Ryan Reynolds and his Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy revealed during an interview on Andy Cohen’s SiriusXM radio show (via People) that they met with pop icon Madonna in person in order to secure the rights to use “Like a Prayer” in the upcoming Marvel sequel. Madonna agreed, and the song ended up playing a prominent role in both the film and various trailers for it.
Levy said in the interview, “It did involve a personal visit to Madonna, where we showed Madonna the sequence where ‘Like a Prayer’ would be used.”
Reynolds added: “Also, let’s preface it with the fact that they don’t license — that Madonna doesn’t just license the song, particularly that song. It was a big deal to ask for it and certainly a bigger deal to use it…
“We went over and met with her and sort of showed her how it was being used, and where, and why.”
Not only did Madonna allow Reynolds and Levy to use her classic song, but she also offered up a note on how it should be used.
Reynolds isn’t revealing the specifics of how that note played out just yet, but he explained: “She gave a great note. She watched it, and I’m not kidding, [she said], ‘You need to do this.’ And damn it, if she wasn’t like spot on.”
Levy added: “We literally went into a new recording session within 48 hours to do this note. … It made the sequence better.”
In addition to Madonna, the soundtrack for Deadpool & Wolverine includes songs from *NSYNC, The Goo Goo Dolls, Fergie, Avril Lavigne, Aretha Franklin, Green Day and the Hugh Jackman-starring musical The Greatest Showman, among other tracks.
Deadpool & Wolverine opens in theaters this week on July 26th.
