Ryan Reynolds on getting Madonna’s permission to use ‘Like a Prayer’ in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy have shared how they managed to get the licence to use Madonna’s 1989 hit ‘Like A Prayer’ in their upcoming superhero movie ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.

 They revealed that they visited Madonna, 65, to ask her for permission to licence the song, reports ‘People’ magazine.

In an interview with Andy Cohen on SiriusXM, Shawn Levy said: “It did involve a personal visit to Madonna, where we showed her the sequence where ‘Like a Prayer’ would be used.”

“Also, let’s preface it with the fact that they don’t licence, that Madonna doesn’t just licence 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, where, and why,” Reynolds added.

According to ‘People’, Levy shared that it felt like the production team was “meeting royalty,” before Reynolds jokingly said that he asked one of the members of Madonna’s team how to address her when meeting her.

“Like, am I allowed to just say, ‘Madonna?’” he recalled.

“Like, ‘Hello Madonna, I’m Ryan’.”

Reynolds also said that not only did Madonna agree to let them use the track (and it helped that her son was a fan of the first two ‘Deadpool’ films), she also offered them notes on the scene where it would be used.

“She gave a great note,” Reynolds said.

“She watched it, and I’m not kidding, said, ‘You need to do this.’ And damn it, if she wasn’t spot on.”

Levy added: “We literally went into a new recording session within 48 hours to implement her note… It made the sequence better.”

Also read: Armie Hammer denies Robert Downey Jr. paid for his rehab but gave important advice