Okay, so Deadpool 3 might not actually be out yet. But you're excited, right? And how much of that excitement do you think is down to Deadpool, and how much of it do you think is a result of Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine? I'd be willing to wager that it's mainly the latter. If you're narrowing your eyes at the screen and shaking your head in denial, I'm not saying you're a liar, but I'm not not saying it, either.
Sure, Reynolds is incredible as the Merc with a Mouth, but we've seen him in character as recently as 2018's Deadpool 2. Jackman hasn't played Wolverine for an entire year longer than that, last donning the sideburns in 2017's Logan - I'm impatient, okay? If we're really being honest, Deadpool 3 is all about Jackman and which other pre-MCU Marvel movie characters show up, and it's fine to admit that. Go on, I'll wait while you do it under your breath before I move on.
Sure, Reynolds is incredible as the Merc with a Mouth, but we've seen him in character as recently as 2018's Deadpool 2. Jackman hasn't played Wolverine for an entire year longer than that, last donning the sideburns in 2017's Logan - I'm impatient, okay? If we're really being honest, Deadpool 3 is all about Jackman and which other pre-MCU Marvel movie characters show up, and it's fine to admit that. Go on, I'll wait while you do it under your breath before I move on.
Deadpool 3 Is So Exciting Due To The Marvel Movies That Pre-Date The MCU
Reynolds' Deadpool will be fighting for space in his own movie
No one is denying it's awesome news that Deadpool is getting another outing. It's the role that Ryan Reynolds was born to play and to deny him the chance to do it again would be a crime. However, the buzz around Deadpool 3 is more akin to Spider-Man: No Way Home that it is to Deadpool 2. No Way Home was built around the return of versions of characters that were untouched by Disney, and it meant Tom Holland's Peter Parker kind of took a back seat in his own movie - despite being a great Spidey himself.
What we're seeing with Deadpool 3 is very similar, except swap out Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield with Hugh Jackman and whoever the hell else is going to show up. And let's face it, the movie's not going to stop at bringing back Jackman's Wolverine. You better get ready for other heroes and villains from the X-Men movie franchise to pop up, and more than likely iterations of Marvel characters from the dreaded Fantastic Four films. That being said, aren't you excited regardless of the reputation of some of these pre-MCU Marvel movies?
What we're seeing with Deadpool 3 is very similar, except swap out Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield with Hugh Jackman and whoever the hell else is going to show up. And let's face it, the movie's not going to stop at bringing back Jackman's Wolverine. You better get ready for other heroes and villains from the X-Men movie franchise to pop up, and more than likely iterations of Marvel characters from the dreaded Fantastic Four films. That being said, aren't you excited regardless of the reputation of some of these pre-MCU Marvel movies?
It Could Be That Deadpool 3 Is A Textbook Example Of Nostalgia-Baiting
There's nothing better than a trip down memory lane
The first two Deadpool movies are terrific in their own right, but the second one was already showing signs of fatigue regarding what else they could do with the character on his own. Although Deadpool has had run-ins with one version of certain X-Men, the nebulous canon of that particular area of the movies makes it difficult to determine whether Reynold's character shares the same universe. (For those who care, the Deadpool movies take place on Earth TRN414). The result has been throwing Deadpool in with beloved versions of characters from our cinematic past. And that's...that's just awesome.
Since Disney's acquisition of Fox in 2019, Deadpool and the other X-Men/Fantastic Four movie characters are now free to mix with the MCU as they please. While legal issues can ruin perfectly good pieces of art, they've actually done wonders for the MCU. Disney's inability to use certain characters before 2019 has resulted in them focusing on characters that weren't as popular like Iron Man and Steve Rogers' Captain America. Now that those characters have made their exit, the door is open for the return of characters that kept us going before Favreau and company started the MCU in 2008.
Now, there is the superpowered elephant in the room to address. Is Deadpool 3 just cashing in on our nostalgia? The answer is clear: Probably. But it really doesn't matter as long as it's done well. There are swathes of people who would rather spit on the films from the pre-MCU era, but those same people are waiting just as impatiently to see the return of actors from those very same movies. Nostalgia can be a twisted thing, and I think on some level, Deadpool 3 is keenly aware of that.
Since Disney's acquisition of Fox in 2019, Deadpool and the other X-Men/Fantastic Four movie characters are now free to mix with the MCU as they please. While legal issues can ruin perfectly good pieces of art, they've actually done wonders for the MCU. Disney's inability to use certain characters before 2019 has resulted in them focusing on characters that weren't as popular like Iron Man and Steve Rogers' Captain America. Now that those characters have made their exit, the door is open for the return of characters that kept us going before Favreau and company started the MCU in 2008.
Now, there is the superpowered elephant in the room to address. Is Deadpool 3 just cashing in on our nostalgia? The answer is clear: Probably. But it really doesn't matter as long as it's done well. There are swathes of people who would rather spit on the films from the pre-MCU era, but those same people are waiting just as impatiently to see the return of actors from those very same movies. Nostalgia can be a twisted thing, and I think on some level, Deadpool 3 is keenly aware of that.
Hugh Jackman's Wolverine Is Obviously The Best Part Of Fox's Marvel Movies
Honourable mentions go to Patrick Stewart's Professor X And Ian McKellen's Magneto
Throughout all of the pre-MCU movie's triumphs and failures, Jackman is the shining hairy light among it all. The fact he's being afforded the opportunity to appear again as Wolverine after the masterpiece that was Logan is potentially a risky move, but one that's unlikely to damage his version of the character. Deadpool 3 may be tugging on everyone's heartstrings by bringing Jackman back, but the actor's natural talent in the role is bound to result in another terrific performance.
So, although the pre-Marvel MCU movies weren't everything fans may have wanted at the time, the fact that so many are quivering in anticipation at the characters' return definitely says something about how much they secretly enjoyed them. You can deny that you have a soft spot that era of Marvel cinema all you like, but your rush to the cinema on 26th July will betray every protest you make.
So, although the pre-Marvel MCU movies weren't everything fans may have wanted at the time, the fact that so many are quivering in anticipation at the characters' return definitely says something about how much they secretly enjoyed them. You can deny that you have a soft spot that era of Marvel cinema all you like, but your rush to the cinema on 26th July will betray every protest you make.
Head to Disney+ to stream (most of) the pre-MCU Marvel Movies. Sony really know what they have with Spider-Man, don't they?
By Dan Bibby