Marvel fans have been clamoring for news on Deadpool 3 after seeing Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in full Wade Wilson and Wolverine mode on set. The only hangup has been the duo’s transition from Fox to Disney. Some fans wondered how the mature R-rated franchise would fit into the PG-13-rated MCU. While the film is paused due to the ongoing Hollywood strikes, the threequel’s director explained how the Marvel characters are being brought into the MCU after years at Fox, which was absorbed into Disney.
The fandom got a peek into the MCU shift thanks to Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy sitting down with Total Film (via Comicbook.com). After Reynolds and Jackman’s hilarious announcement, fans have been waiting to see what the faux frenemies have in store following 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Levy reassured Marvel fans that the threequel will mix the characters’ pasts into the new universe, saying:
Deadpool and Wolverine are iconic Marvel characters; more specifically, iconic Marvel-of-the-Fox-era characters. We’re not going to pretend, ‘Oh, we snap our fingers and suddenly that Fox legacy doesn’t exist, and it shaped a lot of what we now know as the MCU.’ Fox also shaped Ryan’s career, Hugh’s career and my career. So there’s a lot of history there, and there’s a lot of Marvel history at Fox. And certainly that’s a part of our storytelling.
It’s good to know that the threequel will acknowledge the Fox/Marvel era as the Merc with a Mouth and Wolverine join the ever-expanding MCU. So, viewers can expect a witty Deadpool and gruff Wolverine, just like in their previous Marvel outings. Levy boasted about Reynolds and Jackman’s dynamic on set before his recent comments. Of course, that’s expected given the actors’ faux feud has played out online for years. Maybe that will translate to the big screen compared to their first Marvel film together.
Wolverine and Deadpool aren’t the only Fox Marvel heroes reportedly joining the MCU. It’s been reported that Jennifer Garner will take up the katanas once more as she reprises her role as Elektra. There have also been rumors that Garner’s ex Ben Affleck might come back as her onscreen love interest Daredevil in the threequel. If this is true, the former couple will be part of the Deadpool 3 cast, which also includes fan favorites like Stefan Kapicic’s Colossus and Brianna Hildebrand’s Negasonic Teenage Warhead. The casting rumors only accelerated other speculation, including Hugh Jackman playing multiple Wolverines. Of course, Deadpool fans will have to wait, as Levy played coy about Garner’s return and other rumors.
Nothing will be confirmed until Deadpool 3 picks up filming again when the writers’ and actors’ strikes end. Moviegoers won’t have to worry about the shoot facing a major setback, as Levy revealed the Deadpool 2 sequel was halfway done before being paused by the strikes. The threequel is expected to arrive in theaters on May 3, 2024, as part of the slate of upcoming Marvel movies. In the meantime, you can check the first two films by streaming them with a Disney+ subscription.