Deadpool 3 Theory: Vanessa Will Finally Become A Mutant
When "X-Men" was released in 2000, it set a precedent for mutants being very different from the comics. Core dynamics such as Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) hearken back to the source material, but other aspects, such as the "God Loves, Man Kills" arc in "X2: X-Men United," have a more flexible relationship with their inspiration. Decades later, this is still the case in "Deadpool."
In the 2016 film, Wade Wilson's (Ryan Reynolds) motivation is winning back his beloved, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), whose portrayal is quite similar to her comic book counterpart save for one aspect. Because the filmmakers wanted to keep the focus on Deadpool, Vanessa lacks the powers of her shape-shifting counterpart, Copycat.
Now that we're on the third installment of the trilogy, Vanessa could become the mutant she was always meant to be. Aptly named, Copycat can assume the shape of anyone she wants on a genetic level, even possessing the ability to copy fellow mutants' powers. Like fellow shape-shifter Mystique, Copycat also possesses a blue skin tone, in addition to red eyes and white hair. Baccarin may not appear this way in the first two "Deadpool" films, but that can be easily rectified for "Deadpool 3."
How can they retcon Copycat for Deadpool 3?
If there is one Marvel franchise that can be a little more creative with reality, it's "Deadpool." Unlike the strict rules of logic in "Avengers: Endgame," "Deadpool" was built on a foundation of anarchy. Continuity is tenuous at best, especially in the sequel. Though Vanessa's early death motivates all of Wade's actions, she unceremoniously appears in a mid-credits sequence thanks to time travel. It would be no problem, then, for her origin to be changed to one of the mutant persuasion, especially considering she's a shape-shifter.
An easy explanation for Morena Baccarin's Vanessa could be that she is just one of Copycat's many forms Wade didn't know about. Or maybe he did, and the film will just drop in that information without any preamble. Considering this is "Deadpool," however, it's doubtful it will be as straightforward as any of that.
With confirmation that Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine, it doesn't seem like anyone can predict what is to come in the new film. In an interview with ET Canada, Ryan Reynolds gave the distinct impression we will see an entirely new version of the character. "What we pitched [Jackman] was enough of a divergence from the character that he knows and the character that he's left behind that it gives him something completely new to play and something he's really excited to do," he explained. Vanessa could also be different, pushing her closer to her comic origins and into mutant land.