Deadpool & Wolverine is the first Deadpool film to be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and the first X-Men film. Knowing the Merc with a Mouth’s propensity for meta-humor, it should come as no surprise that this movie is packed to the brim with cameos.
So, what are the best cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine? Although it would be impossible to rank every single cameo in the film, we have taken note of the major ones, and this is how we think they rank from best to worst:
WARNING: This ranking (obviously) contains MASSIVE spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine, so stop reading now if you don’t want to be spoiled.
7. Jennifer Garner (Elektra Natchios)
Jennifer Garner’s return to the character of Elektra Natchios was widely speculated before the movie premiered, and it ended up being one of the weaker cameos in the film. It shouldn’t come as a surprise — Garner has gone on record talking about how she wasn’t particularly fond of her role as the assassin — so we couldn’t expect an impassioned turn from her.
The best part of Garner’s cameo is a tongue-in-cheek joke about her relationship with Daredevil co-star Ben Affleck. When the team is talking about the members they had lost to Cassandra Nova’s sadistic ways, Daredevil is mentioned, and Garner’s Elektra mentions that she’s not really sorry he’s gone. It’s a solid joke.
6. Dafne Keen (X-23)
Dafne Keen’s cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, reprising her role as X-23 from Logan, was actually already spoiled by the final trailer. That being said, we’re not sure the cameo would have had that much of an impact anyway, even if it hadn’t been spoiled.
In hindsight, Keen’s cameo as X-23 being an emotional catalyst for this variant of Logan’s arc is a bit of a stretch. However, in the moment, it has a pretty effective emotional impact, and Keen’s delivery of her scenes is excellent and fully committed. You have to give her credit for that.
5. Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan)
In one of the film’s most overt connections to the MCU, Jon Favreau returns to his role as Happy Hogan, Tony Stark’s chauffeur-turned-security-head. At this point, fans probably would have been more surprised if Favreau *didn’t* make a cameo, considering that his cameos played such an important role in the Spider-Man movies.
This cameo works similarly to Keen’s because it’s not a particularly humorous appearance. Instead, Favreau’s return as Happy Hogan — rejecting Wade Wilson in an interview to join the Avengers — serves as the emotional crux of the protagonist’s arc. In that way, Favreau’s cameo might be the most “important” in the entire film.
4. Henry Cavill (The “Cavillrine”)
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Henry Cavill’s cameo, which has no emotional impact whatsoever. Cavill plays the “Cavillrine” — a tongue-in-cheek nod to a fan-casting of the Superman actor as Logan.
The cameo is only for a single scene, as part of a montage in which Reynold’s Merc with a Mouth is traveling through the multiverse looking for another Wolverine to replace his universe’s own, but it will leave quite the impact on fans.
3. Wesley Snipes (Blade)
Maybe the most unexpected cameo in the film is Wesley Snipes, reprising his role as the dhampir Blade. It’s awesome to see Snipes wield the daywalkers’ swords again, and while one might think that the feud that happened on the set of Blade: Trinity might have caused him to sour on his role, he was seemingly very game for this appearance.
Snipes delivers what might be one of the best lines in the film, claiming to be the only Blade there will ever be. This joke will undoubtedly have fans rolling with laughter, given the extremely troubled production that the MCU’s Blade — set to star Mahershala Ali — has suffered.
2. Channing Tatum (Gambit)
Another unexpected cameo was Channing Tatum, returning in his role as Gambit from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Tatum played Gambit relatively early in his career, and he has since grown a lot as an actor, but his cameo here is hilarious because it pokes fun at his accent work — one of the main complaints that fans had about his portrayal back in 2009.
At one point, Tatum was supposed to lead a spin-off film as the Cajun superhero. After seeing this cameo… it’s probably a good thing that didn’t happen. But in the context of a meta-humor-filled action comedy like Deadpool & Wolverine, Tatum’s rendition works very well. Gambit also gets some of the coolest action scenes of any of the cameo characters, too.
The BEST Deadpool & Wolverine Cameo: Chris Evans (Johnny Storm/Human Torch)
That being said, the best cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, by far, is Chris Evans, reprising his role as Johnny Storm from the 2000s Fantastic Four movies. At first, it seems as if Evans will be making a cameo as his MCU character Steve Rogers (aka Captain America), but in a hilarious twist, we hear him shout the iconic catchphrase “Flame On!” before transforming into the Human Torch.
That moment is the funniest joke in the film, but it’s not the only great tidbit Evans gets as Johnny Storm. His death sequence is one of the most R-rated moments in the movie. It will probably go down as the single most violent, disturbing image in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can’t argue otherwise — this cameo is the reason for Deadpool to have joined the MCU.
What do you think? What were your favorite cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine? Let us know in the comments below!
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