Hugh Jackman getting Wolverine-jacked is now a necessity as a new-but-not-so-new ‘Deadpool 3’ character is discovered

Hey, I was not complaining about a ripped Hugh Jackman, even though according to the gazillion “authentic” rumors online he was just expected to go up against Deadpool in Deadpool 3 — only to eventually become best buddies with him (art imitates life?) — face off against one baddy i.e., Emma Corrin’s villain, and meet up with the TVA as well as other heroes.

But now, now Jackman killing it at the gym to be the Wolverine we first met back in Fox’s X-Men films perhaps has a more solid reason than just looking like the mutant of our dreams. 

A new Deadpool variant has been spotted on the sets of the film and given the reigning — and most probable — theory of who he is, chances of Wolverine making it unscathed to the end of the film have gotten slimmer.

This Deadpool variant was spotted by the Daily Mail, which raises three questions:

1. Who is this mysterious Pool variant, since that familiar-looking long hair and top knot was never worn by a Deadpool in the comic books?
   
2. The film’s official trailer is less than a month away and the theatrical release is set to happen in five months. And yet, they are still shooting?
3. When will Marvel decide to put up some walls or something around the sets of Deadpool 3? At this rate, no mystery about the film will remain under wraps.

While addressing the last two queries is Marvel’s problem, the collective Marvel fandom might have already decoded the first one.

Now, Omega Red is a familiar name for hardcore comic book enthusiasts, but even if you just stick to the MCU, the name will ring a bell.

Who is Omega Red in Marvel comics and has he appeared in the MCU?

So, in the comics, Omega Red is a mighty mutant serial killer who essays the role of an all-time Wolverine antagonist. Known for preying on young children and his severe bloodthirst, he ended up being a part of the Russian supersoldier program because of his “death factor” which makes it pretty difficult to kill him. As part of the program, his powers were significantly enhanced, including the addition of retractable Carbonadium tentacles in his arms.

Throughout Marvel comics, he is a regular Wolverine enemy, going up against the mutant with a focused hatred. While he is not a Deadpool variant in the comics, the specific hairstyle of the variant above does suggest that the alternate Merc With a Mouth is a hybrid version of the villain. Perhaps, on the Earth this variant resides in, Wade never managed to escape Ajax’s laboratory and instead of becoming the heroic Deadpool, he was turned into Omega Red. In case making the variant Wade Omega Red is the only switch the studio has made and the bigger points of his history and animosities remain intact, Wolverine will have a lot on his plate.

Oh, and a version of Earth-616’s Omega Red almost appeared in Deadpool 2. 

In the film, when Wade was in the high-security mutant prison, there was supposed to be a scene where Omega Red (played by NFL player Dakoda Shepley) is seen playing chess. But it never made it to the final cut and is now just another “deleted” scene. So, technically, the character doesn’t exist in the MCU as his almost debut during Fox’s reign over Deadpool never made it to the big screen.

So, are we sure that the Deadpool variant seen is Omega Red? Maybe, maybe not, maybe it’s just a variant with a funky hairstyle. Unless Ryan Reynolds comes forward to confirm the same, like he did for Dogpool, checking your calendar to fruitlessly make July 26, 2024, come early is the only option.