Deadpool & Wolverine proved to be a box office juggernaut as well as a favorite among long-term fans of Marvel films, prompting the question of what comes next for the characters. Ryan Reynolds, the movie’s writer, producer, and lead star, gave an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in which he discussed Wade Wilson’s future in the MCU and potential as an Avenger.
Firstly, he unpacked how much filming Deadpool & Wolverine meant to him, given his friendships with director Shawn Levy and costar Hugh Jackman. Reynolds explained that he’s “never been so depressed as the day [they locked the last reel of Deadpool & Wolverine.” He further elaborated:
“Seeing Shawn every day and Hugh in person or on the screen in the edit bay is one of the best times of my life and a memory palace in my mind that I visit every day. “
Per Reynolds, he is now just trying to focus on getting his next movie, Boy Band, made, but he still feels that more Deadpool appearances could be on the horizon. He doesn’t “know what the future holds just yet.” The actor explained that he has “some pitches and ideas” for a potential sequel, “but none of them center on Deadpool.“ Rather, Reynolds feels that Wade “is a great supporting or ensemble player” and he “would always want Deadpool and Wolverine to be paired in some way.“
Though Deadpool has now been the lead in three films, the actor stated that he “really can’t do that again” because “centering Deadpool works best if you take everything away from him and put his back against the wall.” To bring Deadpool back as a leading man with that same type of story “a fourth time feels a little iterative and redundant.” Reynolds insists that reducing Deadpool to a supporting player “doesn’t mean sacrificing fun” and “there is still an arc for Deadpool which is fulfilling and powerful.“
Reynolds’ explanation of why he feels Deadpool should no longer be the lead character in his subsequent appearances makes sense. Given his arc and character growth, Wade may not be best suited to another adventure where he loses everything and has something to prove. In the first film, he suffered due to his loss of his previous appearance, life, and relationship. In the second film, Wade watches his girlfriend Vanessa die right in front of him. Deadpool & Wolverine sees Wade again having lost Vanessa, as well as his self-confidence.
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After the events of the third movie, taking away Deadpool’s sense of self or his (hopefully) rekindled relationship with Vanessa would just be repeating the same story. If Reynolds feels that that arc has been resolved, he may be correct in saying that Wade needs to be a supporting character for his next appearance. Regardless, it seems that no sequel is currently in active development.
While Deadpool is an extremely popular character, he primarily reached that level of mainstream appeal due to the quality of his film franchise. In turn, the movies are good, largely because of Reynolds’ passion for the character. Much like his stance that Wade cannot be a part of the Avengers or the X-Men unless it’s the end of his story, the actor’s take that Deadpool needs to play backup for his next film appearance tracks with his story thus far. Besides, since Jackman played the supporting role in Deadpool & Wolverine, maybe it’s time for Reynolds to play second fiddle.
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
- Release Date
- July 26, 2024
- Cast
- Ryan Reynolds , Hugh Jackman , Emma Corrin , Morena Baccarin , Rob Delaney , Leslie Uggams , Karan Soni , Matthew Macfadyen , Brianna Hildebrand , Shioli Kutsuna , Stefan Kapicic , Lewis Tan , Randal Reeder , Jennifer Garner , Aaron Stanford , Billy Clements , Ollie Palmer , Chris Hemsworth , Rob McElhenney
- Director
- Shawn Levy
- Studio(s)
- Marvel , Maximum Effort
Upcoming MCU Movies
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- Release Date
- February 14, 2025
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Thunderbolts*
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- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
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- Release Date
- July 24, 2026
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