This is a spoiler-free review.
It’s been a long wait since the very firstDeadpool & Wolverinetrailer dropped during the Super Bowl, and an even longer wait since Ryan Reynolds first shared the teaser video revealing that Hugh Jackman would return as Logan. Now fans are on the cusp of witnessing the very first R-rated MCU movie, and even with all of the trailers and rumors, it’s still probably hard for them to know what to expect.
Without giving anything about this big summer movie away, fans can expect what pretty much amounts to a Marvel movie, albeit one that is more than a little self-aware (and that’s also not mentioning the bloody brutality and almost non-stop vulgarity). As far as how much people will enjoy the movie, that depends on how invested they’ve been in the MCU, and how much they’re hoping to see it turn a corner.
Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is back, and he’s still usingCable’s time machinefrom the end ofDeadpool 2. This results in a failed job interview with a familiar face, before the reveal that the Merc with a Mouth is now selling used cars with his once-again-alive friend Peter (Rob Delaney). Of course, the boring life that Wade has fallen into can’t last, and he is soonpicked up by the TVAand given the opportunity by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfayden) to join the sacred timeline (the official Marvel Cinematic Universe, for those not in the know).
However, this choice comes with a caveat: Wade’s universe is slowly dying due to the loss of its anchor being:the Logan of, well,Logan. His death has started Deadpool’s universe unraveling, and that means if Wade leaves, everyone he knows and loves will blink out of existence. This sends Wade on the hunt for a replacement Wolverine, beginning the movie’s endless fanservice in earnest. However, the Wolverine Wade finally ends up with is apparently the worst one, and the pair wind up in the void, where they need to both defeat the powerful and menacingCassandra Nova (Emma Corrin)and find their way home.
That’s about as simplified as the plot can be made without giving the majority of the movie’s fun away. Marvel fans will be eating well withDeadpool & Wolverine. There’s plenty of love for the Marvel universe in this movie (as well as a lot of love for the Fox Marvel movies), but also some pointedly accurate criticisms of where the MCU currently stands (“Welcome to the MCU” Deadpool tells Wolverine at one point, “it’s at a bit of a low point right now”). This movie feels like a chance for Feige and crew to indirectly acknowledge that they have been (mostly) falling on their faces sinceEndgame. Audiences wanted something fresh from Marvel, and on that front,Deadpool & Wolverinedelivers… Mostly.
Despite all of the hype around the fact that this isn’t just any old Marvel movie, there are parts ofDeadpool & Wolverinethat make it feel like any old Marvel movie.Emma Corrin’s performance as Cassandra Nova(Charles Xavier’s twin sister) is full of soft-spoken menace, but the character comes across as yet another one-dimensional and altogether forgettable Marvel adversary with a baseline motivation of world destruction. There’s also the matter of the aforementioned fanservice, which can be somewhat overwhelming at times, but here is at least germane to the overall plot.
What really works here is the chemistry betweenHugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Whether they’re having a conversation or beating the living daylights our of each other, the real-life friendship between the actors imbues every scene with honesty and genuine heart. Both characters are also given real arcs as well, with the parallel motivations working in tandem: Deadpool wants to matter, wants to be a hero with a purpose, while Wolverine has lost his purpose, and after a tragedy in his world, just wants to disappear entirely.
Their stories are served by the action, which is put together competently bydirector Shawn Levy. Here, the hits land hard, and the fight scenes feel necessarily brutal and violent. Fans will likely be talking about one third-act action sequence for a long time afterward (especially whether or not it was inspired by a similar scene inOldboy). Following so many weightless CGI battles rife with energy beams, it’s refreshing to see some Marvel characters actually getting down and dirty and making each other bleed.
The humor ofDeadpool & Wolverinemay be a bit much for some. While there are plenty of witty retorts and truly funny potshots at Marvel (as well as some of the cast members), there is also plenty of typical “R-rated” humor that borders on tiresome the more it goes on. Depending on how much a viewer enjoys various euphemisms for body parts and sexual acts, their mileage may vary.
Even with its potential sticking points, there’s no denying thatDeadpool & Wolverineis a lot of fun, and a refreshing change of pace for a genre that was rapidly deteriorating. Marvel Studios desperately needs this shot in the arm, and honestly, audiences and movie theaters need it as well. Ryan Reynolds has always had a lot of affinity for this character, and his enthusiasm always shines through. Similarly, Hugh Jackman obviously has a special connection with Wolverine that he just can’t shake. Whether or not these two return in the future remains to be seen, but for now, it’s clear that the team behindDeadpool & Wolverineput in maximum effort, and it has paid off.
Deadpool & Wolverinehits theaters on Jun 25, 2025.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine marks Ryan Reynolds’s take on the Merc with a Mouth’s entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Together, the two embark on a universe-hopping, R-rated adventure that’s sure to change the MCU forever.
