Deadpool 3: key information
– Releasing in theaters worldwide in late July
– Only MCU movie due out this year
– Will be Marvel’s first R-rated movie
– Trailer expected to air during 2024 Super Bowl
– Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are its co-leads
– Numerous other cast members revealed
– Lots of speculation concerning cameo appearances
– No official plot synopsis yet
– Will be another multiverse-centric film
– Rumored to be a celebration of Fox’s defunct X-Men cinematic universe
– Could set up future Marvel multiverse story threads
We never expected Deadpool 3 to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) savior-in-waiting, but here we are.
The only Marvel movie set to be released in 2024, it’s being billed as the MCU‘s great hope following a year that included two box office bombs, a TV show dubbed the worst thing that Marvel has ever made, and plenty of other negative press. With Ryan Reynolds’ fan-favorite turn as the Merc With a Mouth finally set to make his MCU bow – among other potentially mouth-watering elements, which we’ll get into – Deadpool 3 has been christened as the Marvel Phase 5 movie that’ll revive the MCU. No pressure, then.
So, what do we know ahead of the launch? We’ve rounded up every morsel of news we can find, including official information from Marvel and an unwieldy number of rumors. From its confirmed release date and cast details, to plot speculation and how it’ll impact the MCU, here’s everything we know about Deadpool 3. Full spoilers follow for every X-Men and Deadpool film to date. Potentially big spoilers for Deadpool’s third movie are also discussed.
Deadpool 3 release date
Deadpool 3 will talk its way into theaters worldwide on Friday, July 26. That’s its third release date since the movie was announced – it was originally due out on September 6, then delayed to November 8, before being moved up to May 3, and then pushed again to its current launch date.
When Marvel delayed multiple MCU movies in June 2023 due to the Hollywood writers’ strike, Deadpool 3 was the only one whose at-the-time May 3 release wasn’t changed. However, when the actors’ strike began in July, filming ground to a halt and led to another release date revision.
With the actors’ strike ending in November 2023, principal photography restarted days later. Director Shawn Levy (Stranger Things, Free Guy) confirmed half of the movie had been shot before the actors went on strike and, as co-star Ryan Reynolds revealed on Instagram (see above), filming officially wrapped on January 24. Deadpool 3, then, should still meet its current release date, even with a potentially protracted post-production phase.
Deadpool 3 cast: confirmed and rumored
Here’s the confirmed cast list for Deadpool 3 so far:
- Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool
- Hugh Jackman as James ‘Logan’ Howlett/Wolverine
- Morena Baccarin as Vanessa
- Brianna Hildebrand as Teenage Negasonic Warhead
- Stefan Kapičić as Colossus
- Leslie Uggams as Blind Al
- Karan Soni as Dopinder
- Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio
- Rob Delaney as Peter
- Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios
- Emma Corrin as TBC
- Matthew Macfadyen as TBC
Reynolds and Jackman need no introduction as their respective characters, but it was nonetheless surprising to hear Jackman would return as Wolverine one final time for this threequel. Indeed, it seemed he’d called time on his near-20-year run as the adamantium-clawed mutant with 2016’s Logan, the final entry in Fox’s deceased X-Men film universe.
Speaking to CNN in January 2023, Jackman revealed why he decided to don the infamous cowl for the final time, saying he didn’t want to regret turning down the opportunity to co-star in a film alongside Reynolds’ Regenerating Degenerate.
Reynolds and Jackman aren’t the only famous faces returning for Deadpool 3. Marvel hasn’t officially announced the movie’s cast outside of its leading men, but Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter (THR) – both of which have unparalleled track records for cast reveals – have all but confirmed that Kapičić, Hildebrand, Kutsuna, Uggams, and Soni will reprise their roles from Deadpool‘s first two films. Baccarin announced she was returning in a comicbookmovie.com interview.
Corrin (The Crown) and Macfadyen (Succession) are also on board, although their roles are a closely guarded secret. There are rumors about who they’ll play, which we’ll dig into in our spoiler-filled cast section.
With this being a multiverse-centric movie, we can expect plenty of X-Men and other defunct Fox universe characters to cameo. The first of those was confirmed as Garner (per THR), who reprises her role as Elektra from 2003’s Daredevil film and the character’s 2005 self-titled flick.
As for characters we shouldn’t expect to see: Charlie Cox won’t be adding to his MCU cameo roles here, with the Daredevil star telling TechRadar he isn’t in Deadpool 3. Zazie Beetz, who played Domino in Deadpool 2, also told Decider she won’t be back for more Marvel mayhem.
Potentially big cast spoilers follow.
Hugh Jackman shares new video of him working out!💪 “No Days off – except for tomorrow #BecomingWolverineagain “ pic.twitter.com/uqYSFbQpqbJanuary 20, 2024
Remember the unrelenting hype concerning Doctor Strange 2‘s potential cameos? MCU fans find themselves in a similar spin over the sheer number of cast rumors in Deadpool 3.
First up, the aforementioned Corrin and Macfadyen. The latter is believed to be playing a Time Variance Authority (TVA) agent named Paradox, according to industry insider CanWeGetSomeToast (CWGST). We previously reported that Deadpool 3 could have major ties to Loki season 2, where the TVA last appeared, so it seems Macfadyen’s role confirms the group will show up.
As for Corrin, CWGST and fellow MCU leaker DanielRPK claim they’re playing Cassandra Nova, a character with big ties to X-Men founder Charles Xavier/Professor X. If that’s true, we could see Patrick Stewart make another appearance as everyone’s favorite telepath – we just hope he doesn’t die (again!). For what it’s worth, Stewart has apparently held discussions about featuring, telling the Happy Sad Confused podcast: “It [a cameo] has come up.”
New set photos from ‘DEADPOOL 3’ reveal Wolverine and Deadpool fighting Sabretooth from the the original X-Men. pic.twitter.com/fSQbD4R96mDecember 3, 2023
Jackman and (potentially) Stewart’s appearances in Deadpool 3 raise questions about other former X-Men stars turning up, too. To date, there have been 13 X-Men or X-Men-adjacent films – read our X-Men movies in order guide for more details – so there are plenty of big names who could pop up.
Indeed, there’s been no end to speculation that Ian McKellen and/or Michael Fassbender will appear as their iterations of Magneto, James McAvoy turning up as the younger version of Professor X (although he recently downplayed suggestions he’s part of proceedings to Entertainment Tonight), and even a Succession reunion between Macfadyen and Brian Cox – the latter playing William Stryker, the man behind Wolverine’s creation, in numerous X-Men films.
As leaked on-set images in the tweet above reveal, Sabretooth will be making his first Marvel movie appearance since 2000’s X-Men. There are also rumors Toad, who also debuted in that flick, will feature.
Then there’s The Marvels‘ post-credits scene, which confirmed the return of Kelsey Grammer’s Beast from the first three X-Men films (and that the X-Men exist in the MCU, albeit in a parallel dimension). So, there’s plenty of opportunity for other actors to cross over from former X-Men films into Marvel’s cinematic juggernaut.
She’s with the whole Deadpool 3 team. Taylor Swift as Dazzler seemingly confirmed. https://t.co/TBglJlDEwROctober 2, 2023
Finally – and this would arguably be the biggest cameo of them all, if it’s true – there’s growing speculation that pop superstar Taylor Swift could appear. Indeed, the rumor mill has linked her with a possible cameo as Dazzler, a mutant who can turn sound vibrations into various light forms.
The rumor began when Swift was spotted hanging out with Reynolds and his wife/fellow actor Blake Lively, though it should be noted that Swift has been friends with them for years. The trio was also seen with Jackman and Levy in public, too, further fuelling speculation that Swift was being tapped to feature.
Taylor Swift spotted with ‘DEADPOOL 3’ director Shawn Levy. https://t.co/LhUuo4GjNcOctober 26, 2023
Understandably, ‘Swifties’ have spent months investigating the megastar’s public appearances with Deadpool 3‘s leading men and director, and what it means about a potential cameo. For their part, Reynolds (via the Vancouver Sun) and Levy (per The Wrap) haven’t exactly stopped the rumor mill going into overdrive with teasing comments. MyTimetoShineHello has claimed Swift will play herself in the threequel. July 26 can’t come fast enough to put an end to this hype-laden piece of conjecture.
Deadpool 3 story speculation
Marvel hasn’t unveiled Deadpool 3‘s plot synopsis, but we’ll likely get one alongside its first trailer.
Marvel has released snippets of information about the kind of story it wants to tell, though. For starters, Deadpool 3 will be R-rated, thereby making history as the first MCU film to carry such an age rating. The Disney subsidiary recently released its first 18-plus TV show in Echo, so it’s already laid the groundwork for adult-centric MCU projects to take their place alongside their PG-13 brethren.
Meanwhile, Jackman’s return as Wolverine sparked concern among fans of Logan, which – spoilers – saw the character die. It was a fitting end for Jackman’s iconic two-decade run as the titular hero, so viewers were worried that Deadpool 3 would undo the bittersweet nature of Jackman’s at-the-time final outing.
Taking to YouTube in September 2022, however, Reynolds and Jackman addressed the biggest question surrounding Wolverine’s reappearance – that being, how he’s alive in this movie. “Logan died in Logan, [so] we’re not touching that,” Reynolds explained, thus easing potential fan disgruntlement.
Potentially big plot spoilers follow for Deadpool 3.
So, how will Deadpool’s next film address Wolverine’s supposed resurrection? Well, by not bringing him back from the dead at all. Per SiriusXM, Jackman revealed that Deadpool 2‘s time-travel device, which Deadpool gets (read: steals) from Cable in the 2018 sequel, will allow Wade Wilson to travel back in time and/or to other Marvel timelines. In short, Deadpool will travel to an alternate universe where Wolverine is still alive, thereby, enabling them to team up.
It’s unclear which timeline the Merc With a Mouth will target for his latest misadventure, so we don’t know if this Wolverine is the one from Fox’s X-Men franchise or a different one. One thing we’re confident about is Deadpool’s use of Cable’s device will catch the TVA’s attention. Remember, the TVA (prior to Loki season 2, anyway) was hell-bent on maintaining the so-called Sacred Timeline so it won’t want a renegade Deadpool causing mayhem across the multiverse. Expect TVA agents to quickly catch wind of his antics and track him and Wolverine down.
The 20th Century Fox logo has been spotted on the set of ‘DEADPOOL 3’ 🎬 pic.twitter.com/m39mR5iHsuJuly 11, 2023
With the film’s leading pair making the jump to the MCU – we hope there’s a superhero landing once they do – from Fox’s 13-strong X-Men film franchise, we’d be surprised if Marvel doesn’t celebrate, or poke fun at, those movies. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige started in Hollywood as a producer on the first few X-Men movies, so it would be a missed opportunity if he didn’t pay tribute to them and bring his filmmaking journey full circle.
Judging by leaked on-set images, it seems that will be the case. As spotted by multiple industry insiders, including the Deadpool Updates X fan account (see above), a giant, eroding, almost Planet of the Apes-style 20th Century Fox logo was spotted during filming in July 2023. Considering Deadpool loves to break the fourth wall, don’t be surprised if Deadpool 3 takes a very meta approach to 20th Century Fox’s fallen franchise via its humor-laced plot.
Deadpool’s third film outing might even take some amusing shots at the MCU itself. On-set images posted by CWGST suggest we’ll see a modified version of Moon Knight‘s cupcake van, while another photo appears to show Captain America: The First Avenger‘s Red Skull car making an appearance. Is Deadpool about to take aim at some of the more surreal aspects of the MCU? Or are these vehicles from other universes that have already been destroyed? The plot thickens…
New set photos from ‘DEADPOOL 3’ reveal some vehicles that will be featured in the film. One vehicle seems the cupcake van from Moon Knight, but modified. Another vehicle seems to be the Red Skull’s car from Captain America: The First Avenger. pic.twitter.com/45gRIA6C3RDecember 4, 2023
There are lots of other huge rumors surrounding the movie, but we’d be here all day if we covered them all, so a quick round-up will have to suffice.
For one, Reynolds and Jackman are believed to be playing multiple variants of their characters, with leaked on-set images showing Reynolds as another Deadpool with long hair and an armor-plated costume (per the Daily Mail). Next, CWGST claims some of the film is set during the original X-Men film trilogy, while fellow leaker Alex P has hinted Deadpool will change the MCU’s history in some way. Finally, there’s tentative gossip that Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies will be referenced (thanks to Reddit for the catch). If even half of this proves correct, we’re in for a wild and highly entertaining ride.
When will the trailer for Deadpool 3 be released?
Marvel hasn’t stated when Deadpool 3‘s first teaser will arrive. However, there are rumors it’ll air during the 2024 Super Bowl’s Halftime Show.
With tens of millions (if not more) tuning into one of the world’s biggest sporting events, releasing a first look at the Disney subsidiary’s latest movie would get as many eyeballs on it as possible. We’d be amazed if Marvel doesn’t debut the film’s first teaser on February 11. We’ll update this article once a trailer makes its way online.
Where to watch the Deadpool and X-Men movies
If you want to watch every X-Men and Deadpool movie before Deadpool 3, you’re in luck. Most are available on Disney Plus, in fact, every single Deadpool and X-Men film is there on one of the world’s best streaming services in the UK and Australia.
There are a few caveats for US viewers, however. X-Men 2 (or X2, if you prefer) is only on Starz, X-Men: First Class is only viewable on Hulu, and X-Men: Days of Future Past is exclusive to Max. That trio aside, American audiences can watch the other flicks on Disney Plus.
How will Deadpool 3 impact the MCU?
If Deadpool 3 is as chaotic as it sounds, it could have serious repercussions for the MCU’s overarching multiverse narrative.
Fan reception to Marvel’s multiversal tale has been lukewarm at best so far – only Spider-Man: No Way Home and Loki capturing audiences’ imagination. Doctor Strange 2 and What If…? have flattered to deceive and, with few other Phase 4 and Phase 5 projects being of a multiverse-centric nature, viewers haven’t exactly bought into the MCU’s latest cinematic saga.
That’s before we take Jonathan Majors’ recent firing as Kang into account, too. Marvel is reportedly exploring whether to recast the multiversal villain or overhaul the Multiverse Saga’s entire plan for the next few years, so it’s hard to pinpoint where things could go next. Heck, Deadpool 3 might have undergone narrative revisions in light of Majors’ departure and have a more open-ended, well, ending that gives Marvel some wriggle room as it reworks its Phase 5 and 6 blueprints.
Right now, how Marvel’s next big-screen offering impacts the wider MCU remains a mystery. For what it’s worth, THR suggests Deadpool 3 is “the most important project for the studio outside of anything with Avengers in the title”, so it sounds like Marvel is banking on the movie being a massive hit.
Given the issues it’s faced recently, Marvel could really do with Deadpool 3 being a multi-billion dollar hit to get the MCU back on track. Outside of that and rumors that it’ll set up events leading into the next two Avengers films, though, nobody truly knows how Deadpool 3 will influence the MCU’s future.
For more Marvel-based coverage, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Alternatively, see which MCU TV shows and films made it onto our best Disney Plus shows and best Disney Plus movies lists.
