This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverinehas arrived in theaters in what is being described by fans as “a love letter to the early Marvel superhero era.” The newest film, which sees Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in a multiverse adventure, sees them cross paths with many heroes from the Marvel Universe, both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and non-MCU properties. As with any MCU film,plenty of Easter Eggsare sprinkled throughout, which is only heightened by Deadpool’s nature as a character who knows he is in a movie.
WhileDeadpool & Wolverinecertainly has plenty of comic book references,the film is primarily focused on highlighting the past era of Marvel films. While these movies, franchises, and characters are not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Deadpool & Wolverinelooks to give them the spotlight as a way to say thank you for building the foundation for which the MCU would stand tall for years. From musical callbacks and jokes about unmade movies and movies yet to come, here are some of the biggest Easter Eggs inDeadpool & Wolverine.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Past Marvel Heroes Return in Deadpool & Wolverine
When Deadpool and Wolverine land in the Void, it becomes apparent to the audience that it is filled with discarded elements from various non-MCU film timelines. The joke here is how all these non-MCU film franchises have been tossed aside, both by 20th Century Fox and Disney’s purchase of the studio in 2019. They discover a band of heroes leading a resistance against Cassandra Nova. These heroes are previous cinematic Marvel heroes and ones that never got the chance to make it to the big screen.
Deadpool & Wolverine Features Many Jokes About Gambit
Channing Tatum was cast as Gambitin 2014 and, for nearly five years, tried to get the film off the ground. The movie went through various directors, and the release date changed. At one point, Tatum even pitched himself as the director to 20th Century Fox, who passed on him as they did not want to hand it to a first-time director. The film was canceled in 2019, and while it did appear that was the end of Tatum’s history with the character, not only doesDeadpool & Wolverineallow him a chance to play the character, but he gets in a lot of good jokes about the never-made movie.
The costume that they put Tatum in is very similar to many photoshops done by Tatum in the Gambit comics. He speaks in a thick cajun accent that Deadpool has trouble understanding. While Blade and Elektra want to return to their homes,Gambit makes a slight comment on how he feels like he was born in the Void,as a reference to his film having been stuck in development hell. Then, when the other heroes talk about going out on a better note, he makes an aside about wanting to show what he had to offer as the only character in the team who never actually got to shine.
Gambit being inDeadpool & Wolverineis a meta-reference as the last time Deadpool was on-screen was also Deadpool and Wolverine’s last on-screen interaction: 2009’sX-Men Origins: Wolverine. In that film, the character was played by Taylor Kitsch.Deadpool & Wolverineserves as a reunion for Deadpool, Wolverine, and Gambit and also aredemption for howX-Men Origins: Wolverinehandled them.
In addition to the five heroes that Deadpool and Wolverine team up with, they refer to other heroes who used to be part of the resistance but have since died trying to stop Cassandra Nova.The first one mentioned is Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantasticof the Fantastic Four, and given that it is Chris Evans' Johnny Storm that name drops him, it is safe to assume it is the Ioan Grufford version of the character. Magneto and Quicksilver are also said to have fallen, but no version is specified. Cassandra Nova also has reportedly killed a few different Charles Xavier’s.
Speaking of not being specified, Elektra and Blade mention The Punisher, and Deadpool asks which one, since Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson have played the non-MCU version while Jon Bernthal plays the MCU version. This leads to a funny joke where Blade says that there is only one Blade before Deadpool looks into the camera, a joke about howMahershala Ali is set to play Bladein the MCU, though there have been various production issues.
Another hero mentioned is Daredevil. When Deadpool apologizes to Elektra for the loss of Deadpool, Elektra shrugs it off and says it’s not a big deal. This joke is a reference to the fact that Jennnifer Garner andDaredevilstar Ben Affleckwere married but divorced in 2018. Affleck and Garner actually met on theDaredevilset.
The Various Wolverine Variants in Deadpool & Wolverine
When Deadpool begins searching the multiverse to find a Wolverine to replace the one from his that died inLogan, he travels the multiverse. Before he settles on the main Wolverine that is seen in the film,he comes across a few different variants that are all references to the comics.
The biggest one, though, is a big shakeup for the status quo.One of the Wolverine variants is not Hugh Jackman, marking the first time another actor has played the character in live-action. When Deadpool finds one of the variants, it is none other thanDCEU star Henry Cavill.
Cavill has long been rumored to be in consideration for the MCU Wolverine, and just like the John Krasinski Mister Fantastic inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel Studios has had fun making that fan cast come true for a brief multiversal cameo before casting their official pick. Deadpool also gets a nice swipe in atCavill’s rocky history in the DCEUwhen he tells Cavill they (being Marvel) will treat him better than those guys up the street, clearly referencing DC Comics.
Former Villains in Deadpool & Wolverine
The main villain ofDeadpool & Wolverineis Cassandra Nova, the sister of Professor X, who was introduced in the pages of Grant Morrison’sNew X-Men. Cassandra Nova also has an army behind her, consisting of various villains from the past X-Men films. Yet these aren’t heavy hitters like Magneto, Mystique, or Apocalypse. Instead, the joke is that these were the henchmen villains who got one movie appearance, with the sole exception being Pyro, who got two appearances inX2: X-Men UnitedandX-Men: The Last Stand, withAaron Stanford reprising his role.
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Most henchmen are played by new actors, replacing the previous ones, as it seemed some of the actors were not available toreprise their roles. These include Azazal fromX-Men: First Class, Psylocke fromX-Men: Apocalypse, Lady Deathstrike fromX2: X-Men United,and Juggernaut sporting his costume fromX-Men: The Last Stand. Actors who do reprise their roles include Tyler Main as Sabretooth and Ray Park as Toad fromX-Men. Even a Sentinel leg, the villains fromX-Men: Days of Future Past,is shown in the junk of Cassandra Nova’s base, one that allows Deadpool and Wolverine to escape.
Deadpool & Wolverine Musical Callbacks
Shortly before the film’s release,Deadpool & Wolverinereleased itsofficial soundtrack list. While much attention has been paid to the use of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,“the soundtrack features plenty of Easter Eggs for the larger franchise. The first is the opening scene where Deadpool kills various TVA Agents to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” which was previously heard inX2: X-Men Unitedas the song in Cyclops' car. There are moments during the action scene when Deadpool even does the choreography from the iconic music video.
During Wade’s birthday party,you’re able to hear “Angel of the Morning” in the background, the song during the opening credits of 2016’sDeadpool. However, the one at the party is the original by Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts, while the one in the opening of Deadpool was the cover by Juice Newton. Then, while Deadpool and Wolverine are fighting in the car, when Deadpool’s head is smashed into the radio, various songs come up. While the one that plays over the fight is “You’re The One that I Want” fromGrease, one of the songs that can be heard is “The Greatest Show"fromThe Greatest Showman, which stars Hugh Jackman.The Greatest Showmancame out in 2017, the same year that Jackman’s previous film appearance as Wolverine,Logan.
One song notably missing from the soundtrack is Evanescene’s “Bring Me To Life.” Many people forget that while it was not written for the2003 filmDaredevil, its debut was on theDaredevil: The Official Soundtrack. The song was featured in Elektra’s training montage. With Jennifer Garner reprising her role as Elektra inDeadpool & Wolverine, and with so much of the movie being about paying tribute to the 20th Century Fox era of Marvel movies, the omission of “Bring Me To Life” during the film’s climactic action scene on Cassandra Nova’s base feels like a glaring omission.
The Deadpool Corp in Deadpool & Wolverine
Towards the film’s climax, Deadpool and Wolverine are confronted by an army of variant Deadpools called the Deadpool Corp.The Deadpool Corp debuted in Marvel Comics in 2010, one year beforeRyan Reynold’sGreen Lanternwould be released in theaters. The team in the comics is a team of various Deadpools from across the multiverse, which is what the film maintains, but here, having been Deadpools that were pruned and sent to the void. Some notable ones that appear in the film are listed below.
Welcome to Wrexham References
One of the Deadpool variants is wearing a jersey for Wreckham A.F.C. Richmond, which has now been dubbed Wreckham Deadpool. This is one of many references to the Welsh football club.Deadpoolstar Ryan Reynolds andIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiastar Rob McElhenney purchased the team in 2020. The story of the two purchasing the team and the team’s various seasons is documented in the critically acclaimed FX docuseriesWelcome to Wrexham, which in 2023 won the Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program at the Primetime Emmys.
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Reynolds previously released a video of Deadpool accepting the Emmy win.Rob McElhenney was reportedto have a small cameo inDeadpool & Wolverineas a TVA agent, making him the first of theIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaactors to join the MCU after co-star Glenn Howerton came close to playing the role of Star-Lord inGuardians of the Galaxy. However, it appears thatMcElhenney’s role was cut from the final film. Wrexham A.F.C. player Ollie Palmer has a small cameo as a bar attendee when Deadpool attempts to recruit the movie’s Wolverine.
Treasures and Threats of the Void
Scattered through the Void are variousMarvel Easter eggs. The obvious isthe giant 20th Century Fox sign, a reference to Disney’s purchase of the studio in 2019, ending their slate of Marvel films and rebranding it to 20th Century Studio. Alioth, the massive multiversal-eating being fromLoki,still watches over the void.One item fans will certainly catch right away is Thor’s helmet, which takes on a new meaning as Tyler Mane, who appears inDeadpool & Wolverineas Sabretooth, was at one point considered for a Thor made-for-TV movie on UPN in the early 2000s.
Mad Maxis referenced a lot inDeadpool & Wolverine, as the iconic franchise is a clear inspiration for the post-apocalyptic vibe of the Void. Deadpool even makes references to Furiosa, fitting given thatFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagaopened in theaterstwo months beforeDeadpool & Wolverine. Cassandra Nova’s army rides around the wasteland in modified vehicles like those scenes in theMad Maxfranchise, which includes both the Red Skull’s car and the 1942 V16 Coupe fromCaptain America: The First Avenger. There is also the bathtub-inspired-looking Fantasti-Car from the originalFantastic Fourcomics.
In the resistance heroes base, a few pieces of set decoration will likely catch the audience’s eye. When Deadpool wakes up,he finds himself in the Hulk’s bed on Skaar fromThor: Ragnarok. The biggest shock is the carving of the Scarlet Witch, which was seen on Mount Wundagore inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.Scarlet Witch sacrificed herselfto bring down Mount Wundagore, but if it is here in the Void, this might suggest that the Scarlet Witch is also alive. The camera spends a few seconds on the carving, letting the audience sink it in, so this might be laying the groundwork for something big coming.Deadpool & Wolverineis currently in theaters.
