The Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently at a stage where just one savior won’t be enough to redeem what Phase Four and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania have systematically dismantled. Of the many superheroic rescues it needs to find its balance again, Deadpool 3 is already seen as the ultimate chess piece in reinstating its old glory. But no matter how optimistic I want to be, it is glaringly obvious that Wade Wilson’s third adventure could do the MCU more harm than good.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 started the repair work which is expected to be continued by The Marvels — yeah, Loki season 2 is also in line, but Jonathan Majors’ controversial presence has already tainted Tom Hiddleston’s godliness. But expecting Deadpool 3 to pick up the train from here and be the next MCU savior? Well, saving MCU is so not one of the mutant superpowers Wade Wilson possesses.
Uh-oh, wait, first for those getting their batons ready…
…I am not saying Ryan Reynolds shouldn’t be in the MCU or that his Deadpool lacks merits. Quite the opposite, actually.
Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were the golden tickets that gave Reynolds’ career the life it needed to let the world know of his exceptional acting prowess, and also established that superhero films don’t have to be PG-rated or super-serious in tone to be a success. And frankly, I can’t even imagine anyone else being the Merc with a Mouth. In fact, since the day I saw Reynolds’ mutant getting shot in the derrière, I have watched all his films — not in hopes to see his tushy get riddled with bullets again, just wanted to clarify.
So, back to why we should probably treat Deadpool 3 with a 0.00000001 fraction of that proverbial grain of salt…
The fabled X-Men MCU debut
No, my concern is how much already hinged on Deadpool 3 long before MCU decided to pitch its hard-earned reputation out the window. It was always going to be the proper entry point for the X-Men and other mutants in the franchise, unless MCU initiates it first, of course (and by that, I don’t mean retconning Kamala’s origin story) But given how the cinematic universe has stacked a high pile of faulty comic book character debuts since Phase Four started, expecting this prior Fox property to fare any better and throw open the Marvel mutant gate with success would be exceeding sensible expectations.
Deadpool in the Multiverse of No Sense
Forget introducing new characters, I am scared of how the MCU is planning to explain how Deadpool and all the other mutants already exist in its universe. My apologies to the Marvel loyalists, but so far the whole multiverse deal hasn’t exactly managed to snag a lot of compliments.
Seeing the way Thor: Love and Thunder brought back Jane Foster in the name of fan service, haphazardly debuted the Eternals who have been around for centuries, and bombed the introduction of its next big bad (with Ant-Man and team landing in the Quantum Realm in the lamest way, possible courtesy of Cassie part-timing as an activist and an out-of-the-blue master engineer), what is stopping MCU from cooking another bonkers plot twist to connect Deadpool to its existing universe? Or worse, tampering with the Merc’s past storyline to stuff him in somehow?
Because the fandom just lost it when Star-Lord said the f-word in the MCU
Then comes the fact that Marvel isn’t exactly god-tier when it comes to delivering R-rated films, and Deadpool thrives on gore and being able to hurl profanities at the speed of lightning. I am sorry, but expecting a franchise that had to celebrate uttering its first “f***” after almost two decades and four Phases to do justice to the Deadpool, for whom saying curse words is like breathing without conscious thought? Well, even Donald Trump stopping his increasingly-unhinged Truth Social rants is looking like a possibility in comparison.
Hugh Jackman
Deadpool 3 has already fallen victim to MCU’s over-indulgence in doing fan service. Yes, just like you all, I was jumping on my couch when Reynolds announced Jackman is breaking his “I will never play Wolverine again” vow. But no matter how much my inner Marvel die-hard loves the idea, she can’t help but notice that the last two films didn’t need to arm themselves with nostalgia or any additional buttering to succeed.
It’s almost like Deadpool 3 knows it needs all the divine intervention it can get to survive the dicey bog that is the current MCU.
And as far as luck is concerned, fate isn’t doing the film any favors either.
Yeah, my points only seem to highlight how the MCU can do Deadpool 3 dirty, but the possible failure of a project that has been predicted to have all the potential of a box-office hit won’t bode well for the franchise either. Or as Wade would say, “Good Deadpool, bad Marvel.”
But while I am finding it hard to harbor shallow hopes for Deadpool’s smooth MCU joining — and “correctly predicting the future” will probably look good on my resume — here’s hoping that savior or not, Deadpool 3 does justice to the wisecracking mercenary and escapes getting MCU-fied in the process. And if rumors are true, it has already taken the first step towards it.
Deadpool 3 is scheduled for release on Nov. 8, 2024.
Published: May 24, 2023 02:02 pm