Deadpool 3 Set Images Reveal A Wolverine Versus Wade Brawl And A Big Meta Touch
Filming is well underway on "Deadpool 3" after years of waiting for Wade Wilson's next big screen adventure. Ryan Reynolds is back in the saddle as the Merc With a Mouth but, perhaps more importantly, so is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine for the first time since 2017's "Logan." While much remains mysterious about the cinematic adventure these two will be going on, some new set photos have revealed that the duo will be having one heck of a brawl in the film.
We recently got a look at the first official photo from the film, which confirmed that Wolverine will finally wear his yellow costume. Now, some recent set photos have surfaced online that show the fan-favorite mutant duking it out with Deadpool. The image we have here, which you can see up above, shows Wade getting the best of Wolverine, with Jackman yelping out in pain. But that's really just the tip of the iceberg, as it looks like this is going to be part of a pretty big action sequence.
Other photos that were taken during filming in the U.K. seemingly from the same sequence show off some tricky wire work, more of the dusty landscape, and more blows being exchanged between these two beloved characters. But more has been revealed as of late that suggests the meta nature of this installment in the franchise will take things to a new level.
Deadpool is going to take on the Marvel multiverse as only Deadpool can.
Deadpool 3 is going meta
From this point on, we are going to get into what could be perceived as spoiler territory, even though much of it is speculative. That having been said, anyone who wants to go into "Deadpool 3" as clean as possible should turn back now. Anyone else who is game for a bit of speculation and mild spoilers can proceed.
Another very intriguing set photo depicts a crumbling version of the 20th Century Fox logo. This seems to indicate that the sequel will directly address Disney's acquisition of Fox, the studio that produced all of the "X-Men" movies for nearly 20 years. And we also learned that Jackman's Wolverine isn't the only character from Marvel's past who will be getting in on the fun. It has been confirmed that Jennifer Garner will return as Elektra in the film, having appeared in 2003's "Daredevil" as well as a solo film nearly 20 years ago. It's a surprising but telling bit of casting info, particularly when coupled with these set photos.
This set-up suggests that "Deadpool 3" will lean into the recent trend of multiverse stories from across superhero cinema, as seen in films like "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," and the "Loki" TV series. Of course, the corporate crossover nature of what we see here gives Deadpool a unique edge, and a chance to provide wry commentary on the very nature of multiverse stories like this in the first place.
Why can't we all just get along?
So, the big question here: Why are these two fighting and why can't they just get along?
We know this movie will bring Deadpool into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So why the characters from the past? Well, our best guess is that Deadpool is going to be tasked with killing the Fox Marvel universe to help keep the timeline clean. It could actually serve as a loose adaptation of 2011's "Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe" comics storyline. The plot doesn't need much explaining, as the title truly says it all. And given what we've seen thus far, it seems like director Shawn Levy may well be taking some inspiration from that tale. Buckle up because the fourth wall is probably going to be completely shattered this time around.
In a more direct way — of course Wade Wilson and Wolverine were going to come to blows! One of them is an ageless warrior with a chip on his shoulder and a lone wolf attitude. The other is... Well, the other is Deadpool. Put these two in the same room and the wrong kind of sparks are bound to fly as their personalities clash right before their weapons connect. There's no universe where these two like each other in the slightest, which means a duel was inevitable. But since both of them count rapid healing among their abilities and simply cannot die easily, this is bound to be a protracted and brutal battle. With a little luck, they'll cut each others' heads off, leaving their severed noggins to continue shouting at each other in lieu of actual combat. Only these two characters could pull that off!
"Deadpool 3" is currently set to hit theaters on May 3, 2024.