The irreverent and iconic “Merc with a Mouth” has finally made his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut alongside another fan-favorite mutant. The first trailer for the highly-anticipated Deadpool threequel (now titled Deadpool & Wolverine) premiered during Super Bowl LVIII, giving eager fans a taste of the chaos, fourth-wall breaks, innuendos, bloodshed and cameos to come when the unconventional superhero team hits theaters this summer.
Picking up after the events of Deadpool 2, the trailer opens on Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) unexpectedly getting snatched away from his own surprise birthday party by a familiar fascist organization—the Time Variance Authority (TVA) from the Disney+ series Loki.
Echoing that show’s reality-warping plot, the TVA agents inform a tortured Deadpool that with the rise of multiversal madness, he must “save the timeline” and by extension, the Marvel Cinematic multiverse itself.
How exactly Deadpool factors into the MCU’s broader mythology remains a mystery. But fans receive clarification on one highly-anticipated casting rumor: Hugh Jackman will indeed reprise his iconic role as Wolverine despite hanging up his adamantium claws with 2017’s Logan. The trailer concludes with Jackman going full-berserker rage on some thugs, bloodily slicing and dicing them with those infamous claws.
Slated for theatrical release on July 26, 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine sees Shawn Levy (Free Guy, Stranger Things) in the director’s chair, taking over for previous Deadpool director Tim Miller.
Series screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick return alongside newcomer Liz Feldman to pen the merc with a mouth’s hilarious and heartfelt misadventures. The star-studded cast boasts return appearances from Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) and the addition of MCU alum Jennifer Garner as Elektra.
Reynolds and Jackman’s dynamic promises to steal the show, with fans hoping Wolverine’s inclusion signals the eventual debut of the X-Men in the MCU. For now, details remain tightly under wraps. But if this initial trailer is any indication, Deadpool’s MCU arrival will unleash the same signature mix of meta humor, irreverence and emotional punch that made his first two outings smash hits.
Strap in for the madness when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters July 26 as part of Marvel Studios’ Phase 5.
