Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) – Review

Quick thoughts – Grade – B – For better or worse, Deadpool & Wolverine is a lot. It’s not as subversive as it thinks (the budget is reportedly $275 million – it can’t be too insane), but it will make a lot of money and be a nice distraction while the MCU sorts itself out. 

With a total worldwide haul of $1.56 billion it was only a matter of time until Disney got around to making another Deadpool film after they bought 21st Century Fox in 2019. In hindsight, Disney is lucky that they delayed a sequel because after a rough few years they now have a giant hit on their hands that will give the Marvel Cinematic Universe much needed momentum. Deadpool & Wolverine won’t save the MCU, but it gives the world a reset and opens up new possibilities for a universe loaded with multiverses, planet killing aliens, and a dead celestial wedged into the earth. 

Deadpool & Wolverine focuses on Wade “Deadpool” Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) trying to save Earth-10005 (the home of the X-Men world) after learning from a Time Variance Authority agent named Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) that it will be destroyed. The catalyst of the planned destruction was the death of Wolverine (in 2017’s  Logan), who unknowingly was Earth-10005’s “Anchor Being.” Instead of waiting for the deteriorating planet to die naturally, Mr. Paradox plans on destroying the world in 72 hours so it can be put out of its misery. This forces Deadpool to scour the multiverse for a replacement Wolverine who can save Earth-10005. After a series of mishaps, they are forced to battle a wildly overpowered villain (who loves Enya) named Cassandra Nova (a fun Emma Corrin – who understood the assignment) who stands between them and saving Earth-10005. It’s a bunch of nonsense that gives Ryan Reynolds an excuse to unleash hundreds of profane jokes that will delight millions of Deadpool fans. Spoiling anything else wouldn’t be cool, so just know that the rest of the film features epic fights (that slow the movie down but provide welcome fan service), surprise cameos, mentions of The Proposal, and Hugh Jackman breaking the all-time angry-grunt record.

Between Real Steel, Free Guy, and The Adam Project, director Shawn Levy has worked with Reynolds and Jackman before and is used to directing successful big-budget films. His 12 movies have pulled in $2.7 billion worldwide, so it’s nice knowing that the $275 million budget was in safe hands with a director who doesn’t get lost on giant sets. Levy also realizes that the Deadpool world is safe in Ryan Reynolds hands, and his work as a director is to make sure that Reynolds is free to make as many jokes about nipple rings, butt slaps, and handsy tailors as possible. The return of Hugh Jackman is a bit of a bummer because it cheapens Logan (2017) a bit. However, with the introduction of the multiverse and influx of mutants being brought into the MCU, it’s a no-brainer that Jackman got jacked once again to play the grumpy mutant. Together, Jackman and Reynolds work well together and it’s nice that this might be Jackman’s first X-Men film to clear a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. He’s been part of the superhero cinematic world for 24 years so a victory lap is earned. 

Like the other two Deadpool films, Deadpool & Wolverine will make a lot of money and that’s because Ryan Reynolds loves the Deadpool character. He also knows what Deadpool fans want (poop jokes, violence, drugs, blood, insensitive humor, quips, butt-shots), and he doesn’t hold back. That being said, know that this is a $275 million budgeted Disney film by the guy who directed the Night at the Museum movies. It’s not as edgy or bombastic as some critics are saying, but it’s nice seeing Kevin Feige and his crew letting Ryan Reynolds shake up the MCU a bit. It’s a good sign for things to come.