The Super Bowl has gotten the world pumped up for many of the 2024 movies headed into theaters over the course of the year. Part of those festivities included our first look at the only upcoming Marvel movie in 2024, the newly retitled Deadpool & Wolverine.
Teasing Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with the Mouth meeting up with Hugh Jackman’s adamantium-enhanced X-Men hero did what it was supposed to do, as Deadpool & Wolverine’s Super Bowl trailer got me more excited about this MCU debut. As one might also expect, this footage-filled teaser has also left me with some major questions pertaining to what we know about Deadpool 3 and beyond.
I rewatched the trailer a couple of times, and it feels like I found a new thread to pick at each round. So before we suit up and arm up for action, let’s watch the Deadpool & Wolverine teaser one more time, shall we?
Heartwarming, isn’t it? Boy meets girl, boy seems awkward with girl in trilogy-ending installment, and a cinematic universe comes along to distract everyone from what’s going on. Wait, what? You know something, let’s start with that concern as our launching point into pondering Deadpool 3’s secrets.
Are Wade And Vanessa Still Together?
“Make a wish, buddy?!” Seriously?! After two movies of Morena Baccarin’s Vanessa and Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) being one of the most adorable on-screen couples, that’s the birthday wish Deadpool & Wolverine sees half of its titular hero team getting?
I’m starting to wonder if, despite Deadpool 2’s rosy, Cher-infused ending, Wade and Vanessa couldn’t make it work. A potential reason why leads to another big query I had in mind.
Was Wade And Vanessa’s Kid Ever Born?
Towards the beginning of Deadpool 2, Vanessa reveals she’s pregnant… and is summarily killed off. Wade undoes that event after some time travel shenanigans, and a very dramatic Celine Dion musical number reminiscent of a James Bond opening.
However, Deadpool & Wolverine teases “a challenging few years” between sequels, Also, that scene with Wade holding his head in his hands doesn't look too promising when that reference is made. This ultimately has me thinking we’re about to get the MCU’s version of the opening to Up.
Are We Following A New Deadpool Variant?
Being reintroduced to Wade Wilson shows our Deadpool & Wolverine star wearing a hairpiece, looking considerably older (even by his standards), and potentially broken up with Vanessa. That’s a lot of differences in one sitting, so perhaps we’re following another variant/multiversal incarnation of Deadpool for director Shawn Levy’s threequel?
Who's Running The TVA Now?
Seeing Succession’s Matthew Macfayden appear as Paradox was a pleasant surprise in this first look at Deadpool 3. However, while some had pegged the man as a theoretical variant for Owen Wilson’s Mobius M. Mobius, Miss Minutes herself took to Twitter to shut that story down. So just who is Paradox, if he isn't Mobius? And more importantly…
Where’s Morbius?
Look, Loki Season 2’s heartbreaking ending hit all of us fans pretty hard. So much so that I wouldn’t blame Mobius for quitting the TVA, reuniting with his family and settling in with his Disney+ subscription for some hard earned rest.
At the same time, would someone so duty-bound just up and leave that quickly? It's kind of like asking, "Where's Josh Brolin's Cable?" Come to think of it, that is a good question, with Cable being stuck in "the present" at the end of Deadpool 2. However, if Yukio and Negasonic Teenage Warhead can fix a time device once, they could probably do it again; which still leaves Mobius' absence more open ended.
Also, for the sake of time, pretend we asked and discussed that whole "Where's Cable and Domino" matter. I don't want to keep you here all day, and there's more important questions to be asking, such as the next banger you're about to dig into.
Why Is Wade So Special In Deadpool & Wolverine?
During the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer, Paradox tells Wade Wilson that he’s “special.” I know it’s a stock line that appears in many superhero origin stories/pep talks, so it’s not that surprising.
At the same time, with Deadpool possessing fourth-wall breaking abilities, could his supposed specialty come in handy in travels through time and the multiverse? Or is he just good at proclaiming he's "Marvel Jesus," and somehow stumbling into being that savior he richly wants to be?
Does The TVA’s Involvement Mean That Wild Deadpool 3 Theory Is True?
If those skills of Deadpool’s are really that treasured, and the TVA needs help from Wade Wilson of all people, does that mean that the wild theory connecting Deadpool 3 to the MCU via Loki could be true? Is the TVA really looking to use Deadpool to handpick the best variants to fight Kang throughout the Multiverse?
Come to think of it, does that mean Deadpool will become an Avenger, complete with bleeped PG-13 censored profanities? For now, the TVA’s M.O. is TBC, so let’s move on ASAP before we’re declared DOA for asking the wrong questions? Ok?
Did They Recast T.J. Miller’s Weasel?
While we definitely know that T.J. Miller’s not in Deadpool 3 due to Ryan Reynolds allegedly “hating” him, are we truly not going to see Weasel back for the last ride? Again, this is a world of the multiverse and branching timelines!
If you look closely, you can spot an older looking man helping Wade armor up in Deadpool & Wolverine’s trailer. Is that an older version of Weasel, or if this is a new character entirely? Quick follow-up on that second question: does Wade just really like near-sighted experts providing him with assistance in battle prep?
What’s Aaron Stamford’s Pyro Doing In This Universe?
It was a surprise for everyone to see X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand’s Pyro appear in the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer. So much so that actor Aaron Stanford responded to the shocking drop on social media.
With that initial shock out of the way, the next question is simply what’s he doing here, and whether could it mean more mutants from that time in Marvel Studios history are in play? It's your Gifted Youngsters, Charles! Something's gotta be done about your Gifted Youngsters!
How Hard Is Deadpool & Wolverine Going To Go On The Fox Merger?
A crumbling 20th Century Fox logo and a joke about Disney’s knowledge of pegging are good starts for Deadpool 3’s obviously comedic treatment of the 2019 merger with Fox. But just how hard is this movie going to go with that thread of humor?
We've already got X-Men of future past rumored to be returning, and in one case, we actually do see someone surprisingly pop up. Not to mention, we also have Jennifer Garner’s Elektra reportedly returning from the depths of 20th Century Fox’s Marvel adjacent adventures. Could we get an Evanescence soundtrack appearance that seals the deal in an effort to poke fun at corporate cosmology?
Will We Get A James Bond-Style Variant Of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine?
One thing we don’t see a lot of in the Deadpool & Wolverine teaser is, surprise, Hugh Jackman! Of course, the powers-that-be are going to make us wait for that sweet official reveal of Jackman popping claws and slashing jaws. That's "Movie Marketing 102," right behind "Ryan Reynolds gets to cut the trailer." And yet, we do see a moment where James “Logan” Howlett is sitting at a card table, dressed to the nines with a nice white jacket and shiny shoes.
Good luck convincing me that this potential 00-Logan variant isn’t a reference to how Jackman turned down a Casino Royale audition for X-2. Ok, so maybe the whole theory Screen Rant reported about Wolverine being undercover as "Patch" is compelling enough to be valid. But to be honest, I like my theory better.
Are We Seeing The Consequences Of Deadpool’s Actions At The End Of Deadpool 2?
There is a lot of wild stuff to be discussed from the Deadpool & Wolverine footage. For instance, did you notice that Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) was smiling?! What sort of world are we living in where everything you read above can be called into question?
Well, remember the end of Deadpool 2? You know, when Wade Wilson went medieval on his timeline’s ass and “cleaned up” the errors of X-Men: Origins - Wolverine and Green Lantern? Of course you do! But just in case, and because I happen to really enjoy this mid-credits bombshell of laughter, here’s what happened in 2018:
As anyone who studies time travel will tell you, those sorts of actions have consequences. So could the MCU be reaping what Deadpool has sewn with his trip through the timeline?
It’s something to definitely consider, as keeping that gag as canon would be a hilarious way to introduce this cinematic shit stirrer to the wider Marvel continuum. It'd also make things way easier to explain the state of this world when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26th!
However, did you really think I was going to let you go without one last plug for the Deadpool and X-Men movies being available on Disney+? Like hell you did. What type of writer would I be if I didn't remind you that the same place you show your kids Bluey and Moana is also the platform that shares Ryan Reynolds enthusiastically celebrating International Women's Day?
Much like the stuff we talked out up top, I don't have an answer for that question. But I suppose we'll just have to wait and see if those answers come to us naturally, and with minimal pain for all involved. So don't forget to make a date with Deadpool & Wolverine, the only MCU movie you'll need to see in 2024, only in theaters on July 26th. And yes, I did need to repeat the release date.
