This year’s Super Bowl was all about iconic duos. Taylor and Travis. Usher and Alicia. Deadpool and Wolverine. That last one is the newly announced name for the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman two-hander (formerly known as Deadpool 3) that got a new teaser trailer during the big game.
We’ve known for over a year now that Deadpool’s entry into the MCU would have the Merc with a Mouth teaming up with Wolverine. Reynolds and Jackman announced the collaboration all the way back in September of 2022, and a ton of on-location paparazzi shots confirmed that yes, indeed, Jackman was back in the suit, now in a comics-accurate shade of yellow. Throughout all of this, the movie was officially referred to as Deadpool 3.
But, something interesting has happened to the MCU's cultural cache during that period. Aside from very special cases, I’ve lost interest in the MCU, and judging by the box office receipts for Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels, I’m not the only one. Even successful movies, like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have grossed less than their predecessors.
Marvel knows that it has a problem (largely stemming from the Pandora's Box of content it opened with its move to TV) and it has taken steps to attempt to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Echo, a recent Disney+ miniseries, was dubbed “Marvel Spotlight,” a new label meant to signal that viewers don't need to see other entries in order to understand it. And, on the big screen, the MCU is also taking a step back, too; Deadpool 3 the only film on the calendar for 2024.
The MCU’s luck hasn’t been all bad recently. GOTG 3 was the fourth biggest hit of 2023, trailing only the double-feature phenomenon that was Barbenheimer and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Spider-Man does well in live-action or animation, though the latter doesn’t help Kevin Feige. Still, it has become increasingly clear that audiences will only turn out in huge numbers (or, at least, numbers that justify the budgets these films have commanded until now) for superhero movies that a) star characters they like and/or b) get great reviews, word of mouth, or both.
The reviews haven’t been there for Marvel’s recent output and we don’t yet know if critics will enjoy Deadpool and Wolverine. Judging by director Shawn Levy’s filmography, I wouldn't necessarily bet on it. Deadpool is a big name, and Reynolds’ take on the character has launched two movies to box office success in the past. But then again, so did Paul Rudd's take on Ant-Man. Aquaman and Captain Marvel had led billion dollar movies. There are no sure things anymore, not even for the fast-talking antihero that launched a thousand t-shirts with references to chimichangas.
Adding Wolverine to the name is a way to improve the odds. Audiences who aren’t paying attention to leaked photos might not know that Jackman is in the new Deadpool. Putting the character's name on the poster guarantees that if they’re aware of the movie, they’re aware of the big character making a return for it. It makes total sense. It wouldn't be notable at all… except for the fact that it's the kind of calculation the MCU didn’t have to make a few years ago.
