In 2017's Logan, Wolverine's healing factor is failing and he ultimately falls in battle while fighting his far more powerful clone, X-24. Laura, a.k.a. X-23, puts an Adamantium bullet in the evil Wolverine's head, but it's too late for her "father" by that point.
Logan dies peacefully in her arms after imploring her not to become the weapon she was made to be, and he's buried in a grave marked by an "X."
When the news broke that Hugh Jackman would return as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, fans expressed concern that the events of Logan would be undone.
We're not sure why it really mattered when 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise rarely paid any mind to continuity, but the potential backlash prompted Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy to assure fans they were leaving Logan well alone. Then, in yesterday's new trailer, we seemingly got confirmation that Deadpool & Wolverine's Logan is indeed a completely different Variant.
It's possible he was plucked from the original franchise's timeline before the events of Logan take place, of course, but we don't think so.
Scooper @CanWeGetToast is today claiming that Deadpool & Wolverine will reference the events of Logan when the clawed mutant seen in the trailers is told how his counterpart tragically died while trying to save X-23.
It could be that he's learning of his future self's fate, of course, but we'd bet on the title characters ending up in the timeline where Laura has grown up to become the new Wolverine (Dafne Keen is now 19) and tells her "father" what he did for her in that reality.
If we're right, then it's probably who Logan is talking to in this scene...
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen. The movie is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.
The trades have confirmed that Jennifer Garner will reprise her role as Elektra, with Wesley Snipes, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Dafne Keen, Channing Tatum, Blake Lively and, as we mentioned above, even singer Taylor Swift among those rumoured to make an appearance.
Kevin Feige, Reynolds, Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, Simon Kinberg and Jonathon Komack Martin serving as executive producers.
Deadpool & Wolverine arrives in theaters on July 26.