The highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine movie has been making waves with its plethora of superhero cameos. However, one appearance has left fans stunned: Wesley Snipes’ return as Blade.
After almost two decades, the iconic actor was back in form, reliving his most-loved character. The moment was made even more memorable when a 20-year-old reference was made in the movie, reigniting past memories of a feud between Snipes and Ryan Reynolds.
Nostalgia and Easter Eggs: Reunion of the iconic duo
Deadpool & Wolverine is not the first movie to bring the duo of Wesley Snipes and Ryan Reynolds together. Back in 2004, they starred in Blade: Trinity, where Snipes played the titular character while Reynolds was his sidekick, Hannibal King. The movie proved to be a major critical failure, but there were other concerns on set too.
According to Men’s Health magazine, rumors on the set speculated a feud between the lead actors. Supposedly, Snipes disliked his co-actor’s inability to remember dialogue and often berated him. This is when whispers about ‘disharmony’ between the actors began to spread.
Funnily enough, the new Deadpool movie played into this decades-old rumor with a hilarious first-meeting. The first thing Blade says to Deadpool upon meeting him is– I don’t like you, to which the anti-hero smartly replies- Never did. This callback to their supposed feud was captured by old fans, causing a laughter riot.
Marvel fans on social media speculated that the supposed feud might have been exaggerated or even fabricated, with some joking that it was all a setup for this clever reference in the new movie.
Burying the hatchet: between facts and fiction
The Blade actor revealed the real story behind his return in an interview with Screen Off Script (via EW). He also addressed the rumors of his apparent clash with Reynolds.
It started with a text from Ryan Reynolds. I saw a text that said ‘I want to talk to you.’ And I was like, ‘I hate this guy’.
Apparently, it was the Deadpool actor who wanted his long-time co-star to return on screen for his iconic role. Snipes joked about his so-called dislike for Reynolds and then quipped that it was all an elaborate prank.
You know, this is a joke. We’ve been playing this for like two decades. We’ve actually liked each other the whole time!
The senior actor confirmed that their banter was just an act, and they were actually good friends in reality. It was Reynolds who managed to convince both Marvel and Snipes himself to make his cameo in the movie. His return as Blade evoked a lot of nostalgia, and Mahershala Ali was cast as the new vampire hunter for future works.
As fans continue to dissect the Easter eggs and references in the Deadpool & Wolverine movie, one thing is clear- this movie is a love letter to the superhero genre and its dedicated followers. The MCU keeps on expanding, leaving fans to wonder what other surprises are in store.
Deadpool & Wolverine is currently available to watch in nearby theaters.
