The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, with new titles arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled when Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson finally joined the shared universe with Deadpool & Wolverine, which broke records at the box office upon its release. Fans are curious about when he'll return to the MCU, with Reynolds teasing a huge change to the Merc with the Mouth. But to be honest, I'm not sure I agree with his assessment.
Deadpool & Wolverine put Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's faux feud on the big screen, to wildly successful results. Bringing them back for upcoming Marvel movies seems inevitable, and in a recent conversation on Sunday Today with Willie Geist, the writer/actor/producer spoke what's coming next, offering:
I have some stuff kind of written. But I don’t think I’m gonna ever center him again. I think he’s a supporting character. He’s a guy who is great in a group.
Interesting. While it's thrilling that Ryan Reynolds has started writing some new material for his signature character, I don't love this change. Wade Wilson has lead a trio of blockbusters, so audiences (myself included) are invested in his story. I personally think taking him out of the spotlight and making him a supporting character in future MCU movies might be a misstep. Sure, he'll crack audiences up, but I'm sure there are plenty of moviegoers that would like to see him centered in a fourth solo movie.
Of course, fans will likely take Reynolds' words and try to guess how Deadpool will be used in future Marvel projects. Is he teasing the hero finally joining the X-Men, or perhaps forming a new version of X-Force? To note, were originally plans for an X-Force movie prior to Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox and its properties.
While it's exciting that Ryan Reynolds is already cooking up ideas for Deadpool, I assume I'm not the only fan who is having mixed feelings about the character not being "centered" in any of his own projects anymore. Yes, I want to see him interact with other heroes in the MCU, but I also think Wade Wilson deserves the spotlight.
Of course, fans are wondering if Reynolds is going to appear in either Avenger: Doomsday or Secret Wars. While he hasn't been officially confirmed for either blockbuster, its multiversal story means just about anything could happen. We'll just have to wait and keep our fingers crossed that Wade Wilson appears sooner rather than later.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list, and the Deadpool trilogy is streaming over on Disney+.
