“I didn’t know that Elektra and I needed an ending” — Jennifer Garner on reprising her 2005 superhero role in Deadpool & Wolverine cameo

Jennifer Garner opened up about reprising her role as Elektra for Deadpool & Wolverine. In an Instagram reel shared on Monday, August 5, Garner showcased a montage of fitness sessions she underwent to don Elektra's gear for the first time since 2005. In the reel's caption, Garner detailed her workout regimen and noted that being on set felt like a "dream." Garner explained:

"I didn’t know that Elektra and I needed an ending, but Shawn and Ryan did."

Garner shared that Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds, and director Shawn Levy got the idea for Garner's return as Elektra on the set of 2022's The Adam Project. Apart from Garner's Elektra, Wesley Snipes' Blade and Chris Evans' Johnny Storm also made cameo appearances in Deadpool & Wolverine.

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The seeds for Jennifer Garner's return as Elektra were sown on the set of The Adam Project

Jennifer Garner proudly showcased her workout regimen for getting into fitness to reprise the role of Elektra in an Instagram reel shared on Monday. The remarkable behind-the-scenes video showed Garner training tirelessly via weight lifting, trampoline jumping, swimming, and boxing, among other exercises.

At one point in the video, Garner could be seen having trouble executing a trick using Elektra's iconic Okinawan sais. However, at the end of the montage, Garner effortlessly rotates one sai in her hand while donning Elektra's gear. In the caption to her post, the actress recalled the moment Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy had the idea for her to reprise the role of Elektra. She recalled:

"We were on the set of The Adam Project and they gave each other this look they have that can communicate an idea, 20 pages of dialogue, nuclear codes— there is a crazy artistic kismet between those two."

Jennifer Garner starred in 2022's The Adam Project, which also featured Ryan Reynolds and was directed by Shawn Levy. Garner joked that other than trying to convince her kids' preschool friends that she was secretly a "ninja," she hadn't picked up Elektra's sais since 2004. The actress explained that although she was fit, she was not "Marvel fit."

To prepare for her role, Garner and her "OG stunt double" Shauna Duggins had to amp up their training, which was led by Beth Nicely of The Limit Fitness. According to the actress, her training included:

"1x/day, plus whatever homework she (Beth Nicely) assigned for a second workout. Boxing 3x/ week with Flvco Pichardo from Churchill x Matchroom Boxing Gym. And lots and lots of One Peloton’s Becs Gentry."

According to Garner, her whole team underwent "#SuperHeroSummer" during the whole process. As mentioned earlier, even if she didn't know that Elektra needed an ending, Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds certainly did. The actress praised the actor-director duo by stating that they were "gifted" in many ways but could also see and elevate the people around them.

The actress and her stunt double were in "heaven" when they were on set with Reynolds and Levy. Jennifer Garner also gave a shoutout to her "old pal" Hugh Jackman, Dafne Keene, Wesley Snipes, and Channing Tatum. Garner recalled shooting her fight scene as being "so fun" and truly feeling like a dream. She concluded her post by stating:

"I’m proud of my friends and grateful to be up there with them. Thank you doesn’t cut it, guys, but it’s a good placeholder until I figure out what does."

Jennifer Garner first portrayed Elektra in the 2003 film Daredevil starring her ex-husband Ben Affleck in the titular role. She later reprised the role for her ill-fated 2005 stand-alone movie Elektra, which, according to Box Office Mojo, grossed $56,995,646 with a budget of $43,000,000.