With Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine quickly sprinting past $1B in box office grosses on its path to unseating Joker as the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, Marvel has given the film’s fans something else to cheer about.
After extensively featuring Madonna‘s 1989 hit “Like a Prayer” in the film’s official trailer as well as prominently in the Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman buddy superhero flick, the studio released two new versions of the track over the weekend. The Like a Prayer EP features the original version, as well as film composer Rob Simonsen mixing the joyous song with even more choir voices, a stirring organ line and dramatic strings.
The “Choir Version,” which features the I”ll Take You There choir, leans even further into the the spiritual side, focusing on the uplifting gospel vocalists.
Last month, director Shawn Levy described the process of securing the rights to license the song for the film, which included a personal plea to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend. “It did involve a personal visit to Madonna, where we showed Madonna the sequence where ‘Like a Prayer’ would be used,” Levy said.
“Also, let’s preface it with the fact that they don’t license — that Madonna doesn’t just license the song, particularly that song,” Reynolds chimed in. “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 and sort of showed her how it was being used, and where, and why.”
And, Madonna being Madonna, star Reynolds said the singer had some thoughts on how they should use the song in the film. “She gave a great note,” Reynolds said. “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. We literally went into a new recording session within 48 hours to do this note. It made the sequence better.”
The synch in the summer’s biggest movie helped “Like a Prayer” make its debut on the global charts last week when the song came in at No. 181 on the Global 200 and No. 189 on Global Exlu. U.S.; the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks back in 1989.
Listen to the Deadpool & Wolverine Like a Prayer EP below.