'Deadpool 3' Will Be Part Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Confirms Kevin Feige

We've heard some variation of Deadpool 3 still being rated R and being in development at Marvel Studios over the years, but there's still always a patina of disbelief to the idea that the Merc with a Mouth and his bloody, bloody antics could make his way to the family-friendly Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Marvel chief Kevin Feige is here to confirm: Deadpool 3 will be a part of the MCU.

In an interview with Collider ahead of the Disney+ debut of WandaVision, Feige confirmed that the R-rated Deadpool 3 will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — once it finally begins filming. Screenwriting duo Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin and Wendy Molyneux are currently hard at work on the script with Reynolds overseeing, but Deadpool 3 likely won't begin production until 2022 at the earliest, Feige said:

"It will be rated R and we are working on a script right now, and Ryan's overseeing a script right now... It will not be [filming] this year. Ryan is a very busy, very successful actor. We've got a number of things we've already announced that we now have to make, but it's exciting for it to have begun. Again, a very different type of character in the MCU, and Ryan is a force of nature, which is just awesome to see him bring that character to life."

This is our first concrete confirmation that the Deadpool character, as played by Reynolds, will be part of the MCU, as opposed to the 20th Century Fox Marvel universe that housed the X-Men-related properties. But the fourth wall-breaking Deadpool has always been somewhat adjacent to the X-Men universe, interacting with the characters of those films purely on a metatextual level (and for the sake of countless Hugh Jackman heartthrob jokes). So Deadpool may very well slide in nicely to the MCU, and potentially provide a launch pad for the X-Men to be introduced into the Marvel universe.

But we likely won't see this happen until 2023 at the earliest. As Feige said, Reynolds is a busy guy and won't be able to start filming Deadpool 3 until at least 2022, and Marvel Studios is pretty booked for the next couple MCU films, including the currently-shooting Thor: Love and Thunder and Spider-Man 3, and upcoming productions like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Black Panther 2, and Captain Marvel 2. The Merc with a Mouth may have to hold his tongue for a few more years.