Spoilers ahead for Deadpool & Wolverine!
Summary
As soon as Wolverine was confirmed to join Deadpool’s third solo outing, fans braced themselves for some Multiverse wrangling. Wolverine’s inclusion played major fan service, but it’s not like the Merc with a Mouth could leave it there.Deadpool & Wolverineis an archly-meta fusion of the old Fox X-Universe and the MCU. It pays tribute to comic books and films that have led up to it, but it also has a few things to say about the state of theMCU. It’s not pretty.
Marvel Studios headKevin Feige has said Mutants start in the MCUwithDeadpool & Wolverine. However, it’s not the first time mutants have appeared in the MCU, nor does it give much of a hint of how the prized superteam, the X-Men, will make their full appearance. While the thirdDeadpoolfilm has a lot of violent fun with the Multiverse Saga, it also has much to say about the damage it has done to the MCU’s stock.
Taking On The Nostalgia Of The MCU
Only Deadpool has the fourth-wall-breaking concept, box office legs, and timing to jump from the old Fox X-Universe into the MCU, dragging along his adamantium-lined frenemy. Given the Merc’s previous movies and comic book background, it’s no surprise that the multiverse became a crucial plot point. Fans expecting a host of callbacks to earlier films and characters, with fan-casting and a running commentary, won’t be disappointed. But the Multiverse has long been at risk of collapsing under nostalgia, and Deadpool knows it.
It’s hard to remember when the MCU wasn’t constantly playing multiverse tricks, but it hasn’t been that long. After the misdirection ofSpider-Man: Far From Home, 2021’sSpider-Man: No Way Homeachieved the seemingly impossible by bringing back two former screen Spider-Men. That was quickly followed byDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which ran through multiple universes and served up unexpected variants like John Krasinski’s Reed Richards and the return of Anson Mount’s Blackbolt and Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier.
Fans have seen characters like America Chavez and Scarlet Witch coast through multiple universes, but it was always going to be Deadpool who took it one step further. In fact, he even went one further than that.
Deadpool & Wolverineis with in-jokes and callbacks. Among many references are Wolverine’s first fight with Hulk, the cameo of a fan-cast Wolverine, Old Man Logan, and even an adorably comic-accurate Wolvie. At full pelt, Deadpool piles on the cameos in the Void — the neat narrative device inherited from Loki where characters from old films are banished, or more correctly, pruned. Chris Evans' Johnny Storm, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Dafne Keen’s X-23, and Wesley Snipes’ Blade appear alongside a real oddity: Channing Tatum’s announced but never previously filmed Gambit. But, in the third act, Deadpool takes it further: a massive fight with himself.
In the final massive blood-soaked set-piece, Deadpool and Wolverine take on an army of Deadpool variants — the Deadpool Corps. Included are many familiar masks from the comics, including Ladypool, Headpool, and Kidpool. The MCU has previously served up Doctor Strange versus (Sinister) Dr Strange, but it’s hard to imagine another character who could bring hundreds of variants to the table, let alone savage them. It’s also hard to imagine the Multiverse beating that scene, and it looks like Marvel Studios knows it won’t be able to for a while.
Why the MCU Needs To Get Over The Nostalgic Side of The Multiverse
In the wake ofDeadpool & Wolverine, it looks like the end of the Multiverse as fans know it, at least for a while. When Deadpool tells Wolverine early on, “You’re joining at a bit of a low point,” it’s a reminder that the MCU has slipped from its former box office domination over Phases 4 and 5. As the jokes pile on with every cameo, the link is drawn to the weight of nostalgia built up over the past few years.
Deadpool & Wolverinecameos, like Henry Cavill’s variant Wolverine, are fan-pleasing and knowing nods to the cultural discussion that surrounds the shared universe — something Deadpool is happy to comment on. But they are better as cinema moments than storytelling aids. The same was true of the Earth-838 Illuminati’s appearance and dispatch inDoctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
Introducing and reintroducing characters as the equivalent ofStar TrekRed Shirts make these moments disposable — and that limits the emotional wallop that was an essential part of the Infinity Saga.
The cameos may be talking points, but they also mean films that don’t include face even more of a struggle to make a mark, likeBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. The overall effect is hollow, especially as thebuilding threat of Kang was cut off. Deadpool, his Desert Eagles, and his blades acknowledge this.
Deadpool Kills the Multiverse Saga?
Deadpool & Wolverinemay be dominating the box office and reassuring the MCU’s fans, but it’s not powerful enough to finish off the Multiverse Saga. It’s telling that the movie leaves the Fox X-Universe intact come the end. However, as the constant jokes and fan service ram home, it has earned the chance for a much-needed rest and reset.
The final films of Phase 5,Captain America: Brave New WorldandThunderbolts*,look set to return the Saga to intrigue, thrills, and Earth-616 action. When the Multiverse roars back, it’s likely to be with the Fantastic Four. Recently revealed footage ofThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsreveals a glorious 1960s origin for Marvel’s first family. The four, as explorers in other realities, are ready-made for a reset multiverse, as Phase 6 propels them towardsAvengers: Doomsday.
As confirmed at SDCC 2024, the return of Robert Downey Jr as Victor Von Doom is likely to be the cherry on the multiversal cake. The final film of the Multiverse Saga,Avengers: Secret Wars, is poised to draw on its comic book inspiration with a cast list that now has Deadpool versus the Deadpool Corps in its sights.
In one way, by turning a mirror on the multiverse and highlighting it as a joke,Deadpool & Wolverinehas killed the nostalgia that has held up the MCU. Now, the signs are strong that the Multiverse Saga can start to hit the highs of the Infinity Saga.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Cast
Deadpool & Wolverine marks Ryan Reynolds’s take on the Merc with a Mouth’s entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Together, the two embark on a universe-hopping, R-rated adventure that’s sure to change the MCU forever.
