Deadpool And Wolverine is winning all over the box office right now. The newest and only Marvel Studios release of 2024 is living up to its anticipation as a Deadpool sequel but also acts as an amazing send-off to the Marvel-Fox Universe. But its biggest criticism is that there is little story and more gratuitous cameos. While I have a similar issue, further thought makes me realize that there’s a lot of meta-commentary happening here. Read on to see how the Deadpool And Wolverine Logan may be a nod to the actor’s long run as the character.
Spoiler Alert: This article contains major spoilers for Deadpool and Wolverine.
https://youtu.be/YrwFMlnMAms
The Wolverine In The Movie Isn’t The One Fans Love
Image via Marvel Studios.
The first thing that originally turned me off about Deadpool And Wolverine is that this is a variant of the Logan character we’ve seen in the Fox movies since the first X-Men movie in 2000. So whatever emotional arc this Deadpool And Wolverine Logan went through in the movie, felt hollow to me, as I have no emotional investment in him or whatever off-screen tragedy he has to overcome. So while Hugh Jackman delivered a masterful performance, without that connection, it didn’t resonate with me.
The Fox/Marvel Universe Plays A Supporting Role
The real surprise of Deadpool and Wolverine is how the film acts as a love letter to the Fox universe of Marvel movies. While it absolutely is very narratively empty, the larger, and simpler story is very meta, thereby making the cameos feel imperative to the story. For instance, The Void is basically where variants go when they are removed or no longer exist on the timeline. Similar to the status of these decades-long Marvel/Fox characters that are about to be rebooted forever in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So it makes sense that that entire Marvel/Fox universe characters would be in The Void, so those cameos become less gratuitous, and part of the story.
Similarly, the Deadpool And Wolverine Logan is one who lost his entire X-Men family. He feels guilty for not being there, and for essentially having survivor’s guilt. His entire arc in the movie is about forgiving himself for his mistake, mourning those he lost, and finding a new family. WE can also say the same thing about Hugh Jackman’s tenure in the role of Wolverine for the last 24 years.
How Hugh Jackman Has Played Wolverine Across Two Movie Studios
Image via Marvel Studios.
Jackman has also lost his entire cast from the X-Men movies since that universe has now ended. He is the only one who survived the Fox/Disney merger and is continuing on in the same role from before but in a new universe. And while Jackman’s future in the role is uncertain, audiences also have to move on from those fan-favourite characters and find new favourites in the new rebooted versions in the MCU.
So seeing the movie and the Deadpool And Wolverine Logan from that perspective adds a very different light to the whole thing. And while this just may be a fan theory, the one thing we can all agree on is that director Shawn Levy made the movie in Deadpool and Wolverine that he wanted. Everything was intentional. And this Deadpool and Wolverine Logan depiction feels like an intentional choice.
Deadpool And Wolverine is now playing in theatres.
What did you think of the Deadpool And Wolverine Logan? Let me know in the comments below or over at X at @theshahshahid.
