2024 is an exciting year for comic book movie fans, as it will have the most significant crossover between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Fox’s X-Men franchise yet. Audiences saw Professor X in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Beast in 2023’s The Marvels, but Deadpool 3 will be the first MCU movie with X-Men franchise characters in starring roles.
Ryan Reynolds is reprising his role as the eponymous Wade Wilson, having previously played the character in Fox’s brilliant Deadpool and Deadpool 2 in 2016 and 2018, respectively. He’ll be joined by Hugh Jackman’s legendary Wolverine, who was, of course, the flagship character of the X-Men movie universe.
The first two Deadpool films were excellent, but if Marvel Studios execute Deadpool 3 correctly, the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe offering could put them to shame. Let’s look at six ways that could be achieved.
With Less Cultural References
There’s nothing wrong with a movie having references from popular culture. They’re fun to spot and allow audiences to relate to the films more. However, the vast number of pop culture references in Deadpool 2 became tiresome. 1985’s The Goonies, 1993’s Jurassic Park, and 2011’s Green Lantern were among the many movies referenced in the film. In fact, in one scene, when Wade Wilson is wearing Chunk’s shirt from The Goonies, he uncrosses his legs in a reference to 1992’s Basic Instinct. It was reference overload – and the fact the joke had to be explained suggests the film didn’t know its audience very well, which was further apparent given how the movies referenced came from so many different generations. Deadpool 3 needs to reduce these references to improve on its predecessor, as they’re too much.
With Better And More Original Jokes
Deadpool 2 was undoubtedly funny, but it was essentially a rehashing and parody of its predecessor, Deadpool, and its overreliance on the above-mentioned cultural references for laughs wore thin very quickly. Some of the jokes were also overly crass. Although Deadpool can be crass, a constant need for crassness can cheapen any film. Some gags also lasted too long – Deadpool’s slow “death” scene, in which he kept coming back to life, went on for what felt like forever, for example. Making the jokes snappier, more original, and less juvenile (albeit with some pure childishness and silliness mixed in) will help the MCU’s Deadpool 3 massively improve on its predecessor.
With Bigger Stakes
Deadpool’s movies have been great so far, but the broader impact of the film’s events on the world around the eponymous character hasn’t been huge. In Deadpool 3, the fate of the entire multiverse could depend on Deadpool and Wolverine succeeding in whatever multiversal mission they’re tasked with completing. That higher stake will make Deadpool 3 even more compelling, ensuring audiences sit on the edge of their seats. The idea of multiple universes relying on the joker that is Wade Wilson to continue existing is funny, so it’s sure to be entertaining, and that level of peril will magnify every aspect of the movie, making it a bigger and better movie-watching experience than the films that came before it.
With Shawn Levy’s Direction
Tim Miller directed Deadpool, and David Leitch directed Deadpool 2. Both men did fantastic jobs, but it’s fair to say Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy is a far more accomplished filmmaker. Deadpool was Miller’s directorial debut, and Leitch had only directed 2017’s Atomic Blonde (and some action scenes in 2014’s John Wick) before overseeing Deadpool 2. Levy brings extensive experience with him to Deadpool 3, having directed 15 movies, including a couple in which he worked with Ryan Reynolds: 2021’s Free Guy and 2022’s The Adam Project. With 2006’s Night at the Museum, 2011’s Real Steel (in which he worked with Hugh Jackman), and 2013’s The Internship also under his belt, his comedy and action chops will serve him well in the MCU.
With An Unlimited Pool Of Characters
Although they had a very different tone from the other movies in the franchise, Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were part of Fox’s X-Men universe. However, the two films didn’t take full advantage of it when regarding cameos. Archive footage of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was used, and James McAvoy’s Professor X, Nicholas Hoult’s Beast, Evan Peters’ Quicksilver, Tye Sheridan’s Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp’s Storm, and Kodi Smit-McPhee’s Nightcrawler made the briefest and most underwhelming of appearances. The multiversal nature of the MCU and Deadpool means characters and concepts from multiple projects in different franchises are fair game to appear. Jennifer Garner’s Elektra and Tyler Mane’s Sabretooth are confirmed, and the potential for others from any Marvel movie or television show in history is endless and could blow the audience’s minds.
With The “Fish-Out-Of-Water” Aspect
Deadpool 3 will follow the eponymous character through the multiverse, where he’ll visit locations and see things and individuals he’s never seen before. Ryan Reynolds is hilarious in the role, so the possibility for rib-tickling reactions and interactions as Deadpool has weird and wonderful new experiences is massive. For example, imagine how he’d react to the Time Variance Authority, the Quantum Realm, magic spells, aliens, Celestials, cosmic beings, robots, gods, talking animal characters, or the multiversal tree depicted in Loki. With all the strange and unfamiliar sights he will see, he will lose his mind in the MCU and beyond, and it will be amusing like never before.
