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Why Does Deadpool & Wolverine Stay Away From Extending MCU Timeline? Explained
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman starrer Deadpool & Wolverine tactically avoided extending the MCU timeline with a post-credit scene teasing a different project. Director Shawn Levy explained why.
Warning: The article contains minor spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Marvel Studios’ only 2024 theatrical slate Deadpool & Wolverine has been a huge hit at the box office and claimed decent critical reception. Deadpool and Wolverine have finally made their debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from 20th Century Fox. Although the fan-favorite characters got the MCU license, the Shawn Levy-directed movie did not follow the traditional pattern of Marvel movies that inherently serve as the connecting dots to the other projects. So, the question is, why Deadpool & Wolverine has followed a different path?
Deadpool & Wolverine was a grand preparation from Marvel Studios which came to rescue the studio’s apparent downfall with their recent hit-and-a-miss slates including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels. After disastrous box office and mediocre box office reception of the movies, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool really came to the MCU as the Marvel Jesus with Wolverine star Hugh Jackman.
It worked for the movie but Deadpool & Wolverine does not set up any other MCU movie, not even the potential fourth installment to the Deadpool franchise rather, the post-credit scene of the movie served as an addition to Deadpool’s hilarious jibe at Human Torch played by Chris Evans, nothing more.
Co-writer and director of the movie Shawn Levy spoke with The New York Times about his blockbuster. When the outlet asked about why he refrained from teasing another Marvel development, Levy shared that it was always intended to be a stand-alone narrative rather than expanding the very MCU timeline. "It was a founding principle of this movie,” the director said.
Levy further referred to the early versions of the opening voice-over of Reynolds in the opening scene as it was fundamental to their intent, “he actually says, 'Let me just say right now, this is a Marvel movie that isn't a commercial for any other Marvel movies.'” Levy further shared that the “commitment to a self-contained, single story was bedrock” for Reynolds and him. Thankfully, Levy and Reynolds who co-wrote the script with Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells got the creative license to do so, “Never once was there an ounce of pushback from Marvel," Levy added.
Despite staying away from establishing another related Marvel project, the movie did leave fans with something on their plate to ponder over. Primarily, the ‘Why was Thor crying’ question took the internet by storm and it gave birth to several fan theories. Joining the hype surrounding it, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth and Deadpool star Reynolds also decided to play along with it in their hilarious banter on X (formerly Twitter).
Levy, however, made sure to make Deadpool & Wolverine a fan fest with several cameos interacting with the Merc with the Mouth which includes surprising cameos of Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Channing Tatum as Gambit, Dafne Keen as X-23 and of course, Chris Evans’ hilarious cameo as Human Torch. There are also several easter eggs establishing the Marvel mythology.
For Levy, Deadpool & Wolverine was “built for entertainment” and the movie has lived up to that. It is also worth acknowledging that Jackman’s return was a huge ticket seller.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now showing in theaters.
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