As a long-time Marvel fan and avid follower of the MCU, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and curiosity as we approach the potential beginning of the end of this epic saga. With the arrival of “Deadpool and Wolverine” into the MCU fold, it seems that the multiverse storylines are no longer just a convenient plot device, but rather a significant part of the larger narrative.
This article contains spoilers for “Deadpool and Wolverine”
Deadpool, originally named Wade Wilson, debuted in “New Mutants #98” issue released in 1990, created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. However, it was during his self-titled series, starting with issue #28 in 1997, that Deadpool’s character evolved into a more comedic and self-aware persona. As a result, he gained widespread recognition and surpassed the popularity of his earlier villainous depiction. He now brings a humorous contrast to more serious superheroes like Wolverine from the X-Men.
A little later, actor Ryan Reynolds became drawn to the part following Deadpool’s joking comparison of his likeness to “Reynolds combined with a shar-pei” in a 2004 comic issue. Despite initial difficulties bringing the character to life on the silver screen with an unfortunate appearance in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (where they silenced his famous mouth!) in 2009, Reynolds eventually shone in two financially successful and critically praised films that stayed true to the source material.
As a huge Deadpool fan, I can’t help but reflect on the bumpy road his movies took to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It wasn’t an easy ride with numerous obstacles along the way. But now, we have good news! Deadpool is back in action and has managed to bring none other than the one and only live-action Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) for a potential final hurrah in the upcoming 2024 film “Deadpool and Wolverine.”
What you need to remember about the plot of Deadpool and Wolverine
In the opening scene of “Deadpool” and “Wolverine,” Deadpool disrespects the memory of Logan’s character, as portrayed by Hugh Jackman in “Logan” (2017), which was considered a fitting conclusion for both the actor and the 20th Century Fox version of the X-Men universe. To accomplish this, Deadpool unearths Logan’s adamantium skeleton with the intention of reviving him, but instead uses it to brutally kill several Time Variance Authority (TVA) agents.
An enigmatic TVA agent named Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) has informed Wade that his universe is in danger of disappearing, as Logan’s death meant the loss of its stabilizing force. Mr. Paradox intends to expedite this decay. Unwilling to accept this fate, Wade embarks on a journey across the multiverse to find a living Logan and prevent the destruction of his home.
Eventually, Wade locates a despondent Logan, who has allowed chaos to consume his reality. Wade then takes him back to the TVA, where Wade tries to persuade Mr. Paradox to restore order in his timeline by presenting this new Logan as a vital “stabilizing force.” However, Mr. Paradox dismisses this idea with a chuckle, leaving Wade and the variant Logan – donning his renowned yellow-and-blue suit for the first time on screen – stranded in the Void, a place previously featured in the Disney+ show “Loki.”
What happened at the end of Deadpool and Wolverine?
In The Void, Wade and Logan encounter characters from earlier Marvel films, such as Chris Evans portraying Johnny Storm from the 2005 “Fantastic Four” production. Initially, Deadpool mistakes him for Captain America. However, they soon realize that The Void is governed by the malevolent Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), an formidable adversary of Charles Xavier from a distinct universe.
During much of the film, Logan and Deadpool engage in relentless combat against one another. However, they eventually uncover a group of alternate superheroes – including X-23 (portrayed by Dafne Keen), Blade (Wesley Snipes), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), and Gambit (Channing Tatum) – with whom they join forces to confront Cassandra. Their objective is to save Wade’s universe from Mr. Paradox’s destruction. Yet, Cassandra has her own intentions, infiltrating Wade’s timeline accompanied by a horde of Deadpool counterparts. Her ultimate goal is to employ Paradox’s “time ripper” gadget to annihilate all other timelines except that of The Void.
Eventually, Logan and Wade engage in a fierce battle against Wade’s alternate selves. Bravely, they sacrifice themselves to prevent the multiverse from being annihilated by damaging the time ripper’s power supply. Fortunately, they both make it through alive; Cassandra is eliminated, Paradox is apprehended by the Time Variance Authority, and the other Marvel variants are sent back to their respective timelines. In the aftermath, Logan chooses to live out his days peacefully in Wade’s universe, which has been preserved as well.
What the end of Deadpool and Wolverine means
In simpler terms, the last scene of “Deadpool and Wolverine” serves as a nod to the earlier Marvel movies that came before the establishment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008 with “Iron Man.” While “Iron Man” marked the official beginning of the MCU’s success, there were earlier Marvel films like “Howard the Duck” that didn’t fare well. The reference to Happy Hogan (played by Jon Favreau) in “Deadpool and Wolverine” is a nod to his appearance in “Iron Man.”
It’s widely accepted that the modern comic book movie boom began in earnest in 1998 with the release of “Blade,” featuring Wesley Snipes, which demonstrated to hesitant Hollywood executives that there was an audience for films based on characters beyond Superman and Batman. The success of “X-Men” (2000) and “Spider-Man” (2002) further validated this notion, leading to a surge in production of movies like “Daredevil” (2003) and “Fantastic Four” (2005), as well as their sequels and spin-offs that came before and during the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
During the 2024 production of “Deadpool and Wolverine,” numerous nods are made to characters from earlier Marvel movies. These include Johnny Storm, portrayed by Chris Evans in “Fantastic Four,” as well as the reappearance of actors from the initial “X-Men” series, such as Aaron Stanford as Pyro. The storyline also brings back Jennifer Garner as Elektra from “Daredevil,” and Wesley Snipes resurfaces as Blade. Each character receives some form of resolution in this installment.
Another possible explanation of the ending
The last scene of “Deadpool and Wolverine” movie might imply that Deadpool is now an official member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as it acknowledges his ability to move between the MCU’s main timeline. A more pessimistic interpretation could be that this film was created solely for the purpose of reconciling the existing “Deadpool” films with the MCU continuity in some way, much like how the “Star Trek” franchise used time travel and alternate universes to reboot its storyline in 2009.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the term “Sacred Timeline” is used, which is depicted in the films themselves. This timeline allows for multiple timelines to coexist at once. There are reportedly over 63 branches of this timeline, including Wade Wilson’s rendition of the 20th century Fox “X-Men” universe. The Avengers, however, inhabit a different universe, Earth-616, which was not mentioned in the initial two “Deadpool” movies. Wade Wilson later goes back to his original timeline, where the X-Men exist and are well-known, suggesting that he is currently distinct from the primary universe.
The truth behind the casting of Gambit’s cameo
Previously brought up, Wolverine and Deadpool find themselves in the desolate, post-apocalyptic Void. This forgotten realm is ruled by Cassandra Nova and populated with Marvel characters, both heroic and villainous, living in a Mad Max-inspired wasteland. The duo later discover that there’s a resistance group, unscathed by Nova’s control, bravely battling against her tyranny. They might hold the key to escaping this nightmarish realm altogether.
In the movie, Wade and Logan encounter resistance fighters towards the end, among them is Gambit, who is played by Channing Tatum in this version. However, it’s important to note that Channing Tatum hadn’t portrayed Gambit in any prior official live-action X-Men films. Previously, Taylor Kitsch took on the role of Gambit in 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” co-starring Ryan Reynolds as a young Wade Wilson.
Although a standalone Gambit film starring Channing Tatum had been in production for a long time, unfortunately, it never came to life. This is why Tatum appeared in “Deadpool and Wolverine” as Gambit. The project came together as an apology of sorts for the previous attempts, which included a collaboration with director Gore Verbinski. Despite his age and an accent reminiscent of the Minions (as Deadpool put it), Tatum managed to fit seamlessly into the role.
The Blade-Deadpool tension is more personal than it seems
One surprising discovery in the Void is Wesley Snipes’ portrayal of Blade, the vampire hunter. This comes as a shock considering Marvel’s ongoing efforts to reboot “Blade,” starring Mahershala Ali, which was initially planned before “Deadpool” and “Wolverine,” but now (rumored to) be released in late 2025. In one scene, Snipes’ Daywalker character asserts “I’m the only Blade that exists,” prompting Deadpool to wink at the camera, alluding to both the upcoming MCU reboot and the production difficulties encountered thus far.
Wesley Snipes and Ryan Reynolds collaborated on the 2004 production of “Blade: Trinity,” which is the third installment and final chapter of the original “Blade” trilogy. In this movie, Reynolds portrayed Hannibal King – a character from the comics whose backstory and abilities underwent significant modifications during the film adaptation.
The filming of “Blade: Trinity” was notoriously contentious, as recounted by comedian Patton Oswalt who acted in the movie, although his story has been challenged by Snipes. As a result, certain interactions between Wade and Blade in “Deadpool and Wolverine” are metatextual, with Snipes’ Blade telling Reynolds’ Deadpool, “I don’t like you,” to which Deadpool responds sadly, “That rings a bell…” alluding to the strained atmosphere on the set of “Blade: Trinity.”
What has the cast and crew said about the ending?
In a recent Collider interview with actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, along with director Shawn Levy, an intriguing statement was made by Reynolds. He mentioned that “Deadpool and Wolverine” was intended to be a true one-off, implying that Deadpool remains isolated in his own universe after the movie’s ending. Reynolds’ comment also hinted at the possibility that this might be Deadpool’s final appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), suggesting a farewell not only for the 20th Century Fox “X-Men” series but potentially for Wade as well. However, considering the initial box office projections, this seems rather improbable.
During an interview with Collider, Hugh Jackman was questioned about the possibility of reprising his role as Logan in live-action once more, having earlier declared that he would be retiring from the character after the critically acclaimed “Logan” in 2017. Jackman quipped, “The truth is, I can’t honestly answer this question because I’ve been known to fib a little. What makes my deception amusing, though, is that I actually believed it myself.” Essentially, Jackman was implying that he might change his mind.
After speaking with The Playlist, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige revealed that with the introduction of X-Men characters, every upcoming film following “Deadpool” and “Wolverine” will mark the beginning of the mutant era in the MCU.
Deadpool and Wolverine’s alternate ending
Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, Kevin Feige faced challenges in incorporating the R-rated and crude “Deadpool” series into the more family-oriented Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Over the years, Ryan Reynolds discussed various concepts for a potential “Deadpool 3.” He shared with Empire magazine that these ideas ranged from a collaborative project, but told from distinct viewpoints, to a low-budget Sundance Film priced under $10 million. Some of his proposals were almost unrecognizable compared to the previous Deadpool films.
Karan Soni, who portrays Dopinder, Deadpool’s cabby companion in the “Deadpool” films, shared with ScreenRant that one proposed concept was originally a road trip storyline. In this scenario, Deadpool would be on a mission to save Christmas. Initially, Hugh Jackman was intended to join the cast as well.
In an exclusive interview with Collider, Shawn Levy shared that there were earlier drafts of “Deadpool 2” where Mephisto, rather than Cassandra Nova, was considered as the primary antagonist. This shift in villain would have significantly altered the film’s ending. If Mephisto had been chosen, the stakes might not have been as high as they were in the final product, with Deadpool and Wolverine potentially saving something less than the universe. Additionally, Mephisto’s involvement may not have aligned thematically as well as Nova’s connection to Logan (Wolverine) did.
Beginning of the end of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga
Secret Wars,” which could bring all the MCU timelines together, similar to how DC’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” consolidated their multiverse.
Secret Wars.” We’ll have to wait and see for definitive answers.
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2024-07-26 01:30