Netflix’s latest streaming blockbuster The Adam Project features a sneaky Marvel easter egg foreshadowing the big Deadpool 3 news that followed its release. The time-travelling action/adventure movie released online yesterday, marking the second collaboration between star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy following 2021’s Free Guy. It won’t be the last, as the duo will work together again on the aforementioned superhero threequel.
The news that Levy will helm Deadpool 3 came as a surprise to fans, despite the filmmaker and Reynolds teasing this eventuality in the run-up to The Adam Project hitting Netflix. While it’s unclear how long Levy’s been in talks for the gig, it’s ironic that his new movie actually sneaks in an Easter egg referencing his next one. This double Marvel nod is hard to spot, though, so you may well have missed it on first watch.
Towards the end of the film, one shot lingers on a storage bin in Adam’s garage. Its lid is covered in various stickers, including one of Deadpool and another of the Hulk. This is obviously a wink at Reynolds’ famous turn as the Merc with the Mouth, not to mention Mark Ruffalo — who appears opposite Reynolds as Adam’s father — and his portrayal of Bruce Banner. See the easter egg for yourself via the screenshot above.
Honestly, that’s probably as deep as it goes but, given the DP3 news, we can’t help but wonder if it’s a little hint by Levy at what we can expect from his Marvel outing. Could the next Deadpool flick see Wade Wilson face off against the Hulk? It’s actually not as much of a reach as it sounds. Levy and Ruffalo have their own long-running partnership, going back to the Avengers: Endgame actor’s role in 2010’s Date Night. So it’s highly possible he’d want to get him in DP3 as well.
The Adam Project is now streaming on Netflix. Deadpool 3 is in development at Marvel Studios, though a release date has yet to be announced.
