As far as franchise building is concerned, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has long tried to have its cake and eat it too: the movies in the continuity are all connected to each other via cameos, references, and efforts to construct macro narratives – but each chapter is also sold as its own individual story that operates independently of everything else in the canon. We've seen this kind of commentary pop up about every project in the MCU since The Avengers in 2012 (at the very latest)... but I'm finding myself particularly incredulous about the rhetoric as it has been applied to the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine.
Director Shawn Levy applied the "No Research Required" stamp to the upcoming movie in a recent interview with the Associated Press. The filmmaker says that he is not big on movies that require an audience member to have seen other movies and that newcomers to world of comic book blockbusters will be entertained. Said Levy,
I was a good student in school. I’ll do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies... I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn’t want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.
It's not hard to see what Shawn Levy is trying to do here: if you're trying to sell your movie to a mass audience, you can't tell an interviewer that anyone not well-versed in modern comic book blockbusters is going to be totally lost and confused while watching it. Additionally, I am all but certain that there is going to be plenty for non-MCU diehards to enjoy in Deadpool & Wolverine, as anyone with properly attuned sensibilities can enjoy bathroom humor and physical gags.
All that being said, I find it really hard to believe that there isn't going to be a lot of material that goes soaring over the heads of genre newcomers. I say this having not only seen the trailers released for Deadpool & Wolverine, but also the nine minutes of footage that was premiered at CinemaCon earlier this month. The uninitiated is not going to understand why Wade Wilson is discussing someone named "Feige" not allowing mentions of cocaine (a reference to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige), or why the protagonist would grab the camera and say, "Suck it, Fox! I'm going to Disneyland!"
Let's also not forget all of the rumored cameos. The moment in a movie when a surprise character pops up doesn't really land if a person has to turn to the person next to them and say, "Who is that?"
I'm incredulous that anyone not at least somewhat versed in comic book movies will be able to fully appreciate everything that Deadpool & Wolverine has to offer... but the good news is that the genre has thousands upon thousands of fans worldwide who are eagerly anticipating the film's arrival this summer and are excited to take in every obscure reference that it has to offer. Featuring a stellar cast led by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, the blockbuster is set to hit theaters on July 26 – and we'd recommend at the very least using your Disney+ subscription to check out the first two Deadpool movies.
