Stranger Things as much as he might want to.
Deadpool 3 Gets in the Way of Stranger Things
In an interview with Collider, Deadpool 3 and Stranger Things director Shawn Levy talked about how his upcoming Marvel Studios project will inevitably overlap with his work on Netflix's hit series.
Levy revealed that his time on Stranger Things was "one of the first conversations [he] had with Ryan Reynolds and Marvel:"
"In fact, one of the first conversations I had with Ryan Reynolds and Marvel when we started talking about Deadpool was the fact that it was inevitably going to overlap in someway and at some point with the final season of Stranger Things. And it is really important to me to direct at least one episode in the last season."
The director indicated that he may be limited to directing just one episode of Stranger Things 5 due to the production conflict with Deadpool 3, which is set to film this summer:
"Part of why I feel so close to the Duffers and our cast is that I’ve been lucky to be involved directorially, which is a unique connection and creative intimacy. Anyway, it’s very much my intention to direct at least one episode of Stranger Things 5, and everyone involved is being really supportive and collaborative in figuring out the scheduling aspects of how I can do that."
He also pointed out how "when [he] first read the Duffers' pilot script, [he] knew their show was special:"
"It means the world to me. I know enough about the entertainment industry and culture to know that having a hit show is like finding a unicorn in the woods. When I first read the Duffers’ pilot script, I knew their show was special, but none of us could predict the cultural impact it would have, the way it’s become a full-on franchise brand. It’s thrilling, but in the same breath, I want to make the point that we don’t let ourselves get distracted by the blockbuster status of the show; we focus on making great episodes, one by one, scene by scene, moment by moment. That’s what made Stranger Things a hit in the first place, and we are fiercely aware of that."
When it comes to what fans should be expecting for this final outing, Levy emphasized how it'll be "both epic and very emotional:"
"I know that Brothers already hinted at this publicly, but when we sat there and heard the two-hour-long pitch-out for the storyline of this final season, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room by the time the brothers were done... so yeah, this last season will be both epic and very emotional. I think making it will be pretty damn emotional, too, since this show has changed the life of every one of us who have worked on it. Anyway, writing is going really well, and we can’t wait to head into production next year."
Levy's Deadpool 3-Stranger Things Juggle
Currently, Deadpool 3 is set to start production next May. It’s not known when exactly Stranger Things is starting back up, but early next year is probably a safe bet.
That would give Shawn Levy just enough time to squeeze in an episode at the start of the season. Though, given how long Stranger Things was in production for its fourth season, the director could possibly even wait until after his next bout with Ryan Reynolds to hop aboard the Hawkins train.
With the final season of Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s biggest originals, and helming Deadpool’s arrival into the MCU, Levy sure does have a lot of responsibility on his plate. Hopefully, he’ll manage to satisfy the world’s expectations on both fronts.
Deadpool 3 is set to arrive in theaters worldwide on November 8, 2024, while Stranger Things’ fifth and final season does not currently have a release window.
