Summary
The pressure is on forDeadpool & Wolverine,as the highly-anticipated threequel merges the successfulDeadpoolfranchise into the embattled Marvel Cinematic Universe following a string of bad performances, and the film’s director isn’t sugarcoating it.
Deadpool & Wolverineis the third film in the popularDeadpoolfranchise buthas since taken on way more significanceboth as the character’s official integration into the MCU and also as the Marvel Studios franchise’s only cinematic release in 2024. The stakes went up even further when leading man Ryan Reynolds revealed that, in addition to a plethora of new Marvel character debuts inDeadpool 3, it was also going to feature the return, and MCU debut, of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, an addition to the cast on the level of a Robert Downey Jr. return as Iron Man. Additionally, it was revealed thatStranger Thingsdirector Shawn Levy, who has already beenattached to theStar Warsfranchise post-Deadpool 3,would be at the helm of the upcoming project.
Levy, whopromised fans a raw and grittyDeadpool 3in the MCUafter his attachment to the project,has no illusions about the state of the franchisehe’s leading Deadpool and friends into. In a recent report on the state of things at Disney’s Marvel Studios, theDeadpool & Wolverinedirector spoke frankly about the state of the MCU, as well as reiterating why he believes thatDeadpool & Wolverinehas the potential to break out of the rut that Marvel has found itself in recently. “You’d have to live under a rock not to know that the last few Marvel movies have failed to ignite the world in the way that so many did,” Levy said when asked about it byEmpire. “We do come along at an interesting time. And we are decidedly something different. Whether it is of Messianic proportions, time will tell.”
This is a sentiment that even Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige shares, conceding in the same report that “Some of the lines that Ryan and his writers and Shawn worked on have taken on more of a meaning” in light of the potential for Deadpool to reignite the MCU. While he admits things aren’t great,Feige isn’t actually all that perturbed by the franchise’s current state. “It’s nice to be able to rally behind one feature project this year,” Feige explained. “I’m much more comfortable being the underdog. I prefer being able to surprise, and exceed expectations. So it does seem like the last year, which has not been ideal, has set us up well for that.” Feige finds himself in agreement with a lot of others who similarly believe thatDeadpool & Wolverine’s place as the only 2024 MCU film release is a good thing.
Fans have wonderedwhat Shawn Levy’s influences could mean forDeadpool 3since he was chosen to bring the ambitious project to theaters, but his recent statement makes it clear what the man himself thinks about his unique take. A director with a vision that draws from such classics asMidnight Run,andPlanes, Trains, and Automobilescoupled with the already unique take on the superhero genre that Reynold’sDeadpoolhas had since the onset will certainly be decidedly different. However, it’sworth asking if the success ofDeadpool & Wolverinewill lead to any sort of boon for the rest of the franchise, as the character’s “Marvel Jesus” quip seems to suggest, or if it will simply be a big needle move before a return to the current lull. The company already saw a similar pickup with the relative success of James Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which did little to halt the year-long trainwreck that started withAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniaand ended withThe Marvels.
One thing is certain, and it’s thatMarvel Studios needs a win this year, and it wasn’tEcho’s DIsney+ debut, despite optimistic hopes thatit held promise for the MCU’s future. With the rest of the year devoid of cinematic releases and theAgathaseries starring Katheryn Hahn well past its best-by date, Marvel Studios can only sit back and hope that Deadpool really is their messiah.
Deadpool & Wolverineis currently set for theatrical release on July 23, 2025
Deadpool & Wolverine
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.
