Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were two rare fan-pleasing successes for 20th Century Fox, so when Marvel Studios regained the rights to the X-Men franchise, it seemed inevitable that Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth would eventually enter the MCU.
That finally happened with last summer's Deadpool & Wolverine, a $1.4 billion mega-hit that finally opened the door to R-rated storytelling from the Disney-owned Marvel Studios. Since then, all eyes have been on when and where Wade Wilson and Logan will return.
After that run-in with the TVA, they've both made a permanent home on Earth 10005, a reality we anticipate visiting in Avengers: Doomsday when Earth 616's Mightiest Heroes clash with the X-Men. Deadpool & Wolverine also teased a team-up between Wade and Thor, and Reynolds is reportedly still hard at work on a project thought to be a post-Secret Wars X-Force.
The trades recently shared conflicting reports about whether Deadpool will be in Avengers: Doomsday. However, scooper Daniel Richtman is today reporting that he can "100% confirm" the anti-hero will be in the upcoming ensemble.
Will Hugh Jackman's Wolverine join him? We'd guess so, though there are still many actors who are missing from this movie's cast (whether they're meant to be surprises or among those announced closer to next December is a mystery for now).
"I don’t think he should ever be an Avenger or an X-Man," Reynolds has previously said. "If he becomes either, we’re at the end."
Asked if that means he'd turn down Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, or even the eventual X-Men reboot, he responded, "Just the opposite! I think Deadpool works so well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers, but he always needs to stay an outsider. His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted."
"His coping mechanism of deflecting shame through humor works only when used to pave over his many inadequacies. If and when he does become an Avenger or X-Man, we’re at the end of his journey," Reynolds noted.
You can watch our interview with Deadpool & Wolverine editors Dean Zimmerman and Shane Reid in the player below.
Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make their Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, and Ryan Reynolds are also set to appear, according to recent reports from the trades.
The Russo Brothers direct the movie from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.