At long last and thanks to Fox, the “merc with a mouth” and Logan have finally made it to the MCU. “Deadpool & Wolverine” is now in theaters nationwide.
It’s no secret that the post-Endgame era has not quite worked out so far. The 11 films and several TV shows since have drawn mixed reactions and put into question whether there was growing superhero fatigue among once die-hard fans.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige acknowledges the sentiment but argues it is an expected outcome of an expanding franchise. “There’s a sense that people say superhero fatigue, I actually think it’s almost the ‘feeling of having to do homework’ fatigue,” Feige said in a conversation with Phase Zero.
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(L-R): Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” | Photo by Jay Maidment/© 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 Marvel
Others share the opinion, believing that there is simply too much to follow and watch to gather the full picture. Some argue there’s no focus like the “Infinity Saga.”
Anyhow, “Deadpool & Wolverine” brings much-needed life to a stagnating and stale comic book film landscape while honoring past superhero flicks—regardless of their success.
Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, the long-awaited MCU sparkplug follows the events of 2018’s “Deadpool 2” and 2017’s “Logan” and seamlessly integrates the once Fox projects with Marvel continuity.
Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova
Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox
The film follows Wade Wilson as he wanders aimlessly after leaving behind the Deadpool mantle to pursue a normal life. After he is called to action by an interdimensional threat endangering everyone he holds dear, he teams up with a desensitized Wolverine and wreaks havoc on the MCU multiverse. They are joined by Emma Corrin, who plays Cassandra Nova aka Charles Xavier’s twin, and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox, a disgruntled TVA operative.
Several other high-profile castings appear in the film—though, that would be better left up for surprise. It’s a cameo fest, but not for nothing.
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Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan
Reynolds, Marvel Jesus himself, delivers a performance unchanged by Disney. The “merc with a mouth” wouldn’t simply change his ways for anyone and any hesitant watchers shouldn’t worry about a watered-down Deadpool.
Jackman, on the other hand, after over two decades worth of X-Men and solo films, manages to showcase a unique side to Wolverine we haven’t seen before. He is alone, ashamed, broken, and reluctant yet clings to the ideals of heroism his closest friends and allies once held. Emotional isn’t a word that comes to mind when Deadpool is brought up, but Jackman delivers a depth and weight that respects what he has given to the character.
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson
For all the love and adoration fans everywhere have for the titular characters, within the confines of the film’s two-hour runtime, they are regarded as outcasts unworthy of a second chance. “Deadpool & Wolverine” is all about giving others another shot regardless of their past and it extends past its plot and into how it treats its cast as a whole.
As the film’s very existence hinged on Fox relinquishing its rights to Marvel and beyond all the jokes and jabs Reynolds throws at them, behind it is a level of respect for their contributions to comic book films as a whole. How exactly they do so, well, only a trip to theaters can answer that question.