After more than five years away from the big screen, the Merc with the Mouth is on his way back to theaters. Deadpool is now a proper part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Ryan Reynolds has been hard at work filming the third installment in his highly successful franchise. Following an extended pause in filming due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, Deadpool 3 is back in production.
Deadpool 3 is only a few months away, and we already know plenty about the movie, including major details about the cast, release date, and what the film will look like.
When does Deadpool 3 come out?
Filming for Deadpool 3 began in May 2023 before coming to a halt in July due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. However, it resumed production in November 2023, and it’s now set to meet its July 26, 2024 release date.
Previously, Deadpool 3 had been scheduled for fall 2024 before moving up to May 3, 2024, in June 2023, a month before the actors’ strike began. Finally, in early November, days before the actors’ strike ended, Disney moved Deadpool 3 to its current release date, allowing the team more time to finish the film.
Who is in Deadpool 3?
Ryan Reynolds is obviously coming back as the Merc with a Mouth. In September 2022, Reynolds announced that Hugh Jackman was returning as Wolverine for Deadpool 3, even though that character died in 2017’s Logan. The video caused a stir among fans and immediately cemented the film as one of Marvel’s hottest upcoming movies.
Joining Reynolds and Jackman are The Crown’s Emma Corrin, who will play a major villain highly suspected to be Cassandra Nova, and Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen as a “third wheel” character to Deadpool and Wolverine. Returning actors from the franchise’s previous entries include Morena Baccarin and Stefan Kapicic as Vanessa and the voice of Colossus, respectively, and Brianna Hildebrand and Shioli Kutsuna as Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio respectively. Rob Delaney, who appeared in Deadpool 2 as Peter, X-Force’s only human member, is also set to return.
It was reported in March 2023 that the Time Variance Authority from the MCU Disney+ show Loki would also be featured in Deadpool 3, although the rumor has not been officially confirmed. In July 2023, it was reported that Jennifer Garner would play Elektra again in Deadpool 3, although the actress denied the rumor during interviews for her Netflix movie Family Switch. Leaked set photos from December 2023 hint that the characters Sabretooth and Toad will return for the film, although it’s still unknown if X-Men’s Tyler Maine and Ray Park will return to play them, respectively.
What is Deadpool 3 about?
We still don’t know the plot details about Deadpool 3. The film is meant to be the character’s introduction to the MCU, with writer Rhett Reese describing it as a “fish-out-of-water” situation where they’re dropping “a lunatic into a very sane world.” Fans have long wondered how Reynolds’ wisecracking, vulgar, fourth-wall-breaking mercenary would fit into the MCU, and by the looks of it, Deadpool 3 will have a ball with the possibilities.
Based on leaked photos and cast confirmations, it is safe to assume Deadpool 3 will be a multiverse story. By the looks of it, it seems as though it will effectively work as the closing chapter of the Fox-Marvel universe, allowing the previous iteration of the X-Men one last moment in the spotlight. In early November 2023, Reynolds confirmed that the character Dogpool would appear in the film, solidifying the multiverse theory.
As previously mentioned, the main theory is that Corrin’s villain will be Cassandra Nova, a parasitic life form tied to X-Men leader Charles Xavier. Nova is infamous for being one of the team’s most powerful enemies, making her an ideal antagonist for Deadpool’s third movie.
There’s no official Deadpool 3 trailer yet
Reynolds has provided several updates on the progress of Deadpool 3 on his YouTube channel, but no trailer for the film has been released yet. In an interview with The Wrap during the strikes, director Shawn Levy stated he had worked on editing and the visual effects for half the film. Thus, there should be enough material for a teaser to arrive sometime in January 2024. However, films have been releasing trailers closer and closer to the release date, so we might have to wait until February or even March to get the film’s first official trailer.
How is Logan back? Is this movie set in the MCU?
Logan’s return is still a bit of a mystery, although it seems like Deadpool 3 will be taking a similar angle to Spider-Man: No Way Home in terms of explaining how it will bridge its many universes. Deadpool may simply jump through a portal and find himself interacting with the rest of the Marvel characters we know and love, and he may also find a universe where Wolverine is still alive and kicking, even though he died in Logan. When you have a multiverse, anything is suddenly possible.
Will Deadpool 3 be rated R?
Given that Deadpool will now be a part of the much more family-friendly MCU, many people are naturally wondering whether the movie will maintain the streak of the first two films and retain its R rating. Disney CEO Bob Iger and Marvel head Kevin Feige have both said repeatedly that the film will have an R-rating, which allows for both a higher level of graphic violence and plenty of profanity.
Who is directing Deadpool 3?
While the first two installments in the franchise were directed by Tim Miller and David Leitch, the third installment will be helmed by Shawn Levy, who has already worked with Reynolds on projects like Free Guy and The Adam Project. In an interview with Collider, Levy discussed working on the project, suggesting that the film would be oriented toward an adult audience.
“We are writing, rewriting, developing, prepping ‘Deadpool‘ every day now,” he said. “It is such a blast to laugh every day.” Because the directors reached a settlement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that prevented them from going on strike with the actors and writers, Levy was among the few key Deadpool 3 figures to provide updates throughout the summer of 2023. As previously noted, Levy revealed half the film is edited, while also expressing his enthusiasm for and commitment to the film.
What’s the deal with all the leaks?
As with any high-profile movie, Deadpool 3 has been the subject of numerous leaks from scoopers. From Garner’s return as Elektra to the apparent return of Sabretooth and Toad, plot details about Deadpool 3 keep coming out, much to the cast and crew’s chagrin. Reynolds addressed the issue himself, posting on his Instagram stories a message about how “telephoto lenses continue to spoil surprises and create a difficult situation for everyone.”
Reynolds continued: “Here’s hoping some of the websites and social channels hold back showing images before they’re ready. The film is built for audience joy — and our highest hope is to preserve as much of that magic as possible for the finished film and the big screen. Part of the reason people post spoilers is because they’re excited. I realize these aren’t real-world issues and it’s firmly in the ‘good problems’ bucket.”
It’s highly unlikely the leaks will stop — there’s an entire industry built off them and a highly enthusiastic audience for them. However, perhaps the situation will make the creatives behind Deadpool 3 and at Marvel Studios more attentive to potential spoilers.
Are fans excited for Deadpool 3?
Well, duh! Advanced movie ticket sale site Fandango just named Deadpool 3 the most anticipated movie of 2024. The first two films all did solid business, but Deadpool 3 is shaping up to be the trilogy’s most successful entry — might we dare imagine it could make it to $1 billion? Joker is the only R-rated film to achieve the feat; interestingly, the sequel, Joker: Folie a Deux, is not in Fandango’s Top 10 most anticipated films for next year.
The MCU is currently in shambles, and it needs a win badly. Deadpool 3 is the studio’s only major release in 2024, increasing its chances of scoring big at the box office. Coupled with the supposed cameos parade and a brutally hilarious story, Deadpool 3 might very well be the biggest movie event of 2024.
Editors' Recommendations
- Stranger Things season 5: everything we know so far
- Squid Game: The Challenge: Release date, channel, trailer, and everything we know so far
- Want to know why the MCU stinks lately? We’ll tell you
- Everything we know about Avengers: Secret Wars
- Everything we know so far about Arcane season 2
