For about as long as I can remember, people have been postulating and theorizing different ways in which mutants and the X-Men universe from FOX could be introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For most of that time, people focused on using events or different characters like Charles Xavier or the Fantastic Four as the vehicle through which the characters would be introduced. It likely never occurred to anyone that Deadpool would be the guy who ended up with the job, and if we’re being perfectly honest here, it couldn’t have gone to a better character or actor and now I’m going to tell you why.
The inclusion of mutants into a universe that has been around for over a decade is going to have problems no matter how many plot holes or previous story strings they tie up. The MCU has just had way too much crap happen to it and around it for someone to come in with scores of new characters and say “they’ve been here the whole time, we promise.” For every plot point they carefully address, two more will escape their attention. It’s the nature of grand story-telling with many different voices, which are directors in this case. You’d have to pay attention to every word ever said and it’s just not possible.
This is where the completely unserious and irreverent Deadpool comes into play with Deadpool and Wolverine. The trick with getting people to buy into your story is convincing them you believe it, too. Not only is Deadpool capable of pulling that off, he’s also capable of convincing movie-goers that the little plot point they just realized doesn’t fit into this story also doesn’t matter. It’s not as important as the integration of these new characters leading to newer and better storylines. Do you really care that [x] said this one minor thing couldn’t happen and now it has? No, you don’t and Deadpool is going to tell you why you don’t care.
Deadpool not only allows Marvel to seriously include plot points and storylines into the MCU while also unseriously dismissing things that will come up but just can’t be fixed without ruining some other aspect of the non-FOX MCU. It allows them to have their cake and eat it, too. Fans definitely want Marvel doing as much as they can to integrate everything, but they also likely don’t want Marvel being overly cautious to the point that they hamstring themselves in favor of a lore bible that didn’t even account for these characters when it was written.
I genuinely am in love with the idea of Deadpool and Wolverine being the film that blurs the lines. Ryan Reynolds has always taken his job as the titular character extremely seriously. He knows how to honor the fans and the source material at the same time and when he’s sitting down with Feige et al., fans can be assured that he will not only be advocating for the character of Deadpool but also the fans and their desires at the same time. He’s very productive over this world he’s created and he is guaranteed to ensure it is protected while being absorbed.
Deadpool and Wolverine also likely means we will see some form of Loki introduced in the film, as well. Since the TVA is involved, Loki is almost certain to be included and this is another boon to the film, should it happen. Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Jackman, and Ryan Reynolds are all deeply invested in the legacy of their characters. Taking these three storied Marvel characters and advocates and giving them the high honor of blending two iconic worlds into a single shared universe is a surefire recipe for success.
With the previous Marvel films taking critical and box office hits, Deadpool and Wolverine is the perfect vehicle to get the MCU back on track. It is also the perfect way to ensure the stuff that is included is necessary, the stuff that’s not can be thrown out with amusing jokes and clever writing, and the characters themselves can make us believe that what’s taking place is genuine and real. For all those reasons, I firmly predict that this will be the film to help return the MCU to its rightful place in social discussions and Hollywood success.