Ryan Reynolds addressed the swirl of speculation around Avengers: Doomsday while appearing at the Toronto International Film Festival, joking that he has “written [Easter eggs] at home in my PJs” but “hasn’t stepped foot on set,” leaving his potential return as Deadpool unconfirmed. The remark came during interviews for the documentary John Candy: I Like Me, which he produced, after weeks of online guessing sparked by a social media post featuring the Avengers logo.
Conflicting trade reports have circulated about whether Reynolds will appear in the 2026 ensemble, and the actor’s comments did little to settle the question. Marvel has not commented. What is set, however, is the project’s timetable: Avengers: Doomsday is in production and scheduled to open December 18, 2026, with Joe and Anthony Russo directing.
Reynolds’ quip reflects a broader mystery around the cast list for the next Avengers chapter, which is designed to link the Avengers and X-Men storylines. The film features Robert Downey Jr. returning to the Marvel fold as Victor von Doom and includes Channing Tatum’s Gambit, who appeared alongside Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine. The studio has teased additional roles to come, fueling speculation that Deadpool could be woven into the team-up even if Reynolds is not yet ready to confirm it.
At TIFF, conversation frequently drifted back to Reynolds’ long-running habit of tucking tributes and jokes into Deadpool projects, a thread that prompted the Doomsday question in the first place. He acknowledged having ideas for future nods while keeping the focus on the Candy documentary and declining to clarify any on-set involvement. For now, the clearest facts are the release plan and the creative leadership, while casting questions remain in play until the studio or the actor says otherwise.
