Is The Marvel Movie Multiverse Dead After Deadpool & Wolverine?

Contains spoilers for "Deadpool & Wolverine"

Some superhero buffs argue that the Marvel Cinematic Universe should have ended after "Avengers: Endgame." After all, the franchise has been hit-and-miss since then, as evidenced by the underwhelming box office returns and mixed reviews. Meanwhile, some fans are growing tired of stories about the Multiverse, so they probably hoped that an anarchistic, fourth-wall-shredding comedy like "Deadpool & Wolverine" would be the grenade that blew up the entire system. Well, the Merc with a Mouth's latest caper doesn't grant that wish, but it does feel like a farewell to the multiversal madness that has been an MCU staple for the past several years.

"Deadpool & Wolverine" sees the eponymous antiheroes — played by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, respectively — set out to stop Emma Corrin's Cassandra Nova from wiping out every world that isn't The Void. They succeed in their mission, and their heroic efforts actually restore life to Deadpool's plane of existence. So, not only is the Multiverse still around — it's healthier than ever.

That said, the Multiverse's naysayers also have reasons to feel cautiously optimistic about the MCU's future. "Deadpool & Wolverine" doesn't shut down the possibility of more movies about cross-dimensional adventures, but it does feel like the end of an era.

While the film is full of gruesome violence and crude jokes, "Deadpool & Wolverine" is, at its core, a heartwarming affair. The story ends with the titular heroes breaking bread, surrounded by friends, and knowing that their home reality isn't going to collapse any time soon. Elsewhere, the Time Variance Authority makes sure Blade (Wesley Snipes), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), and X-23 are removed from The Void and sent back to their own universes. Order has been restored, and everyone has closure.

Of course, "Deadpool & Wolverine" isn't the type of movie to shy away from real-life pop culture commentary. It acknowledges people's frustrations with Marvel's propensity for multiversal storytelling and lambastes the franchise accordingly. The Merc with a Mouth's fourth-wall-breaking jokes frequently take aim at Marvel's post-"Endgame" critical and box office slump, suggesting that the ongoing saga is ready to stop tampering with the Sacred Timeline. Deadpool even says that "The Wizard of Oz" is the only good Multiverse story, which feels like an indictment of the MCU.

It remains to be seen if the Multiverse will truly be put on pause after "Deadpool & Wolverine," as the evidence indicates that it could go either way. The concept is probably too creatively and commercially appealing to ignore completely, but maybe it'll be used more sparingly moving forward. However, with "Doctor Strange 3" rumored to melt Marvel's Multiverse all over again, more dimension-hopping adventures could be in the cards in the near future.