There's a lot at stake in Deadpool and Wolverine. Not just Wade Wilson's timeline – which finds itself on course for extinction – but also, on a meta-level, the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself, which has a hell of a lot riding on this one. This is the only theatrical release for the ongoing series this year. The cinema-conquering mega-franchise was unstoppable for more than a decade, minting billion-dollar franchises with what looked like ease, and culminating an unprecedentedly massive storytelling experiment with Avengers: Endgame, the second highest-grossing film of all time (and briefly holding the top spot before being nudged down by an Avatar re-release).
But following the culmination of the Infinity Saga, the MCU hasn't maintained that enviable hit rate. That's not to say there haven't been successes, but critically and commercially there has been a noticeable recent dip, which means Deadpool has more than just those katanas on his shoulders. It's a lot of pressure for a snarky, fourth-wall-breaking superhero outlier, who here appoints himself as the 'Marvel Jesus' of the sacred timeline. But as Deadpool and Wolverine proves, Pool's innate irreverence is ideal for, if not a full reset, a circuit breaker for the franchise. At its best, Deadpool and Wolverine is laugh-out-loud funny, with some killer action and a ton of in-jokes, nods, and cameos. Basically, all you could hope for an MCU movie at this point, even if it's more of a welcome respite than a new start.
