While there are conflicting reports out there regarding Ryan Reynolds' return as Deadpool in Avengers: Doomsday, it seems likely that he will suit up as the Merc with the Mouth again in both that and Avengers: Secret Wars.
With several members of the original X-Men cast confirmed for Doomsday, all signs point to us returning to Earth 10005. That's where Deadpool and Wolverine reside, and likely the parallel reality Monica Rambeau found herself stranded in at the end of The Marvels.
So, the stage is set for a clash between Earth 616's Mightiest Heroes and the X-Men (with the Fantastic Four thrown in for good measure), but how will Deadpool factor into that?
Reliable runtime leaker @Cryptic4KQual has chimed in with some possible inside intel, writing, "[Deadpool] has his own team now, and he's still probably going to fold into a bigger one. F*ck the Avengers."
The question now is, who is on Wade Wilson's team? It's possible he'll be joined by Wolverine, X-23, Blade, Elektra, and Gambit, with a Resistance reunion following their team-up in Deadpool & Wolverine.
It's also feasible that we'll see the rumoured "X-Force" team expected to take centre stage in the secretive team-up movie that Reynolds is said to be writing for Marvel Studios. As for his group being folded into a "bigger one," that has to be a reference to the X-Men (The Hollywood Reporter's story said Deadpool will not join The Avengers).
Avengers: Doomsday looks set to feature many characters, and not all of them will have lead roles. Still, we'd have to imagine Deadpool will be front and centre in marketing, especially as Deadpool & Wolverine was Marvel Studios' last $1+ billion hit.
"I don’t think he should ever be an Avenger or an X-Man," Reynolds 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.
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 the 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.
The Russo Brothers direct the movie from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Captain America and Avengers 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.