Ray Chan Dies: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Production Designer Was “Peerless”, Says Ryan Reynolds

Tom Tapp

26 April 2024 at 2:45 pm·4-min read

Ray Chan Dies: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Production Designer Was “Peerless”, Says Ryan Reynolds

Ray Chan, a longtime production designer on some of Marvel’s biggest films, died this week, according to a statement Friday from Marvel Studios. He was 56.

Chan was best known for his work on multibillion-dollar Marvel blockbusters such as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame as well as the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine.

More from Deadline

That film’s producer and star, Ryan Reynolds, said in a statement to Deadline that Chan was “as valuable a creative force on Deadpool & Wolverine as the writers, director and stars. … He built worlds from scratch — and did so in the most collaborative and inclusive ways. Ray was peerless.”

You can read Reynolds’ full statement below.

Deadpool & Wolverine writer-director Shawn Levy added, “The loss of Ray is devastating to all of us who worked on Deadpool & Wolverine. Ray did more than design the world of our movie; he lit up the world around him.

“Truly, anyone who knew Ray, or was lucky enough to collaborate with him as we were, experienced this beacon of a man: kind, warm, tenaciously devoted, and relentlessly inspiring – Ray worked and lived with a joyous and contagious humanity that is rare. He will be deeply missed but forever remembered.”

Chan also worked with directors such as Ridley Scott, Michael Apted, Alfonso Cuarón, Ed Zwick, James Mangold and Antoine Fuqua, and on films as diverse as National Treasure, Nanny McPhee, Children of Men, Blood Diamond, Robin Hood, Knight and Day and Dungeons and Dragons.

He was nominated for an Art Directors Guild Award five times, winning in 2015 and 2020 for Guardians of the Galaxy and Endgame, respectively.

“Ray was first and foremost a good friend to everyone at Marvel Studios. He was a talented collaborator who brought creativity and attention to detail to every frame of every movie he worked on, and who was able to bring out the best in each department he worked with,” said Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito in a joint statement. “He was the nicest human being and was such a pleasure to work with, hugely generous, and the kind of person who could take the seed of an idea and turn it into something beautiful. We are devastated by his passing. He will be missed by everyone at Marvel, and our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends.”

RELATED: Movies That Have Made More Than $1B At The Box Office

Chan began his relationship with Marvel Studios in 2013 with Thor: The Dark World as supervising art director. He went on to be supervising art director on Guardians, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Doctor Strange, Infinity War, and Endgame. He was also an art director on Spider-Man: Far From Home, as well as production designer on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania additional photography and the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine.

RELATED: Photos From ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ And Every ‘Deadpool’ Film

Here is Reynolds’ statement in full:

Words are pretty inadequate in comparison to this loss.
There’s an unmatched reservoir of skill, surprise, tender grit and talent the film community will never again witness. He was as valuable a creative force on Deadpool & Wolverine as the writers, director and stars.

I don’t pretend to know every chapter of Ray’s heart, but I know it’s unusual to encounter someone with that level of artistry, who simultaneously moved through the world with such indelible humanity.
He built worlds from scratch — and did so in the most collaborative and inclusive ways. Ray was peerless. He’ll be missed by so many, but most of all his family.

The last time I saw Ray was exactly two weeks ago. One of last things I said to him was that he makes magic and there’s nobody on earth like him. He and I would also give each other a lot of good natured shit. So… of all the last things you could say to someone you adore, that’s a little scrap of consolation I’ll hang onto forever.

Chan is survived by his wife, Lindsay; and his children, Caspar and Sebastian.

DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:

Best of Deadline

Australian Associated Press
Putin sworn in for new term in ceremony boycotted by US
Vladimir Putin has been sworn in for another six-year term as Russia's president in a ceremony at the Kremlin.
Australian Associated Press
'Stop provocations':China warns Australia over incident
China has fired back at Australia after a dangerous incident over the Yellow Sea, accusing Canberra of provocative behaviour.
Australian Associated Press
Five dead, dozens trapped in S.Africa building collapse
Five people have been killed and 49 others remained unaccounted for after a building at a construction site collapsed in South Africa.
Australian Associated Press
Two killed, 21 hurt in China knife attack: Reports
A male with a knife has killed two people and injured 21 others at a hospital in southwest China, according to reports.
Australian Associated Press
'Leave the knife at home': new laws to keep people safe
NSW Police will be given the power to scan people for knives in shopping malls and transport hubs in a bid to restore public safety after a spate of stabbings.
Australian Associated Press
Men had 'no love lost' before fatal knife attack
A man has denied he intended to kill when he fatally stabbed a young father during a street fight over allegations concerning a spate of robberies.
Australian Associated Press
Missed opportunity to fix 'fatally flawed' lobby laws
A lobbying inquiry's recommendation to hold another inquiry has been derided by critics for failing to provide urgent and much-needed reforms.
Australian Associated Press
UK military personnel's data accessed in hack: Report
Hackers have accessed the personal data of British defence personnel and veterans, it has been reported.
Australian Associated Press
Man jailed for planting 'bomb' over Palestine dispute
A man who placed a crudely manufactured explosive near the home of another man he argued with over the conflict in Gaza has been jailed for up to a year.
Australian Associated Press
Greens notch historic upper house victory
The Greens have further increased their representation in Tasmania's parliament, winning their first upper house seat.
Australian Associated Press
Season over for Lions duo as Richmond guns eye return
Brisbane's Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner require knee reconstructions while Richmond's Dion Prestia and Noah Balta are chances to return from layoffs.
Australian Associated Press
Driver in burnout event death refused bail
A man charged over a crash at a burnout event that killed a spectator tested positive for methylamphetamine, a magistrate has heard.
Australian Associated Press
Dolphins' Gilbert to meet surgeon and go under knife
It has been a long wait for Dolphins lock Tom Gilbert who is hopeful he can get surgery on his injured knee and start rehab with round one, 2025 in his sights.
Australian Associated Press
Souths turn to debutant halfback amid injury crisis
South Sydney have named their third different halfback of the season with Dion Teaupa set to make his NRL debut amid the club's injury crisis.
Australian Associated Press
Likely return for Hurricanes player acquitted of rape
Nikhil Chaudhary, who was found not guilty of rape, will likely return to play for Hobart in the Big Bash League despite not telling the club about the charges.
Australian Associated Press
McDonald defends call to back experience over IPL form
Coach Andrew McDonald has made no apology for prioritising Australian experience over franchise T20 returns, insistent his squad will hit the World Cup in form.
Australian Associated Press
Few sweeteners but students to reap Vic budget windfall
Victorian school students and would-be home owners are among the winners of the 2024/25 budget but they are few and far between as the state's belt tightens.
Australian Associated Press
No terrorist incident call on random stabbing
WA's top cop says a radicalised teen's random stabbing attack on a man won't officially be declared a terrorist incident at this time.
Australian Associated Press
T'Wolves destroy Denver, NY pip Pacers in NBA playoffs
Minnesota have dramatically gone two-up in their NBA playoff series with defending champions Denver and New York one-up over Indiana.
Australian Associated Press
Bonza cancels more flights as fleet poised to soar away
A creditors' meeting for cash-strapped airline Bonza is due to be held within days after its administrators applied to a court.

Latest stories