Why Does Deadpool & Wolverine Stay Away From Extending MCU Timeline? Explained

As a die-hard Marvel fan with over three decades of comic book collecting under my belt, I must say that Deadpool & Wolverine has been a breath of fresh air in the MCU. The movie has deviated from the traditional formula of setting up future projects and instead focused on delivering an entertaining standalone narrative. This bold move was much-needed after the recent hit-and-miss slate from Marvel Studios, and it’s safe to say that Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine have truly come to the rescue as the MCU’s saviors.


The 2024 lineup of Marvel Studios’ theatrical releases featuring Deadpool and Wolverine has been a box office smash and earned positive reviews from critics. These iconic characters have now entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe following their acquisition by 20th Century Fox. Unlike other Marvel films, which typically link to each other, Shawn Levy’s movie deviated from this traditional formula. Therefore, one may wonder why Deadpool and Wolverine chose a different direction in the MCU.

Quantumania and The Marvels. Despite the underwhelming box office earnings and moderate audience reception for these films, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool emerged as a savior in the MCU, joined by Hugh Jackman’s iconic portrayal of Wolverine.

The film successfully integrated Deadpool and Wolverine, but it doesn’t lay the groundwork for any other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, not even a possible fourth Deadpool movie. Instead, the post-credit scene was merely an extension of Deadpool’s humorous jab at Chris Evans’ character, Human Torch, and nothing more.

Shawn Levy, the co-writer and director of the film, discussed its blockbuster status with The New York Times. When asked about not hinting at further Marvel Universe developments, Levy explained that the film was designed to have a self-contained story rather than adding to the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. “This principle was fundamental to this movie,” the director stated.

Levy elaborated on the initial dialogue used by Reynolds in the opening sequence, emphasizing its significance since it mirrored their aim: “To be clear, this is a standalone Marvel movie and not a promotional tool for other Marvel films.” Levy also highlighted that maintaining a self-contained narrative was crucial for both him and Reynolds. Fortunately, they had the creative freedom to do so, as Levy noted, “Marvel never interfered with our ideas in any way.”

Even though there’s no immediate plan for another Marvel project involving this character, the movie has certainly sparked a lot of discussion among fans. One question that’s been trending is “Why was Thor crying?” This query has led to numerous fan speculations. To add fuel to the fire, Chris Hemsworth (Thor actor) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool star) have engaged in a humorous back-and-forth on social media, contributing to the excitement around this topic.

Instead of Levy, the creator skillfully crafted a spectacle for Deadpool and Wolverine fans, filled with unexpected appearances by various characters like Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Channing Tatum portraying Gambit, Dafne Keen as X-23, and the amusing cameo of Chris Evans as Human Torch. Additionally, there were numerous references that solidified the Marvel universe’s lore.

For Levy, Deadpool & Wolverine was “built for entertainment” and the movie has lived up to that. It is also worth acknowledging that Jackman’s return was a huge ticket seller.

Deadpool & Wolverine is now showing in theaters.

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2024-08-27 20:09