Small Details You Missed In Deadpool & Wolverine
Contains spoilers for "Deadpool & Wolverine"
In "Deadpool & Wolverine," the title characters — played respectively by Ryan Reynolds and, making his first appearance in the role in seven years, Hugh Jackman — are thrust together into a multiversal adventure in which Deadpool is desperate to save his timeline from being extinguished by an ambitious Time Variance Authority agent named Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen). To do that, Deadpool must find a Wolverine to replace the one in his universe, who has died and whose status as its "anchor being" jeopardizes the existence of all of Deadpool's loved ones.
In classic Deadpool fashion, he finds the worst Wolverine possible, and the two of them land in the Void, the wasteland at the end of time that's ruled by the villainous Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). Also trapped in the Void are characters from Marvel's 20th Century Fox universe — who have been long forgotten and are looking for both redemption and closure. So sit back and prepare yourself to dance to *NSYNC, as we fill you in on small details you might have missed in "Deadpool & Wolverine."
Most of the Wolverines are inspired by the comics
There's a montage early in the film in which Deadpool looks for a living Wolverine from one of the other worlds of the multiverse to help him. Most of these variants aren't willing to help Deadpool, but there are some noteworthy Logans in the bunch that diehard Marvel fans will recognize as references to different iterations of the Wolverine of the comic books — including one played by Henry Cavill.
The first Wolverine variant that Deadpool comes across is a very short version of the character, a reference to the fact that the Logan of the comic books is about 5 feet, 3 inches. While this variant may be a bit too short, it's still more accurate to Wolverine's height in the comics than the Logan that appears in the movies. Hugh Jackman's Logan is comic-accurate for many reasons, but his height is not one of them.
There's also Old Man Logan, who shoots Deadpool with a shotgun he had under his blanket, a Wolverine who is wearing the brown and tan costume from the 1980s while fighting the Hulk, and a Wolverine from the "Age of Apocalypse" storyline with amazing glam-rock-style hair and minus one hand. There's also a crucified variant from the cover of "Uncanny X-Men #251," as well as Patch, Wolverine's gambler alter-ego who wears a white tux and eyepatch. Deadpool of course, chooses none of these as his champion, going instead with the version that let down his world and likes to drink a lot, mainly because that one didn't try to fight with him first.
Juggernaut's power-dampening helmet is from the comics
When Deadpool, Wolverine, and the other heroes they team with in the Void — X-23, Elektra, Gambit, and Blade — head to Cassandra Nova's lair, the goal is to get hold of Juggernaut's power-dampening helmet so that they can use it to cut off Cassandra's psychic powers. Deadpool and Wolverine manage to get to Cassandra, but trouble quickly ensues. First, Cassandra knocks out Deadpool, then gets into Wolverine's mind by using her fingers to claw her way in. It's an uncomfortable experience to say the least, but it keeps Cassandra occupied as Deadpool manages to wake up and surprise her by putting the power-dampening helmet on her head after X-23 hurls it up to him.
Although the helmet belongs to Juggernaut, it also recalls the helmet used in "The Uncanny Avengers: Red Skull." In that comic, Deadpool allows himself to get beaten up by Rogue so he can slip a helmet on her head. The helmet blocks Red Skull's powers, which he has taken from Charles Xavier. Suddenly Rogue's mind is free and she can defeat Red Skull as long as she keeps the headpiece on. While "Deadpool & Wolverine" slightly changes the concept by putting the helmet on Cassandra's head — so she can't hurt anyone with her powers anymore — it still serves largely the same function.
Deadpool's co-creator gets a namecheck
Shortly after they return to Deadpool's universe, Wade and Logan battle an army of Deadpool variants in front of a store called Liefeld's Just Feet (it ends up getting demolished). This may not seem like a big deal, but in this case the store has special meaning: it's poking fun at Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld (who recently retired from writing and drawing new Deadpool stories) and his apparent inability to draw feet.
This joke didn't start with the "Deadpool" movies, though this is the second time Reynolds has referenced it (the first was in "Deadpool 2"). Though Liefeld has shown feet in his comics, he seems to avoid them a lot of the time, and therefore, people started joking that he couldn't draw feet. That doesn't mean Liefeld holds any hard feelings about it, though. In fact, Liefeld posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he approved of the movie making fun of him months ago. "Being poked at by the premiere funny man/mega-star of his age is an absolute honor! Make no doubt that this is a thrill and an honor," Liefeld wrote above a photo of the store in question. Clearly he enjoys these moments of comedy as much as we do.
A bus ad features a picture of Stan Lee
During Deadpool and Wolverine's fight with the Deadpool variants, the battle leaps from the street onto a city bus. Those paying attention to the ads on the side of the bus might have noticed one for a Stanley Steamer laundry service that has the honor of serving as a cameo for Stan Lee (it's his face plastered on the ad).
As you might know, until his death in 2018, Stan Lee made cameos in almost all the Marvel movies, including "Deadpool." In the first "Deadpool" movie in 2016, he plays an MC at a strip club, while in 2018's "Deadpool 2," he's depicted in graffiti as Domino is flying through the air. "Deadpool & Wolverine" continues that tradition, even though Lee is no longer with us, by having his photo appear in the Stanley Steamer ad. It's an amusing and sweet-natured way for Marvel Studios to continue honoring one of the major creators behind the entire Marvel universe.
X-23 gets shady before the big fight
There are some stupendous moments of heroes suiting up in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but the only person that might look even cooler than Hugh Jackman in that lemon-colored cowl is the next generation of Weapon X sticking on some shades before a fight. Among the plethora of super-powered players making their way through a checklist for fans to geek out on, one instance sees X-23 (Dafne Keen) don a pair of shades right before her claws get popped.
Now in this barren wasteland that's littered with all kinds of junk, a pair of pink flowery glasses might just be something else to add to the pile. Diehard fans of Wolverine's adventures, however, will remember these are the very same sunglasses that she wore during her last encounter with the adamantium-laced Canadian in "Logan." In a movie rife with references, this is another detail that's less of a throwaway moment and one carefully placed amidst the chaos of knuckle-knives, blades, and Ryan Reynolds-dispensed F-bombs. While there's no confirmation if this X-23 is the one from the last movie, it doesn't matter too much. It's a lovely little bit of care applied to Keen's character that proves just how important she was in this 24-year-old franchise, and hopefully we could see more of her in the future if X-23 ever returns. Right or wrong, it's a brand, after all.
Deadpool & Wolverine are The Greatest Showmen
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for (woah). Buried in the adamantium bones of this movie, there's a moment you can't ignore (woa — okay, we'll stop). As our two ferocious fellas slice and dice seven bells out of each other inside a Honda, their scuffle sees Logan pressed up against the radio, only to hear a brief snippet of "The Greatest Show," the opening song from Jackman's beloved movie musical of the same name. Coincidentally, that film also starred MCU alumni Zendaya, which will probably blow Wade's mind if he ever does meet MJ.
It shouldn't be a surprise that the longtime comic book movie legend is poking fun at himself for everything outside the world of Wolverine, and this is just another listen-or-you'll-miss-it moment to join the rest. Now admittedly, while the filmmakers might've missed a trick by not making Deadpool serenade a stern-faced Logan with "This Is Me," we can't have everything. Instead, we'll just have to settle for two iconic comic book heroes trying to kill each other to the tune of "You're the One That I Want." There's a sentence we never thought we'd write.
A tour of the Void is a trip through Marvel movie history
Given that the Void is a garbage dump of just about any and everything, it also acts like a treasure trove for both MCU and 20th Century Fox Marvel movies alike. Even the 20th Century Fox logo has been dumped to crumble and fall apart (which we've already seen in the trailer along with a few other decaying Easter eggs). There's Red Skull's Hydra car from "Captain America: The First Avenger," the cupcake truck Steven Grant aka Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) commandeers in "Moon Knight," as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy's former ride, the Milano. Also, while it might not line up with the design of the previous iterations of the "Fantastic Four," the Fantasticar does hover in, ridden by Cassandra Nova's cronies.
There's no limit to the scale of some Marvel relics, either. Besides a decaying giant Ant-Man being used as a lair, there's also a Chitauri Leviathan seen in the sand looking a little worse for wear, as well as what may or may not be a SHIELD Helicarrier, depending on if it came from the Deadpool movie or the MCU. As for the X-side of things, there's also a huge chunk of the Golden Gate Bridge slap bang in the middle of the Void, which was last seen hovering through the air courtesy of Ian McKellen's Magneto in "X-Men: The Last Stand." Besides all of this comic book goodness though, there's an extra special nod from one buddy movie to another, because in between all the madness is the burnt out car from "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," starring one of Reynolds' absolute heroes, comedy icon John Candy.
A Happy tour of the office
After an exceptional bit of dance choreography and the desecration of a hero, "Deadpool & Wolverine" flashes back to Wade in the office of Stark Industries top dog and absolutely-not-chauffeur Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau). From here, Wade is trying his best to get in with the Avengers and prove himself worthy of the title but is politely shot down by Hogan, who assures him he needs something to fight for and not to just be in it for the cred. While it might take a while for this lesson to sink in, audiences might be busy spotting some of the important paraphernalia spread around the room.
Most of the items on show are understandably Stark-related. Working through the franchise, there's Pepper's gift to Tony proving that he did have a heart after all, along with the MK II shiny silver bit of headgear sat behind Wade's potential employer. On Wade's side of the desk, we can also spot the toy helmet worn by who we now know to be young Peter Parker, who tried his hand at heroism in "Iron Man 2." There's also a photo of the late, great, iron-plated hero himself along with Tom Holland's Peter Parker.
Let's not ignore the Cap collectibles present, either. Besides the silver helmet, Happy also has behind him a collection of Captain America trading cards just like the ones that were stained with Agent Coulson's (Clark Gregg) blood in "The Avengers." Then during the wide shot of both characters on-screen, an early prototype of Steve's shield can be seen resting on the cabinet.
Nova has a Strange selection of items
After seeing Wade and Logan leap through a portal in the trailer, we knew that there were going to be some items connected to the mystic arts making an appearance in "Deadpool & Wolverine" and they turn out to be in Cassandra Nova's possession. Firstly, that getaway is opened by a sling ring worn by Xavier's maniacal twin, which we know can only be worn by very gifted figures (and fingers) in magic like the current Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong). However, judging by the important bit of attire stretched out elsewhere in Nova's throne room, it wasn't a Wong variant she defeated, just another Strange.
Hanging in the back of this hell hole, you can get a glimpse of the Cloak of Levitation worn by Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) ever since his debut in 2016. This confirms that "the magician" she previously defeated during her time in the Void was the one with facial hair as good as Tony Stark. The good news, at least, is that thanks to "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," we know that there are plenty of other Stephen's out there and that Nova didn't get our personal favorite.
There are multiple references to actors' divorces
Deadpool is known for his signature snarky humor that doesn't always hit above the belt. He frequently goes for the jugular in "Deadpool & Wolverine," and he isn't even afraid to make fun of Disney, his new corporate master. But while making fun of a faceless company is one thing, there are a couple jokes sprinkled throughout the movie referencing actors' real-life divorces that may sting a little harder.
At one point, Deadpool offers this tease toward Wolverine: "He's usually shirtless, but he's let himself go since the divorce." While Wolverine has had plenty of lovers in Marvel Comics, this is referencing Hugh Jackman actually divorcing his wife, Deborra-lee Jackman, which was announced to the public in September 2023. The pair was married for 27 years, so it's pretty amazing Jackman would be cool with such a joke, especially since one might imagine the wound would still be fresh. Besides, as we see later in the film when Wolverine does go shirtless, Jackman really hasn't let himself go at all ...
The next divorce reference comes when Deadpool meets with other trashed Multiversal Marvel characters, including Elektra (Jennifer Garner). It's brought up that Daredevil, who was played by Garner's ex-husband Ben Affleck in 2003's "Daredevil," has since died. Deadpool offers his condolences, to which Elektra responds that it's fine. No love lost there, it would seem.
Bad blood gets put to rest between Ryan Reynolds and Wesley Snipes
Jennifer Garner's divorce isn't the only real-world celebrity gossip "Deadpool & Wolverine" dabbles in. Blade (Wesley Snipes) is also among the resistance, marking a troubled reunion of sorts between him and Ryan Reynolds, who played Hannibal King in 2004's "Blade: Trinity." Snipes was allegedly notoriously difficult to work with on "Blade: Trinity." For instance, he only communicated with director David S. Goyer through sticky notes signed, "From Blade." This extended to his working relationship with Reynolds, and after the fact, a story materialized of how Reynolds flat-out refused to work with Snipes again.
Clearly, the two were able to make amends to a degree to film their few scenes together in "Deadpool & Wolverine" while poking fun at the reported contentious relationship. After some Deadpool banter, Blade states how he doesn't like the Merc with a Mouth, to which Deadpool responds, "You never did." It's a humorous way to call out the controversy, but after 20 years, maybe it's for the best that the two were able to put any animosity between them to bed to film the latest entry in the MCU.
When rumors emerged that Snipes might return as Blade in "Deadpool & Wolverine," it's natural that some fans were skeptical. But as the Daywalker himself says later in the film, there's only ever going to be one Blade (unless Marvel Studios can finally get its "Blade" reboot off the ground).
Blake Lively gets her flowers
Fans had one thing to say after seeing Lady Deadpool appear in a "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer — that's definitely Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds' wife in real life. Even though Lady Deadpool never unmasks in the movie, she does get a couple of lines, said by none other than Lively. It's a fun cameo that helps turn the flick into a real family affair. However, there's a chance fans may have guessed Lively was the vivacious Deadpool variant based on a cheeky line from earlier.
Nicepool (also played by Reynolds) tells Deadpool and Wolverine to watch out for the Deadpool Corps, especially Lady Deadpool. He even gives her some props by saying how she just had a baby and already got into such great shape, which is evident when she finally appears in the flesh (or red and black suit, as it were). Reynolds and Lively have four children together total, with their most recent being little Olin, who came into the world in February 2023. The fact that the line is said by Reynolds really just drives home what a proud husband and father he is.
While it's great Lady Deadpool and Blake Lively bounced back so quickly, it's important to remember that it's okay for new mothers not to lose all their baby weight immediately. Self-care and overall health come first, but it's nice that Lively got to be brought into the Marvel fold.
Deadpool & Wolverine continues the MCU's Wizard of Oz streak
Deadpool has zero qualms over criticizing the current state of the MCU, even telling Wolverine how he's entering the franchise at a real low point. It doesn't end there, as before the duo take on the Deadpool Corps, Wade Wilson has a big speech about how this whole Multiverse thing the MCU's doing just hasn't been working out. He even references how "The Wizard of Oz" did Multiverse storytelling best, so there's really no point in trying to top it. It may just seem like a fun shoutout, but the MCU's Multiverse Saga is actually riddled with "Wizard of Oz" references.
The trailer for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" features Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," the title being an allusion to Dorothy's story. "Werewolf by Night" ends with "Over the Rainbow" playing just as the Disney+ special goes into color after previously being in black-and-white. Both "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" and "Loki" Season 1 end with the main characters meeting K.E.V.I.N. and He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), respectively, both of whom very much have "man behind the curtain" vibes.
From "Quantumania" to "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," Phases 4 and 5 of the MCU have many examples of characters traveling to new worlds and encountering all-powerful beings controlling reality. The Multiverse Saga probably owes a debt of thanks to "The Wizard of Oz," which is why it repeatedly comes up. The question now is whether "Captain America: Brave New World" will keep the trend going. Drop a house on Red Hulk, Kevin. We dare you.
The Avengers didn't discover shawarma (but did help it)
2012's "The Avengers" has one of the most significant post-credit scenes of all time with the Thanos tease, and it also has one of the funniest when the Avengers are seen hanging out at a shawarma shop. It's a fun callback to Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) saying how they should all get shawarma after the big alien invasion, and "Deadpool & Wolverine" decides to get in on the fun by having the titular duo enjoy some shawarma toward the end of the film. Deadpool jokingly says how the Avengers discovered shawarma, and obviously, that isn't true, but the movie did have an effect on awareness surrounding the delicacy.
"The Avengers" boosted shawarma sales in the United States, with many restaurants and food carts reporting how they saw a sharp increase in people ordering the meal following the movie's release. It goes to show the power of a well-timed joke, and for many, "The Avengers" may have been the first time they had ever heard about shawarma, hence Deadpool's riff. Shawarma has been around for centuries, so it was clearly just something Tony Stark was either curious about or a fan of from time to time and wanted to share with his friends. If a superhero movie is what it takes to get people to step outside their comfort zone and try something new, that's a win as far as we're concerned.
Deadpool & Wolverine pokes fun at the saddest X-Men story
Superhero movies have a tendency to wait until the third act before characters open up about their emotional woes. "Deadpool & Wolverine" makes fun of this trend when the Merc with a Mouth asks Logan to spill the beans on his brutal past about halfway through their adventure. That said, there's more to this scene than ripping on Hollywood tropes, as the X-Men member also makes his most heartbreaking confession late into one of his comic book series.
Wolverine killed the X-Men in Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's "Old Man Logan" saga, but the eponymous antihero comes clean about the horror show in "Wolverine" #70. "Deadpool & Wolverine" mines that series for inspiration, as the X-Men are long wiped out by the time we meet Logan in this universe, and he blames himself for their demise as he walked away from the battle that effectively wiped them out. Basically, Wolverine was a naughty pup, and Deadpool prompted him to talk about it sooner than he would have in the Marvel comics or another superhero flick.
Is Deadpool a fan of AEW's Darby Allin?
Deadpool doesn't mention pro wrestling in his latest cinematic adventure, but he proves that he's a fan through his actions. While trying to escape from the TVA's headquarters to go find them a Wolverine, he performs a backward dive through a portal, and the tricky maneuver looks awfully similar to AEW star Darby Allin's "Coffin Drop" finisher. Sure, the moment can be chalked up as a coincidence, but the fact the Merc with a Mouth lands in a cemetery afterward is very telling. Cemeteries? Coffins? Hello?
It remains to be seen if anyone involved in the creation of "Deadpool & Wolverine" will admit that they're fond of Allin's high-risk in-ring style. That said, pro wrestling and the Merc with a Mouth do have history with each other, as former WCW stars Vampiro, Raven, and Insane Clown Posse were part of a stable called The Deadpool in the late '90s. So in a bizarre way, this sequence — while understated and difficult to prove — is a full-circle moment for the unsung relationship between Deadpool and the world of sports entertainment.
Deadpool and Wolverine have an Armageddon moment
"Deadpool & Wolverine" sees the titular heroes spend most of the movie bickering and trying to butcher each other. However, they put their differences aside when they have to save the world — and they're even willing to sacrifice their lives for each other. What better way to convey that emotion than by paying homage to the most heartbreaking scene from Michael Bay's "Armageddon"?
After seemingly agreeing that Wolverine should sacrifice himself to stop Cassandra Nova from blowing up the Multiverse, Deadpool sneaks up behind his furry cohort and locks him in a protection chamber. This is similar to what Bruce Willis' character does to Ben Affleck's in the 1998 disaster epic, as one of them needs to stay in space to destroy the asteroid that's out to obliterate the Earth.
Fortunately, Wolverine and Deadpool both survive in the end, ensuring that neither of them will ever have to miss a thing. Needless to say, this is a much happier ending than the one we got in "Armageddon."
Some very special dedications
Yes, the credits for superhero movies tend to be exceptionally long. It takes a lot of people to get a spectacle of this magnitude off the ground, but if you stay in your seat the whole way through, you just may encounter some special dedications to those who are sadly no longer with us.
The tragic true life story of Rob Delaney, who plays Peter in "Deadpool & Wolverine," sadly involves the death of his son, Henry Delaney. Henry passed away in 2018 from a brain tumor at just 2 1/2 years old. "Deadpool & Wolverine" is dedicated to Henry's memory.
Another dedication in the credits is for Ray Chan, who died on April 23, 2024, at the age of 56. He worked in various capacities for numerous film productions, including serving as the supervising art director for Marvel movies like "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame." He was a production designer for "Deadpool & Wolverine," and following his passing, Ryan Reynolds shared a statement with Deadline: "He built worlds from scratch — and did so in the most collaborative and inclusive ways. Ray was peerless."
Dogpool holds a special place in Deadpool's heart
While there are a hundred or so Deadpool variants in "Deadpool & Wolverine," none impress Deadpool Prime as much as Mary Puppins, aka Dogpool. When he sees the dog, he immediately falls in love and has some disturbingly intimate exchanges with Dogpool's incredibly long tongue. The name of the dog actor is Peggy, and it's not hyperbole to say she's Britain's Ugliest Dog.
Putting that aside, Deadpool is quite taken with her, and he even goes so far as to call her something special after meeting Nicepool. As Nicepool explains that Dogpool is "90% G-spot and she'll let you know it," Deadpool Prime tells him, "If you can't be a responsible pet owner, then maybe you shouldn't have this little unicorn." When it comes to Deadpool, there's no higher compliment than calling someone or something a unicorn.
Deadpool is obsessed with unicorns, and he even pleasured himself to one in the first "Deadpool" film. Of course, his love of the mythical beasts goes back even further in the comics. There aren't too many books featuring the Merc with a Mouth that don't include unicorn references, and they play a large role in marketing his films. While Dogpool isn't a unicorn, simply referring to her as such is all any fan needs to know that Deadpool absolutely loves her — though not necessarily in a healthy manner.
Nicepool's fourth wall break
One of Deadpool's signature abilities is to break the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience. This comes straight from the comics and has been a part of Deadpool's cinematic journey since he had his head chopped off at the end of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." In that scene, he looks at the camera and makes a shushing sound as he pulls himself back together.
The "Deadpool" trilogy doesn't disappoint when it comes to fourth wall breaks and even includes a scene where Deadpool grabs some camera equipment. But do his many variants share this tendency? The Deadpool Corps consists of around 100 variants in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but only one of them shows that they have the ability to break the fourth wall.
Upon meeting Deadpool Prime and Wolverine again in the third act, Nicepool notices his counterpart's fourth wall break when he refers to himself as "Van Wilder," which is a reference to Reynolds' breakout role in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder." Hearing this, Nicepool says, "I can gently tap the fourth wall too," as he turns to face the camera and says, "The Proposal," referring to another film Reynolds starred in.
The not-so-subtle Back to the Future reference
The MCU famously referenced "Back to the Future" in "Avengers: Endgame" while the heroes discuss time travel. When Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) explains how he thinks time travel works and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) corrects him, Ant-Man looks dejected and says, "So, Back to the Future's a bunch of bulls***?" It's a funny line that establishes the rules of time travel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it's not the only "Back to the Future" reference in the MCU.
In "Deadpool & Wolverine," Deadpool travels the Marvel Multiverse looking for a replacement Logan to take the place of his reality's "anchor being." As he travels through time and space, from one reality to another, a specific song plays in the background. It's "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News." The song begins playing as a multitude of Logan variants introduce Deadpool to their claws.
"The Power of Love" is a prominent fixture of the "Back to the Future" trilogy, and Huey Lewis actually appears in the first film's opening act. As Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) plays an instrumental rendition of "The Power of Love," Lewis stops him mid-song and tells him, "I'm afraid you're just too darn loud." The song appears multiple times throughout the franchise, so Deadpool's multiversal adventure is a perfect place to feature it.
He's Right Behind Me
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gotten a lot of flack in recent years for predictable dialogue and low-effort jokes. One such example of this is the trope of characters saying "He's right behind me, isn't he?" as a bad guy is approaching them. Recently, this was done without irony in "Thor: Love & Thunder," during the final battle between Thor and Gorr's minions. In typical Ryan Reynolds fashion, one line in "Deadpool & Wolverine" is more important than you think, as it references this common criticism.
After Deadpool brings yellow-suited Wolverine back from his timeline to save his universe from Paradox's mercy killing, the wasted Wolverine collapses on the ground as Paradox explains to Deadpool that not only is it too late to save his friends from dying, but the Wolverine he brought back is notoriously the worst Wolverine in the entire multiverse. As Deadpool chews out Paradox, Wolverine wakes up from his unconscious drunken daze, giving Deadpool the perfect opportunity to say "He's right behind me, isn't he?"
This isn't even the first time a "Deadpool" movie has referenced the cliche. In "Deadpool 2," Wade Wilson's threatening rant about what he's gonna do to Cable is interrupted when Cable shows up in his apartment, which Deadpool preempts by saying, "He's right behind you, isn't he?" to Weasel. Hopefully, acknowledging the criticism means Marvel will take extra care in the future to avoid such corny tropes.
Wrexham Is Everywhere
Since the last "Deadpool" movie released in theaters, Ryan Reynolds has been busy, and not just with acting. One of his many side projects involved the purchase of Wrexham AFC, a Welsh football club, which he bought with Rob McElhenney of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fame. The duo's journey of reshaping the down-on-their-luck football team has been documented in the FX series "Welcome to Wrexham," and Reynolds' ownership of the team is referenced numerous times throughout "Deadpool & Wolverine."
For one, McElhenney cameos in the film as a TVA soldier, though fans will probably not notice him, as he's wearing a helmet covering his face. According to McElhenney's Twitter account, his scene may have even been cut from the film, as he wrote to his followers, "I hope you enjoyed [my scene] because the theater I was watching in had mistakenly cut it out. Since I KNOW Ryan wouldn't do me like that, I look forward to catching the movie and my cameo again today!"
Another "Welcome to Wrexham" cameo comes with the Deadpool Corps, as one of the many Deadpool variants has the Welsh national flag painted over his suit. As it turns out, the face behind this Deadpool mask is none other than Wrexham's own Paul Mullin, a forward for the team who was hired following Reynolds and McElhenney's purchase of the football club.
The Balance of Power Changes
Deadpool isn't above mocking the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Marvel's Foxverse, but it's more surprising to see the character make jests about the DC Universe, given the rivalry between the two studios. It's possible their relationship is more friendly nowadays, given that James Gunn has taken over as CEO for DC Studios, after completing his "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy for Marvel in 2023.
Nevertheless, it's not exactly surprising that Deadpool pokes fun at "Black Adam," the DC film that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson claimed was going to change the power hierarchy of the on-screen DC universe. That didn't exactly come to pass, given that "Black Adam" bombed at the box office despite making close to $400 million. When Paradox introduces Deadpool to the Time Variance Authority, Deadpool is entranced enough by the offer to join the MCU's main timeline to parrot Johnson's promise about how the power hierarchy of the DC universe was about to change — although in reality Deadpool's impact on the Sacred Timeline was about as impactful as "Black Adam" was for DC.
The Void Is A Mad Max World
It was no secret when the first trailers for "Deadpool & Wolverine" dropped that the film would be taking its cues from "Mad Max: Fury Road." The timing is pretty fortunate for "Deadpool & Wolverine," given that "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," starring fellow Marvel actor Chris Hemsworth (who also cameos in the movie via archival footage in the TVA), was released in theaters only a few months earlier.
The majority of "Deadpool & Wolverine" takes place in The Void, the wasteland introduced in the "Loki" series on Disney+ as a dumping ground for pruned timelines and individuals, where many of the characters of the 20th Century Fox Marvel films have been sent by the TVA. It's not long before Deadpool and Wolverine end up in The Void, cornered by the henchmen of Cassandra Nova, who ride vehicles that clearly seem inspired by the "Mad Max" franchise.
Deadpool even acknowledges this similarity between The Void and the "Mad Max" universe, while also mentioning that it's different enough to not be IP infringement. Later, after Wolverine makes quick work of Sabretooth, played by Tyler Mane from the first "X-Men" movie, Deadpool picks up Sabretooth's head and jokingly booms, "Behold! The head of your precious queen, Furiosa!"
Reynolds' Children Play Deadpools
Among the many members of the Deadpool Corps are two less adult versions of the character, Kidpool and Babypool. Kidpool in particularly has had a long history in the comics, as a variant of Wade Wilson who attends Professor Xavier's Orphanage for Troubled Boys. The characters don't get a lot of screen time, but as it turns out, they were quite important to Ryan Reynolds. Kidpool is played by his daughter Inez, who Blake Lively gave birth to in 2016, while Babypool is the newest member of the Reynolds family, Olin Reynolds, who was born in 2023.
Considering that Lively also appears in the same sequence as Lady Deadpool, the Deadpool Corps turned out to be a family affair for Ryan Reynolds. It also marks the first time his kids have shown up on screen in one of his movies, and Reynolds properly thanked them at the film's premiere, saying, "I hope that, if I'm lucky, this moment will be the most traumatic thing — that is, the contents of this movie — that happens in your wondrous life," (via The LA Times).
By this point, Reynolds and Lively's children are quite used to international attention, since their godmother Taylor Swift name-checked them in her song "Betty" in 2020. Hopefully, Inez's portrayal of Kidpool means that the father-daughter duo can share some screen time together in a future "Deadpool" movie, with the possibility of another Reynolds family reunion on screen.
Other Faceless Cameos
There are plenty of recognizable celebrity cameos in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but some of them are a little more subtle. While fans of the Reynolds family might easily recognize Blake Lively's voice behind the mask of Lady Deadpool, they might miss a few of the other faceless cameos in the Deadpool Corps. Most notably, Matthew McConaughey contributes the voice for Cowboy Deadpool, which marks the iconic actor's first appearance in the MCU after he turned down the role of Ego in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." McConaughey has also been on record saying he wants to play the Incredible Hulk, which seems like a missed opportunity to have had him bring to life the character, who fights Wolverine early in the film.
Another Deadpool variant is Headpool, the zombified disembodied head of Wade Wilson who made his comic debut in 2006. This version of Deadpool is voiced by Nathan Fillion, who unlike McConaughey is not a newcomer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fillion previously cameoed in both "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," and has also appeared in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad." Although Headpool's appearance in the film is very brief, the character is memorable enough to get a popcorn bucket from AMC Theatres. Other Deadpools that appear in the Deadpool Corps scene don't have many lines, but reference comic characters like Deadpool 2099, Zenpool, and Ronin-pool.
Special Thanks To...
Movies like "Deadpool & Wolverine" are about much more than the people on-screen and behind the camera. However, the film's "Special Thanks" section at the end of the credits saves a few spots for some hilarious references. One example is "Truthful Timmy, the Blowjob Queen of Saskatoon," which is a reference to something Deadpool says earlier in the film when Wolverine calls him out for lying about the TVA's ability to fix Logan's universe, saying "They call me 'The Merc with the Mouth.' They don't call me 'Truthful Timmy, the Blowjob Queen of Saskatoon.'"
For the job of "Hugh Jackman Wrangler," special thanks is given to Betty Reynolds, daughter of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. Reynolds expanded on just what Hugh Jackman wrangling looks like at the film's premiere, telling People that Betty, "sort of loves Hugh, like unconditionally ... And she expresses that love through unblinking violence." It seems that "Hugh Jackman Wrangler" might actually be a much more dangerous job than it would seem at first glance.
Other names listed in the Special Thanks section include Stan Lee's daughter, JC Lee, as well as the various comic book creators of both Deadpool and Wolverine.
Henry Cavill joins the opposing team
While most of the variant Wolverines are references to various Marvel comics, the "Cavillrine" — the Wolverine played by Henry Cavill — serves to poke fun at Marvel's biggest competition in the superhero space. Upon meeting this variant, Deadpool tries to convince him to join a team-up by saying, "We'll treat you so much better than those a**holes down the street" — a clear dig at Warner Bros.' DC movies.
Cavill famously played Superman in "Man of Steel" and its controversial sequels, "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Justice League." After director Zack Snyder parted ways with the studio, WB wavered on where Superman fit into their continuing DC Extended Universe until Cavill returned for a cameo in the credits of "Black Adam." The box office disappointment of the film, however, ultimately led to WB scrapping the DCEU in favor of a reboot — and while some DCEU actors were invited back for the new James Gunn-led cinematic universe, Henry Cavill wasn't among them.
Thor's cameo comes from a previous MCU movie
On the screens at the TVA, Deadpool witnesses what he believes could be his "Marvel Jesus" moment: A scene of Thor sadly cradling his body as he lays dying. Those going into "Deadpool & Wolverine" with the expectation that this movie will make a huge impact on the MCU (as hyped, possibly trollingly, by Kevin Feige) might initially see this as a tease for a future movie ... until they realize that this is just an edit of a scene from an older movie.
Chris Hemsworth shot no new footage for his "Deadpool & Wolverine" cameo. Instead, all the footage is repurposed from Loki's "death" scene in "Thor: The Dark World," but with Deadpool edited in over Loki. For a movie widely considered one of the MCU's weaker efforts, "Thor: The Dark World" sure gets referenced a lot — it turns up in "Avengers: Endgame," the "Loki" Disney+ series, and now in this little gag.
The NSYNC needledrop was foretold years ago
"Deadpool & Wolverine" begins with a delightfully gory opening credits sequence, where the Merc With a Mouth uses Wolverine's Adamantium skeleton to slaughter a team of TVA agents to the tune of the NSYNC hit "Bye Bye Bye." It's the first of many ironic pop needle-drops in the film, but you might not realize that its inclusion was all but promised in the marketing for the previous "Deadpool" movie.
At the end of the music video for "Ashes," the "Deadpool 2" opening credits song by Céline Dion, Deadpool applauds Dion's performance before telling her it's too good for "Deadpool 2" and she needs to tone it down from "an 11" to "a 5, 5 1/2 tops." When Dion refuses to do the song over, telling "Spider-Man" to beat it, Deadpool responds by saying, "God, I should have asked NSYNC." Sure enough, they brought NSYNC in for "Deadpool & Wolverine."
Some Stray Kids on the soundtrack
Fans of the Korean pop group Stray Kids were likely excited to hear the band's voices while watching "Deadpool and Wolverine." Their new single "Slash" was written for the film's soundtrack after Ryan Reynolds fell in love with their work several years ago.
On a musical competition show called "Kingdom: Legendary War" back in 2021, they opened one of their live performances by having band member Felix recreate the start of the opening action sequence from the original "Deadpool" film. Mimicking Reynolds dangling his legs off of an overpass, Felix breaks the fourth wall and jokes around with the audience, before sliding off his perch into a crowd of dancers. Reynolds saw the performance and reached out, developing an online friendship with some of the group's members and at one point toying with the idea of giving them all on-screen cameos in "Deadpool and Wolverine."
"The initial plan was to have them appear in the film," he shared during a press conference (via Teen Vogue). "But ... with the strike happening in the middle [of production] and so many other issues it just became logistically impossible." The sheer size of the group was also apparently an anxiety, with the star adding, "I'll never forget the look on our line producer's face when I said that there are eight of them."
Hugh Jackman is joining at a low point
The "Deadpool" movies have never been particularly precious about the targets of their irreverent humor. The fourth wall-breaking Merc with a Mouth is known for being as brutal with insults as he is with his knives and guns, so when fans learned he'd be joining the MCU, many were curious how this dynamic would evolve. After all, Marvel Studios is owned by the Walt Disney Company, a brand so protective of itself it was hard to imagine how any of his usually crass humor would escape through new censors.
As it turns out, however, Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy still didn't have to hold back much when it came to their jokes, going so far as to acknowledge and openly mock the current critical rut the MCU is in right now. When Hugh Jackman's new Wolverine variant stirs from his drunken stupor in the TVA headquarters, Wade welcomes him to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — but snarks that they're both "joining at a low point." While one could read this line as Deadpool referencing the moral "low point" of his universe being destroyed, it seems more fitting that he's giving the audience a knowing wink about what joining the MCU means now versus what it might've meant back in 2019.