Reynolds said that getting to meet Madonna was “one of the great thrills” of his life, which is understandable given her international superstar status. She’s not only the best-selling female recording artist of all time, but she’s also a Golden Globe winner for her starring role in “Evita” and she’s a director in her own right, with the films “Filth and Wisdom” and “W.E.” under her belt. They had a pretty big task in asking her to use “Like a Prayer,” however, as the song and its music video nearly derailed her career when it was released in 1989. She had signed a massive $5 million commercial deal with Pepsi, and the soda company was set to sponsor her next tour, but the “Like a Prayer” music video (directed by “Pet Sematary” helmer Mary Lambert) proved much too controversial. The video tackled unfair police profiling, institutionalized racism, and Catholic guilt, combining religious imagery with sexual imagery that not only got Madonna dropped from her Pepsi contract, but also (allegedly) excommunicated by the Pope.
To convince her to let them use the song, Levy and Reynolds showed her the scene, and Reynolds said that she had some very specific thoughts:
“And she gave a great note. My God, she watched it and, I’m not kidding, she was like, ‘You need to do this, this, and this in this moment.’ And d*** it, if she wasn’t like spot-on and right.”
While neither of them elaborates on what the note was exactly, Levy explains that they “went into a new recording session within 48 hours” to make the adjustments she pointed out, so it likely has something to do with the dialogue or audio. My guess? Maybe Madge told them exactly how to set up the moment when Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) finally pulls on his cowl. It’s a cool moment that plays with the music a bit, so maybe Madonna had something to do with it.