While Deadpool & Wolverine ended up being surprisingly standalone (and a celebration of the Fox-verse rather than its demise), there were definitely some hints about where the MCU goes next.
One of the biggest came when Mr. Paradox inadvertently gave Wade Wilson a glimpse into his future; on a screen in the TVA, we saw Chris Hemsworth's Thor cradling the fallen Deadpool. The villain was quick to switch it off, but the Merc with the Mouth spent the rest of the movie wondering what had left the God of Thunder in tears.
Paradox has already alluded to Deadpool having an important future on the Sacred Timeline, with Hunter B-15 later doing the same (this time with regards to Deadpool and Wolverine).
It's obvious they'll return in Avengers: Secret Wars and Ryan Reynolds has now shared an official shot from Deadpool & Wolverine showing the downed Merc.
The battle-damaged Deadpool is bleeding heavily from the head with half his face exposed. While it's possible this was only meant to be a joke, many fans are speculating that it's a glimpse at how the character's story will end in the MCU.
Tellingly (or perhaps not if this is simply meant as a gag), Reynolds captioned the post, "I know why Thor was crying. I can't unknow it."
Despite the threequel's recent success, the actor may well choose Secret Wars as a jumping-off point for what will have then been upwards of a decade playing the anti-hero. Should he wish to return, then we're sure he can do so in Marvel Studios' planned soft reboot of the MCU.
Do you think there's a deeper moment to this scene in the movie? Take a closer look below and share your thoughts in the comments section.
In our review Deadpool & Wolverine last week - which you can read by clicking here - we concluded by saying, "A contender for the best superhero movie ever, Deadpool & Wolverine is two hours of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman proving they were born to play these roles and, crucially, be part of the MCU. It’s a f***ing masterpiece."
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, and Dafne Keen. The movie is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.
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 is now playing in theaters.