Development on a thirdDeadpool film began at20th Century Fox by November 2016, but was moved to Marvel Studios whenFox was acquired by Disney in March 2019.Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin joined in November 2020 as writers. Levy was hired to direct in March 2022, when Reese and Wernick returned from the previous films for rewrites. The creative team had difficulty settling on a story until Jackman decided to reprise his role as Wolverine from Fox'sX-Men film series in August 2022. Several other actors from theX-Men films and other Marvel productions also returned as part of amultiverse story, which serves as a tribute to Fox's Marvel films. Filming began in May 2023, taking place atPinewood Studios,Bovingdon Studios, andNorfolk in England as well as Los Angeles. Production was suspended in July due to the2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming resumed in November andwrapped in January 2024. The title was revealed a month later. Thefilm's soundtrack features an original score byRob Simonsen and numerous existing songs, includingMadonna's "Like a Prayer" for key sequences.Deadpool & Wolverine is the firstR-rated MCU film, retaining that rating from the priorDeadpool films.
Deadpool & Wolverine premiered on July 22, 2024, at theDavid H. Koch Theater in New York City, and was released in the United States on July 26 as part ofPhase Five of the MCU. Critics praised the performances of Reynolds and Jackman as well as the humor, but were less positive about the film overall. It grossed $1.338 billion worldwide, becoming thesecond-highest-grossing film of 2024, thehighest-grossing R-rated film ever, and the20th-highest-grossing film ever at the time of its release. The film received various accolades.
Plot
In 2018,Wade Wilson usesCable's time-travel device to prevent the death of his girlfriend,Vanessa Carlysle. He then travels from his universe,Earth-10005,[a] toEarth-616—also called the "Sacred Timeline"—hoping to join that reality'sAvengers.[b] He is rejected byHappy Hogan and returns to his own universe. Six years later, Wade has broken up with Vanessa, retired from being the masked mercenary Deadpool, and works as a used-car salesman with his friend and formerX-Force memberPeter Wisdom.
During Wade's birthday party, he is detained by theTime Variance Authority (TVA) and brought toMr. Paradox, who explains that they are an organization outside of time that monitors the Sacred Timeline and the widermultiverse. He offers Wade a future on the Sacred Timeline which Wade accepts, until Paradox reveals that Wade's universe is deteriorating as a result of the death of its stabilizing "anchor being",Logan.[c] Paradox plans to use a "Time Ripper" device to accelerate this process. Wade steals Paradox'sTemPad device and uses it to travel to Logan's grave, hoping to resurrect him and save their timeline. When this fails, Wade travels the multiverse searching for a replacement "variant" of Logan.
Wade returns to the TVA with avariant of Logan. Paradox says an anchor being cannot be replaced, especially by this variant who is considered to be the worstWolverine in the multiverse. When Wade deduces that Paradox is acting without the knowledge of his superiors, Paradox sends Wade and Logan to theVoid, a wasteland at the end of time. Wade claims the TVA can change events in Logan's past, convincing him to work together to escape the Void. The pair are captured alongsideJohnny Storm and taken toCassandra Nova, the powerful and sadistic twin sister ofX-Men leaderCharles Xavier. Cassandra, who made a deal with the TVA to oversee the Void, kills Johnny and leaves Wade and Logan to be consumed by the creatureAlioth, but the pair escape.
Logan and Wade meet Deadpool variants "Nicepool" and "Dogpool", who direct them towards a resistance group that has been fighting Cassandra. Wade accidentally admits that he is not certain whether the TVA can change Logan's timeline, and the pair fight until they are both unconscious. They are found by the resistance group, consisting ofLaura,Elektra,Blade, andGambit. Wade proposes an alliance and Laura convinces Logan—regretful of his past actions which led to the deaths of his fellow X-Men—to join. The resistance members distract Cassandra's henchmen while Wade and Logan block her powers usingJuggernaut's helmet. Cassandra is betrayed by her followerPyro on behalf of Paradox and almost dies, until Logan convinces Wade to remove the helmet. Cassandra heals herself and uses aSling Ring to open a portal to Earth-10005 for Logan and Wade.
Cassandra learns about the Time Ripper from Pyro, kills him, and follows Logan and Wade to Earth-10005. She plans to use the Time Ripper to destroy all timelines, leaving only the Void. Cassandra summons anarmy of Deadpool variants, who kill Nicepool and battle Wade and Logan until Peter arrives to distract them. Paradox tells Wade and Logan that one of them could destroy the Time Ripper by disrupting its power flow, but this would kill them. Wade and Logan destroy the Time Ripper together, killing Cassandra in the process, and survive by sharing the burden. Paradox is arrested by the TVA'sHunter B-15, who congratulates Wade and Logan and says their actions have stopped Earth-10005 from deteriorating. Wade asks Hunter B-15 to save the resistance group from the Void and change the history of Logan's world. She explains that the latter is not possible because Logan's history is what led to him being a hero now, but allows Logan to stay in Wade's universe. During a gathering with Wade's friends that includes Dogpool and a rescued Laura, Logan encourages Wade to reconcile with Vanessa.
Cast
Producer Kevin Feige, star Ryan Reynolds, director Shawn Levy, and co-stars Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Dafne Keen, Jennifer Garner, Chris Evans, Channing Tatum and Wesley Snipes promoting the film at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024
Ryan Reynolds asWade Wilson / Deadpool: A wisecracking mercenary fromEarth-10005 with accelerated healing but severe scarring over his body after undergoing an experimental regenerativemutation to treat terminal cancer.[6] Wade begins the film retired from being Deadpool, no longer dating Vanessa Carlysle, and working as a used car salesman.[7] WriterRhett Reese described Deadpool as afish-out-of water, a lunatic dropped into the "sane world" of theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).[8] Though Reynolds said the audience did not have to take Deadpool seriously, particularly with hisfourth wall breaking andunreliable narration, he wanted them to be invested in the other characters.[9] Deadpool's opening dance number was performed by Nick Pauley, who is credited as "Dancepool".[10][11] Reynolds also portrays the alternate universe "variant" Nicepool,[d] who has no scars or healing factor, for which he is credited as "Gordon Reynolds".[5][13]
Hugh Jackman asLogan / Wolverine: A mutant and former member of theX-Men with healing abilities, retractable claws, and anadamantium-infused skeleton.[14] This Wolverine is a variant from a universe that he let down.[7][15] This, and the pairing with Deadpool, allowed Jackman to explore new aspects of the character from his appearances as adifferent version of Wolverine in20th Century Fox'sX-Men film series.[9][16] Jackman said Logan and Wade are opposites and have a "quarreling dynamic",[17] while directorShawn Levy said their relationship is affected by both characters being "haunted with regret".[9] They chose to depict the character's backstory, including the deaths of his fellow X-Men, through sound design only to keep the focus on Wolverine's regrets rather than on the appearances of other characters.[18] To prepare for the role, Jackman began a vigorous workout routine that included eating up to 8,000 calories a day.[19] Jackman also portrays several other Wolverine variants: one possessing the character's comic book-accurate height of 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm), with actor Luke Bennett serving asbody double;[20] Wolverine's gambling alter-egoPatch, who wears an eyepatch and white tuxedo; anOld Man Logan variant; a variant being crucified on a giant X, inspired by the cover ofUncanny X-Men #251 (July 1989); a variant wearing a brown costume who fights theHulk, referencing the cover ofThe Incredible Hulk #340 (October 1987); and anAge of Apocalypse (1995) variant withglam rock hair, one hand, and a black-and-red costume.[21]
Emma Corrin asCassandra Nova: A mutant withtelekinetic andtelepathic powers who is the twin sister ofCharles Xavier. She rules over theVoid, a wasteland at the end of time.[22][23] Having not played many villains before, Corrin was excited to take on the role and was inspired byChristoph Waltz's characterHans Landa from the filmInglourious Basterds (2009).[24][25] Reynolds and Levy explained Cassandra to Corrin as someone who would endear others to the point that "you are going to be best friends for life", only to realize she could easily kill them.[7] Corrin was interested in having a physical transformation for the role but was told by the studio that this was not required for the character.[26] Corrin also wanted to pay homage toPatrick Stewart andJames McAvoy's performances as Xavier in previousX-Men films, and to be faithful to Cassandra's relationship with Xavier in the comics.[27]
Rob Delaney asPeter Wisdom: A member of Wade'sX-Force team who works with him at the car dealership. Peter encourages Wade to return to his life as Deadpool.[31]
Matthew Macfadyen asMr. Paradox: An agent of theTime Variance Authority (TVA), an organization outside of time and space that monitors themultiverse. Paradox plans to speed up the death of Earth-10005 with a "Time Ripper" machine.[5] Macfadyen said the character was untrustworthy but not a villain, though he thought Paradox would prefer to be a supervillain or superhero rather than being stuck doing "a mundane thing of monitoring the timelines in the multiverse".[34]
After the success ofDeadpool (2016),20th Century Fox began developing two sequels. The third film was set to include the superhero teamX-Force.[55]Deadpool directorTim Miller chose not to return for the sequels due to creative differences with starRyan Reynolds, andDavid Leitch was hired to directDeadpool 2 (2018) in November 2016. Fox was looking for another filmmaker to develop the third film.[56] In March 2017,Deadpool andDeadpool 2 co-writerRhett Reese said X-Force would be introduced inDeadpool 2 before starring in a planned spin-off film that would launch "something bigger", separate from the thirdDeadpool film, which would be more personal.[57] When theacquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney was announced in December 2017,the Walt Disney Company CEOBob Iger said Reynolds'sWade Wilson / Deadpool would be integrated with theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This was despite those films being ratedPG-13 and theDeadpool films beingR-rated.[58] Iger was willing to make R-ratedDeadpool films "as long as we let the audiences know what's coming" and said a "Marvel-R brand" could be created for characters like Deadpool.[59] In May 2018, Reynolds said a thirdDeadpool film may not be made due to the shift of focus to X-Force.[60] Reese and his writing partnerPaul Wernick said a third film would happen after Reynolds took a break from the character and the X-Force film was released, similar to the MCU crossover filmThe Avengers (2012) being released betweenIron Man 2 (2010) andIron Man 3 (2013).[61]
At the end of May 2018, Leitch expressed interest in returning for anotherDeadpool film, depending on the schedule.[62] A thirdDeadpool film was believed to be in active development by that August, with production planned to take place inAtlanta, Georgia, rather than inVancouver, Canada, where the previous films were made.[63]Once Upon a Deadpool, a PG-13 version ofDeadpool 2, was released at the end of the year. It was watched carefully by Disney andMarvel Studios to see how it might inform their approach to the character in the MCU.[64] While promotingOnce Upon a Deadpool, Reynolds confirmed that a thirdDeadpool film was in development and said it would go in a "completely different direction".[65] Reynolds later revealed that they were considering aroad trip film styled afterRashomon (1950) featuringHugh Jackman'sX-Men film series characterLogan / Wolverine.[66]Karan Soni, who portrayedDopinder in the first twoDeadpool films, reiterated these plans and explained that the film would have focused on Deadpool trying to save Christmas by going on a road trip to the North Pole.[67] Jackman had himself envisioned a team-up film with Reynolds inspired by48 Hrs. (1982) while attending a screening ofDeadpool in 2016, but chose to retire from the role of Wolverine afterLogan (2017).[68] In March 2019, Disney officially acquired Fox and gained the film rights to severalMarvel Comics characters for Marvel Studios, includingDeadpool and theX-Men.[69][70] The Marvel-based films that Fox had been developing were placed "on hold".[71]
Josh Brolin, who portrayedCable inDeadpool 2 andThanos in the MCU, said in June 2019 that he had discussed his future as Cable with Marvel Studios.[72] In October,Zazie Beetz said she would be surprised if she did not reprise herDeadpool 2 role ofDomino in a future film.[73] That month, Reese and Wernick said they and Reynolds were taking a "much-needed rest from Deadpool" while they waited to hear from Marvel Studios about the franchise's future. They confirmed that anotherDeadpool film would be made, that it would be R-rated like the previous films, and that it would integrate the character with the MCU. Wernick said there was never a setpitch for a thirdDeadpool film between their exhaustion followingDeadpool 2 and the announcement of Fox's acquisition by Disney. Reese said they had to "land on the right idea and once we do, I think we'll be off to the races".[74]
Development
Ryan Reynolds promoting the film at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024
Reynolds announced that he was meeting with Marvel Studios in October 2019.[75] At that time, Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feige was unsure how to integrate Deadpool, theX-Men, andmutants in general into the MCU. He described Reynolds as an "idea machine" who pitched many different approaches for the film,[76] including a low-budget road trip film with Deadpool and Dopinder that was compared toindependent films,[7] and one that included a dance number with Wolverine set toElton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues".[77] Reynolds also pitched his previous idea for aRashomon–style team-up with Wolverine that would tell one story from three different perspectives,[7][76] but was told it would not be possible to include Wolverine.[68][76] In December, Reynolds said the "whole team" was actively developing aDeadpool film at Marvel Studios.[78]
Reynolds and Marvel Studios met with potential writers throughout October 2020, includingWendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin. Their pitch aligned with Reynolds and Marvel's intentions for the film, and the pair were hired the next month. Reynolds and the studio were open to Leitch returning as director,[6] and he met with them about it, but scheduling prevented him from returning.[79] While filmingThe Adam Project (2022) with directorShawn Levy, Reynolds asked Levy about working together on the nextDeadpool film and Levy was enthusiastic about the idea.[9] In January 2021, Feige said Reynolds was supervising the writing process and his busy schedule meant filming would not begin until after 2021.[80] An idea Reynolds had in 2020 or 2021 was for an action sequence set to the song "Like a Prayer" byMadonna. It was intended to follow the death ofPiotr Rasputin / Colossus which would have motivated Deadpool after being at a low point.[81] In July, Reynolds andTaika Waititi promoted their filmFree Guy (2021), also directed by Levy, as their respective Marvel characters Deadpool andKorg in a commercial titledDeadpool and Korg React. Deadpool, who often breaks thefourth wall, discusses joining the MCU with Korg in the commercial.[82][83] The next month, Feige said filming would begin in 2022 and Marvel Studios had a release timeframe in mind.[84] In November, Beetz andRob Delaney expressed interest in returning as theirDeadpool 2 characters Domino andPeter Wisdom.[85][86] Beetz ultimately did not return.[87]
Levy was revealed to be directing the film in March 2022,[88][89] and said filming would not begin until after 2022 due to his busy schedule through the remainder of the year.[90] Reese and Wernick were hired to rewrite the screenplay,[88][89] and said they were excited to use MCU elements. They added that Disney and Marvel were supportive of Deadpool makingmeta jokes about the MCU because of the success of the previousDeadpool films.[91] In June,Raymond Chan was revealed to be the production designer after working on the Marvel Studios miniseriesThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021).[92] A month later, Feige said the film would be elevated from the first two in a similar way to other third installments of MCU film series, such asCaptain America: Civil War (2016),Thor: Ragnarok (2017), andAvengers: Infinity War (2018).[93]
Hugh Jackman promoting the film at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024. Jackman's decision to return as Wolverine from theX-Men films, reversing his plans to retire as the character, solved the creative team's issues with settling on a story.
Levy and Reynolds worked on the script with Reese, Wernick, andZeb Wells,[9] who previously worked on the Marvel Studios miniseriesShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) andMarvel Zombies (2025), and the filmThe Marvels (2023).[94][95] They all came to feel that they did not have an original story that was not derivative of the otherDeadpool films. Levy said they felt the film had to be "deserving" of being the firstDeadpool film set within the MCU, while still feeling "grounded because this is an earthbound, gritty, realistic superhero franchise". Levy and Reynolds were prepared to suggest to Feige that they could not move forward at the time because of the trouble they had landing on a story idea,[9] and executive producer Wendy Jacobson said Marvel was also struggling to settle on a core idea for the story.[76] In August 2022, Jackman reached out to Reynolds about wanting to be part of the film. Reynolds was preparing for a meeting with Feige to discuss how to proceed given their lack of story ideas, and realized that including Wolverine would solve many of the issues they were coming up against.[9][68] Jackman had a change of heart, after being content with his decision to retire as Wolverine for several years, and decided that a team-up with Reynolds "could be so much fun; I'll probably have more fun on that movie than anything I've ever done".[17][68] Feige advised Jackman not to return as he felt Wolverine's death inLogan was the "greatest ending in history" and did not want to undo that. He was convinced by the idea that Jackman would portray anew version of Wolverine from an alternate universe within themultiverse. Jackman confirmed that he wanted to return after taking a long drive to think about it.[16]
In September 2022, Reynolds announced that Jackman would return as Wolverine forDeadpool 3, which was set for release on September 6, 2024.[14] Alongside Feige andX-Men franchise producerLauren Shuler Donner,[96][97] Reynolds and Levy were producing through their respective production companiesMaximum Effort and21 Laps Entertainment.[98][99]Simon Kinberg was an executive producer after producing the previousDeadpool films.[100][101] He said the new film had been authored by Levy, Reynolds, and Feige, and they all cared deeply aboutLogan, Deadpool, and Wolverine.[102] Reynolds and Jackman said they would avoid affecting the events ofLogan through the multiverse story.[103][104] Levy said preservingLogan's legacy was top priority for the creative team,[9] and added that the legacies of Deadpool and Wolverine informed the story and themes.[7] Jackman reached out toLogan directorJames Mangold to inform him of the story and said Mangold was both enthusiastic about the idea and relieved thatLogan would not be impacted.[17] Jackman said the film may not be titledDeadpool 3,[68] with himself, Reynolds, and Levy referring to it at different times as "The Deadpool/Wolverine film",[105]Wolverine and Deadpool,[106]Deadpool Versus Wolverine,Deadpool and Wolverine, andDeadpool 3 with Wolverine.[107] The titleDeadpool & Friend, which Reynolds claimed was the official title, leaked online in February 2024. After a negative fan response, a different title was officially announced the next day:Deadpool & Wolverine.[108][109] Despite being the thirdDeadpool film, Levy did not want to call itDeadpool 3 because it is a "two-hander character adventure" that focuses on both characters.[110] Reynolds said it was still aDeadpool film in terms of tone, with violence, swearing, and "meta mayhem". He called it "the most Deadpool movie in the history of Deadpool".[111]
Pre-production
Pre-production work began by October 2022,[112] less than two months after Jackman decided to join. Jacobson said this was one of the fastest turnarounds she had seen for a big production.[76] The release date was pushed back to November 8, 2024, to accommodate other MCU film delays.[113] In December, Levy said filming was set to begin in May 2023.[114] Reynolds lobbied Marvel Studios to film in Vancouver, where he is from and the previousDeadpool films were made, but conceded that "they have their [established] infrastructure, and you just have to sort of fall in line".[115] Filming was set to take place inLondon by February 2023.[116]
Levy said developing the film was one of the most fun creative experiences of his career, citing its self-awareness, violence, and foul language.[114] He did not want to alter the franchise's DNA and called the new film "raw, audacious, [and] very much R-rated", comparing it to thebuddy comedy films48 Hrs.,Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), andMidnight Run (1988).[123] Soni said it was "taking full advantage of the MCU" and would feature jokes about Feige.[124] Levy said there was one line that Disney asked to be changed,[125] which was revealed when a version of the script was published in anticipation ofawards season: "Disney is so cheap. I can barely breathe with all thisMickey Mouse cock in my throat" was changed to "Fuck,now Disney gets cheap? It's likePinocchio jammed his face in my ass and started lying like crazy."[126]
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool (left) and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (right) during filming. Reynolds's costume was updated from the previousDeadpool films, while Jackman wore a comic-accurate Wolverine costume for the first time.
Graham Churchyard andMayes C. Rubeo were the costume designers, both returning from previous MCU films.[127][128] Jackman wears a yellow and blue costume similar to Wolverine's costumes fromX-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) and the comic books,[129][130] specificallyAstonishing X-Men volume 3 (2004–2013) drawn byJohn Cassaday;[131] it also features elements of the character's 1970s design byJohn Romita Sr. andDave Cockrum and the 1990s design byJim Lee.[132] Jackman did not wear a comics-accurate costume in theX-Men film series, though it was referenced inX-Men (2000) and adeleted scene fromThe Wolverine (2013).[129] The film was therefore an opportunity to see Jackman in a comics-accurate costume for the first time,[16] and Levy felt this could be the last chance for Jackman to wear such a costume. They went through several iterations and fittings to get the suit right.[133] Jackman said putting the suit on "looked so right [and] felt so right" and he questioned why he had not worn such a costume in his previous films.[16] An early reveal of the costume was met with positive reactions online,[134][135][136] and led some commentators to determine that Jackman was portraying a different iteration of the character from the one he portrayed in theX-Men films.[135][137] Reynolds also has an updated costume from the previousDeadpool films,[130] featuring a brighter shade of red and larger black circles on his mask. This is reminiscent of the character's comic book design from the 1990s.[138] Levy was pleased with the "overwhelmingly positive" response to the suit designs.[133]
Filming
Principal photography began on May 22, 2023, taking place in London and atPinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England,[139][140][141] under theworking titleTidal Wave.[142]George Richmond served as the cinematographer after working with Levy and Reynolds onFree Guy,[143] while George Cottle was the supervising stunt coordinator and second unit director.[144] Levy worked with Marvel Studios and the producers of theNetflix seriesStranger Things (2016–present), on which he was an executive producer, so their schedules would allow him to direct episodes of that series'final season since filming for the two projects was expected to overlap.[145][146] The production was not expected to be impacted by the2023 Writers Guild of America strike that began in early May, outside of Reynolds being unable to contribute to the script during filming as he had done for the previous films. Marvel Studios was reportedly planning to shoot what they could during principal photography and make any necessary writing adjustments during already scheduledreshoots.[147] Location filming was prioritized over soundstages where possible, because the filmmakers felt this gave the film a more grounded feeling.[123][133][148] In mid-June, the release date was moved forward to May 3, 2024.[149]
Filming for a car crash took place in London in early July 2023.[150] Reynolds and Jackman filmed scenes inNorfolk soon after.[151] Production was suspended on July 14 because of the2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[152] 35 days of filming were completed before the shutdown, with another 35 days left.[123][153] Baccarin completed all of her scenes prior to the strike.[154] Filming was set to resume following the conclusion of thedual Hollywood strikes,[123] and Disney paid to keep the sets intact during the hiatus.[155] Levy and Reynolds began work on the editing and visual effects,[156][155] though they had not prioritized filming major visual effects sequences before the strike.[153] Levy compared one of the filmed sequences to thelightsaber duel betweenLuke Skywalker andDarth Vader inReturn of the Jedi (1983), and had asked the stunt team to look to that scene's blocking, tempo, andframing.[157] Cottle was allowed to give input on the editing and direction.[144] Another key action sequence is the one that Reynolds wanted to be set to Madonna's "Like a Prayer", which had evolved to include Wolverine alongside Deadpool.[81] Reynolds and Levy met with the singer to ask for permission to use the song, which she gave along with a suggestion that it be combined with agospel choir for the film.[158]
The film, along with others that were mid-way through production at the start of the strikes, was said to be a top priority for the studios to resume production following the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike.[159] In October 2023, Levy questioned if the film would make its May 2024 release date given the strike was still ongoing at the time,[156] shortly before it was reported that it was likely to be delayed even if filming resumed by the start of 2024.[160] After the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike on November 9, filming was expected to resume in London within the following two weeks, beforeThanksgiving.[155][161] Reynolds announced that the characterDogpool would appear,[162] played bydog actorPeggy,[163] and the release date was pushed back to July 26, 2024.[164] Filming resumed by November 23.[165] Levy said his time editing and reviewing footage during the strikes allowed him to gain a better understanding of the film, and he was able to return to work feeling focused and not rushed.[166] Reynolds'sWrexham A.F.C. co-chairmanRob McElhenney visited the set to film acameo appearance as a TVA agent and discuss the football club. His visit was captured by theWelcome to Wrexham (2022–present) documentary series,[167][168] though his scene was ultimately cut from the film.[169] At the end of December,Bona Film Group signed a deal withTSG Entertainment to invest in a slate of films, including theDeadpool franchise;[170] TSG Entertainment and20th Century Studios both receive "in association with" credits on the film.[171][172]: 3 Principal photography, which also took place atBovingdon Film Studios,[173]wrapped on January 24.[174] One day of filming then took place in Los Angeles to filmJon Favreau's appearance asHappy Hogan, reprising his role from previous MCU films, and to film the opening dance sequence with choreographer Nick Pauley.[81] AUnited States Copyright Office filing for the film indicated that some filming occurred in Vancouver as well.[175]
During filming,Jennifer Garner was reported to be appearing asElektra Natchios after portraying a version of that character in the Fox-produced filmDaredevil (2003) and its spin-offElektra (2005).[40] Garner initially denied her involvement.[176] Set photos revealed that other characters from previous Marvel films, includingSabretooth andToad, would also be appearing,[177][178] along with a large 20th Century Fox logo set piece.[148]Variety reported that the film was taking a similar approach to characters from prior Fox-produced Marvel films as the MCU filmSpider-Man: No Way Home (2021), which features multiple characters frompastSpider-Man films coming together.[179] Levy acknowledged some of the casting rumors surrounding the film, including suggestions thatTaylor Swift would be making a cameo appearance asDazzler, but would not confirm which rumors were true;[133][156] Swift does not appear,[180][181] and Levy later said there were never any plans for her to appear.[182] Regarding the characters that do appear—includingAaron Stanford reprising his role asJohn Allerdyce / Pyro from the filmsX2 (2003) andX-Men: The Last Stand (2006)—Levy said they were added as the story developed and were not forced into the film based on a wishlist of cameos.[22] Commenting on the set photo leaks, Reynolds said they created a difficult situation for the production and he hoped websites would stop publishing unfinished, out-of-context leaked images.[148] He noted that the franchise is associated with leaks since the firstDeadpool film was only able to be made followinga leak of its original test footage.[183] Levy said the presence of paparazzi on set was a "price we're comfortable paying" in exchange for filming on location.[184]
Post-production
The film's copyright filing in February 2024 confirmed Garner's role and revealed Corrin to be playingCassandra Nova, the twin sister of Charles Xavier.[175] The writers initially chose the comic book characterMephisto, whose introduction to the MCU had been the subject of fan speculation, as the main antagonist. This changed when Jackman suggested using Cassandra due to Wolverine's relationship with Xavier.[185] A series of trailers were released in the following months, revealing more character details: Macfadyen as TVA agentMr. Paradox;[186] Randal Reeder andLewis Tan reprising their respective roles as Buck andRusty / Shatterstar from the previousDeadpool films;[187][188] the return of Stanford as Pyro andTyler Mane as Sabretooth from theX-Men films;[33][38] and the inclusion of the creatureAlioth fromLoki.[15]Vinnie Jones andJason Flemyng were asked to reprise their respectiveX-Men film roles ofCain Marko / Juggernaut andAzazel, but deals could not be agreed upon.[189][190]Terry Crews had talks about returning asBedlam fromDeadpool 2, but these did not go anywhere.[191]
Dean Zimmerman, a frequent collaborator with Levy, edited the film withShane Reid.[192] Levy said they were busy finishing it at the end of April 2024.[166] Early screenings took place by then,[193] with high test scores being given to both Deadpool and Wolverine as well as their chemistry.[192] The ending originally immediately revealed that Deadpool and Wolverine had survived their ordeal, until Reynolds's wifeBlake Lively suggested their fate be left unknown for a moment to add suspense. The updated scene, including Pardox's impassioned speech about the heroes' seeming sacrifice, was filmed during a day-and-a-half of reshoots. Levy said Lively's suggestion made the ending "so much more satisfying".[194] Lively and some of her and Reynolds's children have voice cameos as variants of Deadpool, which Levy attributed to them being available for recording.[182]The Adam Project co-starWalker Scobell was originally set to voice the variantKidpool, but during production his voice changed too much due to puberty and he was replaced by Reynolds's daughter Inez,[195] with Scobell instead voicing an unseen Deadpool variant who yells "Go back to Canada, asshole" in a scene that was cut from the film.[196][197] Reynolds originally provided the voice for the variantCowboypool beforeMatthew McConaughey agreed to voice the character.[198] Jokes about the cast were cleared with them before inclusion, including a scripted joke about Garner's divorce withBen Affleck and an improvised joke about Jackman's divorce.[182] Post-production was completed on June 19.[199] Despite the multiverse story and connections to other projects, Levy did not expect audiences to do homework before watching the film and intended for it to be an entertaining experience on its own.[166] Reynolds said they did not want to just set-up future projects and Marvel never pressured them into doing so, only asking them to make "one really satisfying self-contained story".[81]
In July, Favreau andWunmi Mosaku were revealed to be reprising their MCU roles as Happy Hogan and the TVA'sHunter B-15.[5][41] The writers planned to haveRobert Downey, Jr. reprise his MCU role asTony Stark / Iron Man alongside Favreau, but he turned them down after reading the scene. Reese and Wernick said this was the only time an actor turned down a role in the film.[200] Also in July, a final trailer revealed thatDafne Keen was returning asLaura / X-23 fromLogan. Before this, Keen had denied her involvement in the film while promoting theStar Wars seriesThe Acolyte (2024).[39] Marvel chose to reveal her role in the trailer after Keen asked to attend the premiere.[201] Keen enjoyed keeping her role a secret, taking inspiration fromAndrew Garfield's denials about appearing asPeter Parker / Spider-Man inNo Way Home before that film's release.[39]
Actors reprising their roles from earlier Marvel films include Aaron Stanford as Pyro, Dafne Keen as Laura, Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Wesley Snipes as Blade, and Chris Evans as Johnny Storm. Channing Tatum appears as Gambit, the character he was attached to play in an unproduced film.
A tribute to Fox's Marvel films is shown during the credits ofDeadpool & Wolverine, celebrating and farewelling those films.[202] Levy said key themes in the film were legacy and characters' endings,[182] which led to a "who's who of discarded Marvel characters" being included:[202] Garner as Elektra,Wesley Snipes asEric Brooks / Blade fromNew Line Cinema'sBlade film trilogy (1998–2004),Chris Evans asJohnny Storm / Human Torch from Fox'sFantastic Four (2005) andFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), andChanning Tatum asRemy LeBeau / Gambit, who he was attached to star as inan unproducedGambit film for Fox.[23] The filmmakers felt Snipes did not get an appropriate ending as Blade. Snipes was surprised to be contacted, believing he would not play the character again after Marvel castMahershala Ali asBlade for the MCU. He and Reynolds had not kept in contact since they starred together inBlade: Trinity (2004) and Snipes struggled with Reynolds's humor on that film. Snipes said he finally understood Reynolds's approach within the context ofDeadpool & Wolverine which made it an enjoyable experience.[203][182] A new costume was designed because Marvel was legally unable to use the character's signature black leather coat from New Line's films.[204] Evans quickly agreed to reprise his role due to Reynolds's involvement and humor.[205] Evans portrayedSteve Rogers / Captain America in the MCU from 2011 to 2019, and his introduction in the film plays into this by leading the audience to believe that he is reprising his role as Rogers before revealing him to be Johnny instead.[200] Evans's costume includes elements of his Captain America and Human Torch suits from previous films.[204] For Evans's expletive-filled monologue in thepost-credits scene, Reynolds offered to usecue cards but Evans was excited to memorize the dialogue.[206] Levy was one of the directors Tatum approached for his unrealizedGambit film and knew it would be "deeply gratifying" for the actor to play Gambit in this film.[182] Tatum was appreciative of efforts to include him after believing he would never have the chance to portray the character.[207] A scene was shot showing Tatum's Gambit surviving the events of the film. It can be seen on the TVA monitors in the background of the post-credits scene, and Reynolds released a version of it online as a tease for the character's potential return.[208][209]
Swen Gillberg was the visual effects supervisor, with effects provided byIndustrial Light & Magic (ILM),Framestore,Base FX, Barnstorm VFX, Raynault VFX,Rising Sun Pictures, andWētā FX.[212] Framestore joined during pre-production to work onprevisualization, and went on to deliver 420 final shots. The company worked on: the fight with anarmy of Deadpool variants, which is made to look like asingle shot, including environment work and crowd duplication; the final confrontation with Cassandra and the Time Ripper machine, using the same "spaghettification" effect Framestore developed for thesecond season ofLoki (2023); and shots of Dogpool, including giving Peggy digital goggles that create agoogly eyes look.[213][214] ILM worked on 614 shots, primarily for scenes in theVoid. Because of the filming hiatus, some scenes were filmed in Summer and others in Winter; visual effects were used to help create a consistent Winter look. The set for Cassandra's arena was extended to be made from a giantAnt-Man corpse. For Johnny's death, in which Cassandra magically pulls off his skin and his body parts collapse, ILM looked atBodies: The Exhibition as part of their research. The company added a comedic moment of Johnny blinking before he collapses, to make the death more "cartoony".[215][216] Framestore and ILM both worked on Cassandra's powers, which involve her hands moving through other characters' faces. Gillberg was inspired for this by comic book art. Corrin was filmed hiding their arm so it could be replaced with a digital arm that interacts with adigital double of the other actor.[217] Wētā returned from the first twoDeadpool films to provide facial animation for Deadpool's mask, again using a 2D effect to morph the mask. Reynolds provided reference footage for this, and a newmachine learning tool was developed to suggest facial movements based on his dialogue. During production, Wētā's work expanded to around 630 shots, including animation for Wolverine's mask; augmenting the environment and Wolverine's skeleton for the opening sequence; shots of the TVA and their technology, based on the effects seen inLoki; and environment work for other parts of the Void.[218][219][220] Blood and gore was added digitally.[214][216]Method Studios, returning from their work onDeadpool 2's opening sequence, worked with the other vendors to planDeadpool & Wolverine's opening sequence and add the title cards.[221]
Rob Simonsen was hired to compose the score by mid-July 2023. He previously worked with Levy onThe Adam Project and thefourth season ofStranger Things.[222] A soundtrack album for the film was released digitally byHollywood Records on July 24, 2024, with a physical release on July 26. It includes 17 songs featured in, or inspired by, the film along with "LFG" which is Simonsen's main theme forDeadpool & Wolverine.[223][224] An album featuring Simonsen's score was released digitally on July 24 with a regular version and a deluxe edition, the latter also including the songs from the soundtrack album.[223] AnEP, titledDeadpool & Wolverine: Madonna's "Like a Prayer" EP, featuring "Like a Prayer" by Madonna as well as remixed versions of the song featured in the film, was released byWarner Records on August 9.[225]
Marketing
A teaser trailer was released duringSuper Bowl LVIII in February 2024. Nick Romano fromEntertainment Weekly said it confirmed the film's R rating and the fact that Deadpool would be "infiltrating" the MCU.[109] Austin Goslin ofPolygon also highlighted the use of MCU elements and questioned whether Reynolds was playing the same version of Deadpool as he did in the previous films.[33]Wired's Angela Wattercutter noted a sexually explicitpegging joke, a first for the MCU, and speculated about queer themes that the film could explore further than previous MCU projects.[226] The trailer's inclusion of theSecret Wars (2015) #5 comic book issue was also discussed, given that Marvel Studios had announced the filmAvengers: Secret Wars (2027).[227][228][229] Shortly after the trailer's premiere, Jackman posted a tongue-in-cheek jab at Reynolds with a modified logo displaying "Wolverine & Asshole".[230] The trailer had 365 million global views in its first 24 hours, including the 123 million Super Bowl viewers who saw a 30-second version, surpassingNo Way Home's record (355.5 million views) to become the most-viewed trailer in that time period.[97][231] Reynolds and Jackman were presented withGuinness World Records certificates commemorating the achievement during an interview onITV'sThis Morning.[232]
Director Shawn Levy at CinemaCon in April 2024, where he promoted the film
A "silence your phones"public service announcement (PSA) with Deadpool and Wolverine opened Disney's presentation atCinemaCon in April 2024, during which Feige and Levy debuted nine minutes of footage from the film.The Hollywood Reporter said this "drew the biggest laughter" of all the presentations.[233] It included repurposedThor: The Dark World (2013) footage ofChris Hemsworth asThor, who is mourning the supposed death of Deadpool rather thanLoki as in that film.[53][54] The PSA was later released publicly.[234] An official trailer set to "Like a Prayer" by Madonna debuted on April 22.[235] Another trailer, released on May 20, announced ticket pre-sales. It included aQR code that led to a video of Reynolds reading a disclaimer for the film.[236] At the end of May, a special popcorn bucket for the theatrical release was revealed,[237] after Feige had said it would be "intentionally crude and lewd". This was inspired by theviral popcorn bucket forDune: Part Two (2024).[238] The bucket is shaped like Wolverine's head with a "comically oversized" mouth for the popcorn or other snacks. A video reveal, set to the "Also sprach Zarathustra" fanfare which was famously used in2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), shows Deadpool caressing the bucket as popcorn falls into its mouth and butter drips down its nose.[237]
A teaser released in early June revealed that the characterLadypool would appear, prompting speculation about who played the role,[239] subsequently revealed to be Lively.[44] Later that month, Reynolds appeared as Deadpool in a "typically irreverent video" atCineEurope to introduce 12 minutes of footage from the film.[240] The cast went on a global marketing tour starting in early July, stopping at:Shanghai, where Reynolds, Jackman, and Levy attended a fan event to screen 35 minutes of the film;[241][242][243]Seoul, where the actors appeared at the 2024Waterbomb festival;[244]Berlin, where the trio were joined by Corrin and attended theUEFA Euro 2024 quarterfinals match between Netherlands and Turkey;[242][245][246] London, where the four actors and Levy were joined by Delaney, dog actor Peggy, and executive producers Louis D'Esposito and Wendy Jacobson;[247][248] andRio de Janeiro, where they visitedMaracanã Stadium.[249] Coinciding with the London visit, United Kingdom music and entertainment retailerHMV temporarily altered their logo at one of their stores to feature Dogpool instead of the dogNipper.[248]
Deadpool and Wolverine appeared in an ad forThe Bachelorette on July 8 during theseason 21 premiere, to entice theBachelor Nation audience (the 18–49 female demographic) to see the film. The ad was from Maximum Effort, Loon Productions, and Really Original, and was directed by Oren Brimer. Reynolds also discussed the premiere episode on social media.[250] On July 19, Deadpool and Wolverine appeared in a music video for the single "Chk Chk Boom" by South Korean boy bandStray Kids, whose song "Slash" is on the soundtrack.[251] For theFormula One2024 Belgian Grand Prix, theAlpine F1 Team—of which Reynolds is an investor—revealed Deadpool and Wolverine livery on July 24, which they raced in to promote the film.[252] On July 25, Reynolds, Jackman, Levy, Corrin, and Feige screened the film atSan Diego Comic-Con. This included a video introduction from Uggams as Blind Al, and concluded with Reynolds bringing out the major cameo actors: Keen, Garner, Evans, Tatum, and Snipes. Following the panel, a drone show was held atPetco Park that included images of Deadpool and Wolverine.[253] The July 25 episode of the television game showPress Your Luck featured Deadpool and Wolverine taking over the Whammy, the show's mascot.[254] The week after the film's release,NSYNC altered the title for the official music video of their song "Bye Bye Bye" to say "*NSYNC – Bye Bye Bye (Official Video fromDeadpool and Wolverine)" after the song's use in the opening credits boosted its popularity.[255]
Deadpool & Wolverine premiered at theDavid H. Koch Theater in New York City on July 22, 2024.[278] It was released in France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Japan on July 24; in Spain, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Australia on July 25;[279] and in the United States and China on July 26,[164][280] inIMAX,RealD 3D,Dolby Cinema,4DX,Cinemark XD, and otherpremium large formats (PLFs).[101] The film was originally announced with a release date of September 6, 2024,[14] before it was pushed back to November 8 to accommodate other MCU film delays.[113] Its release was then moved forward to May 3 of that year when Disney adjusted its release calendar due to the WGA strike,[149] before settling on the July 2024 date after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended.[164] The film is part ofPhase Five of the MCU.[149] TheMotion Picture Association gave it an R rating, a first for the MCU.[281] In August, Levy said there would not be adirector's cut because the theatrical version was exactly the film he wanted to make. Reynolds said he previously discussed a director's cut with Levy, who refused.[282]
Home media
The film was released fordigital download on October 1, 2024, and onUltra HD Blu-ray,Blu-ray, andDVD on October 22. The home media releases include deleted scenes, a gag reel, commentary by Levy and Reynolds, and featurettes focused on the "Like a Prayer" fight scene, the major cameos, Jackman's return as Wolverine, and a tribute to production designer Ray Chan following his death in April 2024.[283]Deadpool & Wolverine had the biggest first week on U.S. digital platforms for an R-rated film, surpassing previous record holderJohn Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).[284]Deadpool & Wolverine was released onDisney+ on November 12.[285] Disney said it had 19.4 million global views in its first six days on the platform, making it the most-watched live-action film on Disney+ since the release ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever in early 2023.[286]Nielsen Media Research, which records streaming viewership on U.S. television screens, said it was the most-streamed film in its first two weeks on Disney+ with 1.34 billion minutes in its first week and 586 million minutes in its second.[287][288]
Reception
Box office
Deadpool & Wolverine grossed $636.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $701.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $1.338 billion.[3][4] The film surpassedJoker (2019) to become the highest grossing R-rated film of all time, doing so in 23 days of release.[289] It also became thefifth-highest grossing MCU film and the20th-highest-grossing film of all time during its release.[284][290]Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $400million, the third-highest for a 2024 film, accounting for the $200 million production budget, marketing costs, and other expenses against box office grosses, television and streaming, and home media revenues.[291]
Fandango said ticket pre-sales for the film were the site's best for 2024 and any R-rated film, whileAMC Theatres said 200,000 people bought first-day tickets which was the most sales for any R-rated film at the theater chain. Pamela McClintock ofThe Hollywood Reporter predicted the film would debut to more than $100 million, something no 2024 film release had done by late May.[292] Tracking services projected it would open between $160–165 million in the U.S. and Canada,[241] and between $340–360 million worldwide. The latter took into consideration substantial walk-up business observed from Latino and Hispanic moviegoers for recent films.[279]
On opening day in the U.S. and Canada,Deadpool & Wolverine made $96 million including $38.5 million from Thursday night previews. Both amounts were records for an R-rated film.[293][294] The film exceeded predictions for its opening weekend, grossing $211.4 million in the U.S. and Canada and $444.6 million worldwide. That gave it the biggest opening of an R-rated film ever and the biggest opening of 2024, and was also the sixth-biggest opening ever for the U.S. and Canada.[293][295] The film recovered its reported budget in just two days.[296] After three days of release, it became the highest-grossing R-rated Disney film, surpassing the studio's previous record which was set byPretty Woman in 1990.[293] During the following week, it set the record for an R-rated film on a Monday with $24.4 million,[256] on a Tuesday with $25.3 million,[297] on a Wednesday with $19.3 million,[298] and on a non-preview Thursday with $18 million.[299] The film remained in first place for the U.S. and Canada in its second weekend with $97 million.[300] It crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide in its third weekend, becoming the second film to do so in 2024.[301] Also during the third weekend, Reynolds'sDeadpool & Wolverine and Lively'sIt Ends With Us occupied the number one and two spots at the box office, a feat that had not been accomplished for a married Hollywood couple sinceBruce Willis'sDie Hard 2 andDemi Moore'sGhost in 1990.[302] The film was surpassed at the U.S. and Canada box office in its fourth weekend by newcomerAlien: Romulus,[303] but returned to the number one spot for its fifth and sixth weekends.[304][305] It remained in the U.S. and Canada top ten through eleven weeks, ending its run as thesecond-highest-grossing film of 2024 behindInside Out 2,[284] and 20th-highest-grossing film worldwide. Its highest grossing territories outside the U.S. and Canada were the United Kingdom ($73.8M), China ($59.7M), Australia ($44.5M), Mexico ($43.5M), and Germany ($40.7M).[306]
Critical response
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman promoting the film at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024. Both actors received positive reviews for their performances in the film.
Critics praised the performances of Reynolds and Jackman as well as the humor, but were less positive about the film overall.[307] On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, 78% of 414 critics gave it a positive review and an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Ryan Reynolds makes himself at home in the MCU with acerbic wit while Hugh Jackman provides an Adamantium backbone to proceedings inDeadpool & Wolverine, an irreverent romp with a surprising soft spot for a bygone era of superhero movies."[308]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned a score of 56 out of 100 based on 58 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[309] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave it an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, the same as the previousDeadpool films. Those surveyed byPostTrak gave it a 96% positive score and 85% said they would definitely recommend it.[293]
Deadline Hollywood's Pete Hammond said the titular team-up "worksbeyond your wildest screen-team dreams" and felt Jackman gave his best performance as Wolverine in the film.[310] Olly Richards atEmpire also praised Jackman's performance, saying he elevated the material in key moments and "in a film with a million dick jokes, he manages to deliver a character arc that's genuinely moving". Richards was positive about the focus on the title characters and the audience's immediate experience over wider MCU set-up.[311] Reviewing the film forRogerEbert.com,Matt Zoller Seitz gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four. He said Jackman and Reynolds both gave moving performances as "broken, abandoned men", and he especially cared about their characters during the climactic "pathos firehose".[312] Ross Bonaime atCollider said Deadpool was able to live up to his full potential with his integration into the MCU, while Jackman was able to be even more brutal than in previous films as Wolverine.[313] At theAssociated Press, Krysta Fauria found thehomoerotic yet hate-filled central relationship to be enticing and compelling.[314]San Francisco Chronicle criticMick LaSalle commended the contrast between Jackman's serious performance and Reynolds's humor.[315]
Dominic Baez atThe Seattle Times said the film was "pure, unadulterated fun" and a love letter to Marvel fans.[316]CNN's Brian Lowry said it showcased Marvel Studios's willingness to partake in self-deprecation,[317] whileThe Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney said the meta jokes were "dialed up to radioactive levels". He felt the humor was the "sturdiest" part of the film.[318] Fauria said the increased focus on self-aware genre criticism made the film an improvement over its predecessors.[314]The Guardian criticPeter Bradshaw said Reynolds was "often funny, sometimes very funny, periodically entirely unbearable" and had lived up to Deadpool's self-claimed title of "Marvel Jesus" by "repositioning [the MCU] as gag material and keep[ing] the whole thing ticking over".[319] Nick Schager ofThe Daily Beast praised the film as "the shot in the arm—and kick to the nuts—that's urgently needed" in the MCU, and was impressed with how the R-rated Deadpool had been integrated with the PG-13 franchise.[320] Writing forVanity Fair,Richard Lawson similarly felt it "somehow kind of works", despite the humor focusing on entertainment industry details.[321] Katie Walsh at theLos Angeles Times disagreed with this point, saying the "quips, references, fourth-wall breaking, celebrity gossip, Hollywood inside baseball, jabs at other film studios, [and] ironically retro needle drops" were only for fans and the "terminally online".[322] Tom Jorgensen ofIGN found it to be hilarious and highlighted the jokes related to the MCU and Feige, but felt there were some "pulled punches" compared to some of the "heinous on-screen acts" in the previous films.[323] In contrast, Donald Clarke forThe Irish Times was critical of the juvenile humor and scored the film just one star out of five.[324]
Writing forVariety, Peter Debruge said the film was an "irreverent send-off" to Fox's Marvel films that worked better as an homage to the past than as a model for future films. He said Levy was stronger at comedy than action, with the latter not holding up to Leitch's work onDeadpool 2.[171]Caryn James at theBBC andJustin Chang ofNPR also criticized Levy's work on the action sequences.[325][326] Chang described it as a "self-cannibalizing slog" with a derivative storyline, and said it was undermining its satire of the MCU by being an MCU film itself.[326] Alissa Wilkinson atThe New York Times had similar thoughts about the film making jokes about Disney, who the audience pays to watch the film.[327]Jordan Hoffman ofEntertainment Weekly scored it a "C-" and called it "too repetitive, too immature, and too irritating to enjoy" with no stakes or drama.[328]Chicago Sun-Times columnistRichard Roeper, who gave a more positive review with three stars out of four, highlighted the lead performances but criticized the paper-thin plot and obligatory villains.[329] Rooney described the plot as "a lumpy stew of familiar elements, given minimal narrative clarity" despite a large amount of exposition, and found the overall film to be "messy and overstuffed" even though he thought it would be a crowd pleaser.[318] ForVulture,Bilge Ebiri wrote: "Deadpool & Wolverine isn't a particularly good movie—I'm not even sure it is a movie—but it's so determined to beat you down with its incessant irreverence that you might find yourself submitting to it."[330]
With the film's release, Reynolds said he was unsure when he would next portray Deadpool.[81] Discussing theflashforward that Deadpool sees in the film, in which a dying Deadpool is held by a crying Thor, Reese said it may be ignored moving forward but he expected that the MCU would consider it canonical and work towards that scene appearing in full during a future project.[200] In November 2024, Feige said the studio was looking for ways to include Deadpool and Wolverine in future MCU projects.[356] The next month, Reynolds said he had some ideas for the character's future. He was interested in Deadpool appearing alongside theAvengers or the X-Men, but he did not want the character to join either of those teams because that would be "the end of his journey". He felt Deadpool worked well in a supporting or ensemble role and wanted to keep the character paired with Wolverine for future appearances. Reynolds was reluctant to feature Deadpool as the lead character of a film again, saying that "works best if you take everything away from him and put his back against the wall. I can't really do that again. A fourth time feels a little iterative and redundant."[357] In April 2025, Reynolds said he was writing an ensemble project,[358] which was revealed the following month to be various script treatments for an ensemble film centered on three or four X-Men characters alongside Deadpool.The Hollywood Reporter reported that Reynolds was working independently of Marvel Studios to figure out the film's concept before taking his ideas to them.[359] In July 2025, Tatiana Siegel ofVariety reported that Marvel Studios executives did not feel a sense of urgency in making a fourthDeadpool film amidst a wider "pullback" of the superhero genre.[360]
^Ugwu, Reggie (July 25, 2024)."'Deadpool & Wolverine' Reviews Are In: Amusing or Exhausting?".The New York Times.Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. RetrievedJuly 26, 2024.Most critics have found something to like inDeadpool & Wolverine... They say it has a superpowered jokes-per-minute ratio and two winning performances from its lead actors. But many reviewers had a mixed-to-negative assessment of the movie overall, calling it difficult to follow, lacking in real tension or stakes and overly reliant on self-referential story lines.
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