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Deadpool, AKA Wade Wilson, AKA the Merc with a Mouth, first made his debut in the much-maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Pretty much the only thing people liked from that was Ryan Reynolds was a perfect fit for the character, but they just wanted to see him don that glorious red suit and enact some of that fourth-wall-breaking humor that he’s so well-known for in the comics. Seven years later, we finally got that with the first Deadpool film in 2016, followed by Deadpool 2 two years later in 2018. Both films are among the highest-grossing R-rated films of all time, only being beaten by Joker. With that R rating, you can imagine that the Deadpool films brought with them a foul-mouthed, raunchy sense of humor, which was totally okay for a self-aware superhero satire.
Not long after that though, the competition between 20th Century Fox (who had the rights to the X-Men characters) and Marvel’s parent company, Disney, reached its conclusion as the House of Mouse bought 20th Century and all of its assets in 2019. This meant something of an unceremonious end to the studio’s X-Men franchise, with X-Men: Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants not getting much in the way of fanfare. While that might have been disappointing for some, Disney’s massive purchase also means that characters from the X-Men series are now fair game to be in the MCU, and it’s already happened with Evan Peters‘s appearance in Wandavision as Quicksilver (even if it was sort of an inside joke) and then with Patrick Stewart‘s return as Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The appearances of stars and characters from past continuities and other universes are no longer that much of a surprise in the current Multiverse Saga that is taking place in the MCU. Yet, when Ryan Reynolds posted an update for the long-awaited Deadpool 3 on his YouTube Channel, he dropped an absolute bombshell announcement that a certain clawed hero would be making a shocking return. To find out everything we know so far about Deadpool’s entrance into the MCU (as well as the grumpy friend he’s bringing with him), read below to find out.
Editor’s Note: This article was last updated on November 12, 2023.
Deadpool 3
- Cast
- Ryan Reynolds, Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin, Hugh Jackman, Karan Soni, Rob Delaney
- Main Genre
- Superhero
- Genres
- Superhero, Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
- Studio
- 20th Century Fox
- Writers
- Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza, Paul Wernick, Wendy Molyneux, Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin
When and Where Is ‘Deadpool 3’ Premiering?
In a surprising announcement, Disney revealed that the film is being pushed up to May 4, 2024. That puts it four months earlier than its initial release date. For context, the release date for Deadpool 3 had initially changed two times. The film was initially announced for September 6, 2024, but it later changed, being pushed back to November 8, 2024, then moved again to May 2024. However, it was forced to move yet again as a result of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. On July 14, 2023, Deadpool 3 stopped production, with both actors and writers having declared a historic strike. Thankfully both strikes have come to an end, but that means Deadpool 3 had to change release dates one final time. Deadpool 3 will now hit theaters on July 26, 2023.
Is There a Trailer For ‘Deadpool 3’?
Not yet, however, as we mentioned above, Ryan Reynolds did give us an update via his YouTube channel that you can watch here.
The update starts with Reynolds going through some daily tasks like working on the computer and working out, and during some of them, he appears to be wearing a version of the Deadpool suit that is decently reminiscent of the character’s black and gray X-Force suit from the comics, which is one of his most popular looks outside his standard suit. After pouring some of his branded Aviation gin into a Deadpool mug, Reynolds then says that he doesn’t really have any ideas for the new movie…that is, except for one thing. Right on cue, Hugh Jackman himself walks behind Reynolds as if nothing’s going on. Reynolds then asks, “Hey Hugh, you wanna play Wolverine one more time?” Hugh says yes, and “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston starts playing. The incredible tease ends with the tagline “Coming Hughn” and a poster featuring the Deadpool logo with a big ole’ Wolverine slash through it.
Less than 24 hours later, Reynolds posted a follow-up video with him and Jackman attempting to answer just how exactly Wolverine is back, after his death in Logan, but interrupted by the classic Wham! song “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.” Now, while we may not have a trailer, we do have a first-look image from Deadpool 3 showing Wolverine in his classic yellow X-Men suit. Here it is:
Does ‘Deadpool 3’ Take Place in the MCU?
Yes, Deadpool 3 is being considered as a Marvel Studios production, and the head of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige has confirmed that this will be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire film will take place in the MCU. That seems to be the likely conclusion, but we have to remember that the current Multiverse Saga has already brought in characters from both the Sam Raimi and Marc Webb Spider-Man films in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Deadpool 3 could be a similar situation where we see characters from the 20th Century timelines crossover with the MCU timeline, but only time will tell as plot details are currently a mystery.
Will ‘Deadpool 3’ Be Rated R?
Both former CEO of the Walt Disney Company Bob Iger and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige have stated on record that the third Deadpool film will stay true to the prior films and retain an R-rating, meaning that heavier violence and harsher language are seemingly on the table. Should these promises be upheld, this would prime Deadpool 3 as the first MCU film to get a 17 or older rating, unless the upcoming Blade film starring Mahershala Ali is also going to be R-rated like the older Blade films. Deadpool 3‘s director (more on him in a bit) has also confirmed exclusively to Collider that the movie will be very much adult-oriented saying:
“We are writing, rewriting, developing, prepping ‘Deadpool’ every day now. It is such a blast to laugh every day. It is so delicious to hear and write and come up with these scenes where people are just talking foul. And the violence is in your face and hardcore, and it’s very much a ‘Deadpool’ movie. And it has Logan in it. And it has Wolverine in it. It’s too fun. I’m having so much fun, and I haven’t even hit the shooting floor yet. […] I have to say, developing a ‘Deadpool’ movie is one of the most fun creative experiences of my life because it’s not just that it’s rated R. It’s that it’s so filled with self-awareness, and that makes in-writing very, very fun in a way that is unique to that franchise.”
Are the Previous Deadpool and X-Men Films Available to Stream?
Yes, both of the Deadpool movies and every film in 20th Century’s X-Men franchise are available for streaming on Disney+. Deadpool 1, Deadpool 2, and Logan made their way onto Disney+ earlier this year, making them among the first R-rated films to make their way on the predominantly family-friendly platform. Watch the first movie on the site with the following link:
Who Is Starring in ‘Deadpool 3’?
Even though Deadpool will be making the jump to the MCU, Ryan Reynolds will still be playing the title character, and he’ll certainly be making wisecracks about changing universes with his signature fourth-wall-breaking. Then of course there’s Hugh Jackman, playing Wolverine for what will be the tenth and possibly the final time (though the more multiversal characters we see, the better the odds we’ll get a massive fight scene with all of them in Secret Wars). Reynolds hinted that Jackman’s Wolverine might be a bit different in Deadpool 3, saying in an interview:
“And what we pitched him was enough of a divergence from the character that he knows and the character that he’s left behind, that it gives him something completely new to play and something that he’s really excited to do.”
Multiple returning stars from the first two Deadpool films will be returning, including Wade’s roommate and best friend, Blind Al, played once again by the legendary Leslie Uggams. Also returning is Karan Soni as the soft-spoken taxi-driver Dopinder. Morena Baccarin will also be returning as Vanessa, Wade Wilson’s fiancée who was killed off at the beginning of the sequel, only to be rescued through the use of time travel during the end-credits sequence. In the comics, Vanessa is the former X-Force member Copycat who has the power to replicate superhuman powers and abilities. While there haven’t been any hints that Baccarin’s Vanessa will become more like her comic-book counterpart, that may change in the new film. Maybe time travel had some side effects on her. Stefan Kapicic will also be reprising his scene-stealing role as the goody-two-shoes X-Man Colossus. Vanessa wasn’t the only person Wade saved through the use of time travel at the end of the second film, with Rob Delaney returning to reprise his role as Peter, a human man who auditions and is accepted into the X-Force after seeing an ad in the paper. Additionally, it was confirmed that Brianna Hildebrand and Shioli Kutsuna would return as Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio, respectively. Hildebrand’s young hero made for a perfect sidekick to Wade’s antics, and things got even funnier when paired with Kutsuna’s Yukio in the second film.
There’s been no word on whether we’ll see ​​​​​​Josh Brolin as Cable, we do know that Zazie Beetz will not return as Domino. Another actor from the previous two Deadpool films who won’t be returning is T.J. Miller as Weasel, as the actor revealed that he wasn’t asked to return to the role. There have also been rumors that Owen Wilson and Tara Strong will be reprising their Loki roles as Mobius and Miss Minutes, while Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen have both teased the possibility that they will return once more as Professor X and Magneto. In a shocking turn of events, Jennifer Garner is set to reprise her role as Elektra, 20 years after her appearance in Daredevil. There have also been rumors about Taylor Swift being cast in the movie, but Reynolds has confirmed that Swift will not be in the film. Reynolds also spoke to Collider’s Steve Weintraub about getting Hugh Jackman to star in the movie, saying:
“It’s not like adding Hugh Jackman to a movie like this is a hard sell. It’s an immediate and emphatic, unqualified yes. It’s a lot of moving parts and Fox and X-Men and all that kind of stuff that Marvel needs to sort through. A lot of red tape in order to make that happen. And they did it. And I’m really grateful that they did it, because for me, working with Hugh is a dream come true. But working with Logan and having Logan and Wade together in a movie is beyond any dream I would ever be audacious enough to have. So I’m really, really super fucking excited to do this film.”
Playing the villain of the film is, Emma Corrin, who is perhaps best known for playing Princess Diana in Season 4 of the Netflix hit drama series The Crown. We don’t know which character they’ll be playing but Corrin has previously appeared in episodes of DC’s Pennyworth, so they’re no stranger to the superhero world. Emmy Award winner Matthew MacFadyen, who is perhaps most known these days for his role as Tom in HBO’s Succession, is also joining the cast of the sequel in an undisclosed role.
Who Is Making ‘Deadpool 3’?
The Deadpool series has gone through a number of directors, first with Tim Miller (Terminator: Dark Fate) and then David Leitch (Bullet Train) for the sequel, and now another new name will take on the franchise. Deadpool 3‘s director Shawn Levy, recently acclaimed for his work on Stranger Things, has previously worked with Ryan Reynolds on the video game satire Free Guy and the time travel family movie The Adam Project. Also joining the crew are Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin (Bob’s Burgers), who will be joining as writers on the movie, with Reynolds himself also credited with co-writing. Other writers on the movie include Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who also wrote the first two films in the series.
When and Where Did ‘Deadpool 3’ Film?
Cameras started rolling in May of this year in London. This is different from the previous two films, which were filmed in Vancouver, Canada. Filming was expected to continue until the Fall. However, as a result of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film’s production is currently on hold. However, director Shawn Levy told Collider’s Steve Weintraub that they were 35 days into production on the movie and “exactly halfway through filming.” Levy also added that they didn’t prioritize the CGI-heavy shots in anticipation of the strikes, which the director admits would have been the smart thing to do. Here’s what he said:
“That would have been smarter than I am. That would have been so savvy. But I guess, like others in our industry, I somehow thought this second strike would be averted. Then suddenly, it was upon us, and I had to send several hundred people home, and they’re still waiting to come back to work. So, I’m just really—I don’t use this word lightly—I’m yearning for a resolution that feels fair and equitable and gets this industry back to work.”
Where Did We Last See Deadpool and Wolverine?
The canon for X-Men continuity is notoriously inconsistent, but we’ll do our best to summarize Deadpool and Wolverine’s stories so far. Though he first appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Wade Wilson made his first proper Deadpool appearance in the 2016 film, where he was a sarcastic mercenary dying of terminal cancer. He was then approached by a shadowy organization that promised to not only cure Wade but even enhance him. They did this by granting him a rapid healing factor that essentially made him immortal, but at the cost of horribly disfiguring him and making him too afraid to face his beloved Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). What follows is a blood-fueled rampage filled with fourth-wall-breaking humor and incalculable mayhem and destruction, which is exactly what fans of the comics wanted to see.
In Deadpool 2, Vanessa is shockingly killed off early on in the film, once again pushing Wade into a deep depression. Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) of the X-Men offers Wade a second chance and Deadpool ends up becoming a surrogate father figure to an abused teen mutant named Russell (Julian Dennison). He’s at first protecting Russell from a vengeful time traveler named Cable (Josh Brolin), but they ultimately find an amicable solution. We last saw Deadpool using Cable’s time-traveling device to save Vanessa and even kill Ryan Reynolds himself before he accepts the job for Green Lantern. His lack of respect for traveling through time could very well be the thread that connects Deadpool to the MCU, given we know the concepts of time travel and the multiverse are connected. Perhaps Deadpool was even one of the many that were arrested by the TVA from Loki.
As for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, his story is a bit more extensive, as he’s been with the X-Men almost since day one with the original 2000 film. Preferring the name Logan, the grumpy mutant was introduced roaming the world without a purpose before he stumbled upon Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, where he found meaning in being both a hero and a teacher to a new generation of mutants. He even fell in love with Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), but he was unfortunately never able to find a quiet life and settle down. The apparent last hurrah for the Wolverine was Logan, set years into the future where the X-Men are all but killed off except for Logan and Charles Xavier. More broken than ever before, Logan ultimately helps Laura (Dafne Keen), a young clone of himself and his surrogate daughter, as she flees from a band of mutant hunters. In the end, despite living for several centuries, time catches up with Logan, and he sacrifices himself to save Laura.
Logan has often been regarded as a more self-contained narrative rather than a part of a wider storyline. However, director Shawn Levy has stated that Logan is canon to the world of Deadpool 3. Just how that’s possible is something we’ll have to wait and find out.
