Cover A poster of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (Photo: Instagram / @marvel)
A poster of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (Photo: Instagram / @marvel)
1 / 1
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ brought together the Merc with a Mouth, the worst Wolverine in the multiverse and a barrel of laughs. Colour us delighted!
Deadpool is back, with Wolverine in tow. The latest movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Deadpool & Wolverine, is showing to packed audiences worldwide; and like the previous films in the Deadpool franchise, it’s a gloriously action- and humour-packed watch, mainly because of its foul-mouthed morally ambiguous superhero protagonist Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds.
What sets apart Deadpool its central protagonist’s fourth-wall-breaking ability, through which he shares asides with the audiences directly, poking fun at the MCU, dropping references to other pop culture stuff—like Gossip Girl—and giving a sort of running commentary on the film’s behind-the-scenes operations.
This time, he’s joined by Wolverine—or Logan—played by Hugh Jackman, from the X-Men universe; together the duo sets off on a world-saving mission that offers high-octane action and comedic moments in equal measure. In characteristic style, Deadpool keeps dropping Easter eggs left, right and centre, so we bring you a few that we loved.
20th Century Fox logo in a wasteland
While Disney owns Marvel studios, some of the characters who are now part of the MCU—Deadpool included—were once owned by 20th Century Fox. But when Disney bought 20th Century Fox in 2019, these characters came to be integrated into the MCU. In a nod to this acquisition, in Deadpool & Wolverine, a discarded 20th Century Fox logo can be seen in a space called the Void, a wasteland between the universes where the Time Variance Authority’s manager Paradox sends Deadpool and Wolverine to punish them for defying him.
Henry Cavill as Wolverine
Above Henry Cavill as Wolverine, we like! (Photo: Facebook / Henry Cavill))
Henry Cavill as Wolverine, we like! (Photo: Facebook / Henry Cavill))
1 / 1
When Deadpool searches for an acceptable Logan or Wolverine variant in the multiverse with whom he can team up, he comes across various alternative Wolverines, such as a short Wolverine, an Old Man Logan, a Wolverine on a cross (which is a reference to a cover of The Uncanny X-Men, published in November 1989) and a Wolverine played by Henry Cavill. Cavill’s Wolverine is most likely a wink to all those fans who had been hoping Cavill—who famously played Superman in DC Universe—would be roped into the MCU instead. Maybe it’s a glimpse into a bigger role in the future? We will be holding our breath.
Blake Lively as Ladypool
In an especially funny moment in Deadpool & Wolverine, a plethora of Deadpools from different universes land on Deadpool’s home world, and one of them is the blonde and masked Ladypool, whose voice is that of Blake Lively, Reynolds’ wife. Not only that, his two children make an appearance too, with Inez Reynolds as the voice of Kidpool and Olin Reynolds as the voice of Babypool. Adorable!
Doctor Strange’s sling ring
In the Void, Deadpool and Wolverine have to face the erratic supervillain Cassandra Nova (played to pitch perfection by Emma Corrin of The Crown fame) and she decides to help them get back to Deadpool’s original universe by opening a time portal for them using Doctor Strange’s sling ring. She casually mentions she found the ring from a magician she had killed. Audiences can guess that the version of Doctor Strange she refers to is not the Sorcerer Supreme, who is depicted by Benedict Cumberbatch in the Doctor Strange movies, but whoever this erstwhile Doctor Strange might be, it’s lucky they left the sling ring behind them.
Reference to the Avengers
Granted, the reference to the Avengers in Deadpool & Wolverine is less of a hidden Easter egg and more of a recurring theme that runs throughout the storyline. Deadpool wants to join the Avengers; the room where he gives this ‘job’ interview is strewn with Avengers memorabilia such as the prototype of Captain America’s shield, Iron Man’s helmet and more; the Paradox tempts Deadpool with an offer for him to join the ranks of the Avengers; and on a TV screen at the TVA office, where possible futures can be seen playing out, Deadpool can see himself being held by a crying Thor. Possible teaser for an upcoming Avengers movie? We are intrigued.
Repurposing characters and actors
Marvel studios recently announced at the San Diego Comic-Con that Robert Downey Jr, who was thought to have exited the MCU after the death of his character Iron Man, will be re-entering the MCU as Doctor Doom. In a similar vein, in Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel has repurposed characters in cameo roles. Villains from the X-Men universe have been reprised such as Pyro, Sabretooth and Juggernaut. Several superheroes from discarded franchises make an appearance too, such as Elektra, played by Jennifer Garner, from the movie Elektra (2005) and Blade played by Wesley Snipes, from Blade: Trinity (2004). But one of the most delightful cameos is by Chris Evans, who swapped his Captain America armour for the blue suit of Johnny Storm aka Human Torch (a role he previously played in the 2005 movie Fantastic Four). His screen time is short but his expletive-ridden monologue is one of the best comedic moments in the film. If you’re planning to watch Deadpool & Wolverine, we would suggest watching the post-credits scene for some, ahem, stormy content by Johnny Storm.
Suchetana Mukhopadhyay is the Digital Content Manager for Tatler Hong Kong. In this role, she leads all digital editorial and branded content on Tatler Hong Kong’s website, from brainstorming story ideas with the writers to editing and publishing the articles, and from managing the overall content flow to driving search engine optimisation. She also leads the beauty content at Tatler Hong Kong and across the region, and is always looking to champion diversity through her articles. She was previously with Cedar Hong Kong and Gafencu, and freelanced for the South China Morning Post, Campaign Asia-Pacific, CNN and more. Contact her here.
