Things We Want To See In Deadpool 3

When it was first announced that Hugh Jackman would be back as Wolverine, it may have brought about the same sense of excitement as when actor Josh Brolin was revealed to be taking on the role of Cable in "Deadpool 2." While his portrayal of the futuristic cyborg warrior was well-received, many might have been disappointed that the film put Cable into the villain role for much of its runtime. We're hoping for "Deadpool 3" that producers won't be tempted to do the same with Wolverine by pitting the Merc with a Mouth against the old Canuckle-head, instead making the film a true team-up.

Given the friendship between actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, we don't suspect that Wolverine will be Deadpool's enemy, though we do expect to see at least one fight scene between the two at some point in the film. Seeing the two blade-wielding mutants with the fastest healing factors slicing and dicing away at one another will surely be a fun sight, but if the film is smart it will dispense with the rivalry quickly and make Wolverine and Deadpool fast friends, reluctant allies, and a hard-hitting duo worthy of Jackman's return.

Whether they adapt a popular storyline from the comics that saw the pair of X-Men join forces, or invent something new for fans to get excited about, a proper team-up that lets us see the actors' impeccable on-screen chemistry might be what we want to see most out of "Deadpool 3."

We probably speak for all fans when we say that if there's one unimportant detail, one superficial element that we selfishly want to see for no other reason than its sheer coolness, it's a comic-accurate costume for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. It's remarkable to think that Jackman appeared as the character for nearly 20 years, but never wore any kind of outfit that even vaguely resembled his traditional comic book costume, and never once donned his iconic winged face mask.

In the most curiously overlooked aspect to the maverick multi-clawed mutant, fans were teased with a possible yellow and black costume in a deleted scene from the 2013 sequel "The Wolverine" that was included on the home release. But audiences missed out on seeing it in action because we never picked up his story from that point, with both "Days of Future Past" and "Logan" taking place at various points across the timeline.

Of course, it would be just like Ryan Reynolds to know this is exactly what audiences want to see and play it for a joke, constantly teasing a costume that never comes. But in the end, putting Wolvie in costume is far too tempting for the notoriously fan-loving Reynolds — and would be too crowd-pleasing a moment — for him not to include it. Though we can't consider this one a lock, we think it's more than likely the filmmakers deliver.

If Ryan Reynolds and writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Rheese are looking to adapt a story from the comics — one that saw Deadpool and Wolverine team up — the answer is clearly "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." Named for the iconic Clint Eastwood spaghetti Western, the 2013 storyline ran in the pages of "Deadpool" #15 through #19. Full of Deadpool's customary humor, it saw Wade Wilson enlist the aid of both Wolverine and Captain America in investigating new information regarding the Weapon X program. 

Though a movie adaptation would likely excise Captain America (or maybe not, now that Deadpool's under the MCU banner), it would be easy enough to substitute the Sentinel of Liberty with a character like Colossus or even Cable. But while the investigation into Weapon X could be compelling, it also could be a little played out, having been a part of multiple "X-Men" films. Instead, what we really love about this story is the spark that sets it off, as a mysterious villain is caught repeatedly stealing Deadpool's organs.

While the Weapon X angle might be a nice idea to get the two heroes together, an organ-theft plot that sees Deadpool call in Wolverine for help seems like just the kind of sickeningly twisted story that Reynolds would enjoy. 

A bit more of a longshot, we'll admit (especially considering the divisive fan reaction to the Disney+ series), but there's been talk that She-Hulk will be making her way to the big screen eventually (per The Direct) — so there's no reason she can't get a head start with an appearance in "Deadpool 3." A longtime fourth-wall breaker, Jennifer Walters' habit of turning to the camera and talking directly to the audience predates "Deadpool" in the comics, and continues to be used to great comic effect in her own series. To see them sharing the screen and arguing over which one is going to get the audience's attention? Well, that's a recipe for comedy gold.

And while some of the silliness in her own series may not have been a hit with audiences wanting a more serious take on the character, her tongue-in-cheek humor would feel right at home in "Deadpool," where a twerk or a "bruh" would not be out of place. Say what you will about the jokes and jabs in "She-Hulk," but there's no reason her series' sense of humor wouldn't work in even a brief team-up with the Merc with a Mouth. Plus, if we do get a Hulk/Wolverine showdown, who better than to break it up than Bruce's cousin, who can mock the overly macho boys for always finding a reason to fight amongst themselves.

Heading into the release of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," many fans were hoping for a parade of former movie guest stars, with dreams of seeing non-MCU heroes like Nicolas Cage's Ghost Rider or Wesley Snipes' Blade back in action across the multiverse. There was even brief talk of new versions of the Avengers, with rumors swirling of Tom Cruise suiting up as Iron Man (gossip that turned out to be entirely made up). 

Ultimately, though, the film limited its guest appearances to the Illuminati in a single key sequence, disappointing many. But if "Deadpool" is truly going to embrace the weirdness of being under the Disney and MCU banners, cameos from heroes from past movie universes would be the perfect card to play. Admittedly we don't want "Deadpool 3" to get bogged down in cameos, but that doesn't mean they can't give them to us in spades while keeping the movie focused on a streamlined story. 

After all, there's no better franchise to utilize one-off appearances from a gaggle of multiverse heroes than this one, where a joke can be played for a laugh before moving on. Not only would a cavalcade of cameos finally fulfill every fan's fantasies, but the opportunity to have Hugh Jackman's Wolverine finally share the screen with the likes of Ioan Gruffudd's Mr. Fantastic — or even Ben Affleck's Daredevil — in single-scene gags might be too tempting to pass up.

Why are we talking about another sequel before "Deadpool 3" even drops? Well, Marvel Studios is known to plan their slates years — even decades — in advance, so there's no reason we can't speculate likewise. In this case, we want to see a tease for a fourth installment in "Deadpool 3," not just because it would be fun, but because many fans are likely assuming that the third entry will be the last, the capper on a stellar trilogy, and we want Marvel to put that to bed right away.

At the end of the day, there's really no reason "Deadpool" needs to conclude after three films, not while Reynolds still loves the character and still has a passion for killing baddies and cracking wise. With Marvel Studios clearly willing to allow "Deadpool" films to continue alongside the MCU, even in an R-rated form, we don't imagine they'd say "three is enough," especially not when they're raking in billions at the box office.

If anything, Jackman's addition to the series could very well reinvigorate Reynolds and Marvel, and get them primed for even more sequels, or spin-offs featuring Domino, Cable, and X-Force. If any of that is in the works, we want to see them say it in a post-credits announcement: "Deadpool will return."

"Surely," you must be thinking, "if Hugh Jackman has broken his vow to never play Wolverine again, he's only doing it for this one special film." And you may be right. It's also true that Jackman probably won't be back as the MCU's own Wolverine, and will stop short of playing the character past the point where Logan died in 2017's swan song "Logan" (spoilers for a movie that's several years old). But we still think there's some fun to be had with Jackman as Wolverine beyond "Deadpool 3," and if he was convinced to return once, he can be convinced to return again ... it just has to be something special.

What could that be? Fan reaction to Wolverine's return seems to suggest that audiences want to see him come back for the epic crossover film in 2025, Marvel's "Secret Wars." An event in the comics that crossed over just about every major Marvel character, the MCU adaptation appears to be setting up a multi-verse version of the story, with the villainous Kang assembling heroes and villains from disparate realities. But the film would be remiss not to include any major mutants.

Considering we may still not have seen a new "X-Men" film by 2025, Jackman returning as Wolverine for that film would help represent the mutant side of Marvel, and provide the perfect cap for his final portrayal of the character. Is this one likely? Probably not. But we won't let that stop us from dreaming.