Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
When first announced, great things were expected fromDr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Rumors swirled that it would have been Marvel Studios' first foray into horror fromScott Derrickson— who directed the first film, and originally was set to return for the sequel. Also, having the word “multiverse” front-and-center in its title — added to the fact that it followed theSpider-Man: No Way Hometriple Peter Parker extravaganza – placed the heaviest of expectations on it. While the film did travel through the multiverse,Sam Raimi’s end product was a tragic story of friend versus friend, with more horror elements than multiversal ones. Out of all the rumored cameos, the Illuminati took the spotlight, with returning actors (plus a new one!) from every corner of the multiverse. While their introduction was meant to cause a greater impact, it ended up falling flat.
Three years later,Deadpool & Wolverinehas arrived to mend this mistake. Tackling the multiverse aspect of Marvel’s “Multiverse Saga” full-on, the film meshesRyan Reynolds’s Deadpool universe, the MCU’s main continuity, and many other timelines into a cameo-filled adventure. LikeDr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it introduces a group of variants from further corners of the multiverse. Conversely,it executes characters' participation in a graceful way that honors their legacy. True, their inclusion is mostly to move the plot forward — but, instead of limiting them to being gratuitous cameos, they get character-centric moments that make their appearance worthwhile.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Wolverine joins the “merc with a mouth” in the third installment of the Deadpool film franchise.
The Cameos in ‘Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Move the Plot Forward, but at What Cost?
The Illuminati in comic booksconsists of one leader of each cornerstone superhero group: Charles Xavier from the mutants, Iron Man from the Avengers, Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four, Black Bolt from the Inhumans, Dr. Strange from the sorcerers, and Namor… well, for being Namor. The Illuminati introduced inDr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesshave a different but enigmatic roster. When Dr. Strange arrives at Earth-838, he’s greeted at their headquarters by their version of Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Leading the group is Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), accompanied by Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) as Captain Marvel, Black Bolt (Anson Mount), Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), and Mister Fantastic (John Krasinski).
This was supposed to be a moment of epic proportions. Stewart’s inclusion as Xavier was the first time the 20th Century FoxX-Menfilm series was being acknowledged in the MCU. Mount had been part of the failed (and up-to-then largely-ignored)Inhumansseries broadcast on ABC a few years back. Lynch returned after having died off-camera on Earth-616 sometime betweenCaptain MarvelandWandaVision. Atwell reprised her Captain Carter role after being introduced in animated form inWhat If…?For years, Krasinski had been at the top of the list of fan casts to lead a Fantastic Four movie as Reed Richards. In a matter of minutes, it all came crashing down when Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) manages toget rid of all of them in dreadfully violent ways, combining their strengths and weaknesses against them. The upside: it furthered her descent into the fearful Scarlet Witch persona. The downside:the cameos by themselves lost their relevance, if they had any to begin with.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s Cameos Treat Their Heroes Honorably
Compared toMultiverse of Madness,Deadpool & Wolverineblends legacy charactersinto its narrative much more organically. Sure, they are in the Void, and everything is easier when you have a junkyard of infinite variants to tell a story. But the way “The Others” (as Deadpool calls them) are incorporated into the story feels relevant and necessary. Slow motion is everything in this film, and that’s how we get reintroduced toJennifer Garner’s Elektra Natchios,Wesley Snipes’s Blade, andDafne Keen’s X-23. And, for the first time on the big screen, we see thedoomed-to-development-hell version ofChanning Tatum’s Gambit. With their cooperation, the titular heroes fight back againstCassandra Nova(Emma Corrin), earning a chance to return to Deadpool’s timeline.
Perhaps nobody was aching to see Garner’s version of Elektra again, while Keen’s probability ofportraying X-23 again in a spin-offwas probably more defunct thanHugh Jackman’s Wolverine at the end ofLogan. No one was counting on getting to see Tatum as Gambit anymore, at least in this universe. And, withMahershala Aliattached to star in theBladereboot, Snipes reprising his role was a long shot. Still, inDeadpool & Wolverine, they’re all brought back — mighty and fearless, proving why they’re the last ones alive in that godforsaken land andthe bridge for Deadpool to have a shot at saving his universe. Unbeknownst to them, their sacrifice earns them a second chance when Wade asks Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) to bring them back from the Void.
Marvel’s Multiverse Saga Needs More Cameos Like ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Moving Forward
While their members, their powers, and even their headquarters are abysmally different, it’s fair to compare the Illuminati to “The Others.” In MCU terms, the first group was the true initial dip into the multiverse, while the latter is the perfected recipe. WithDisney and Marvel Studios owning the rightsto all these previously portrayed characters, and with the studio still gearing up to have aSecret Warscrossover of epic proportions,it’s only logical to replicate theDeadpool & Wolverineformula– if you have a legacy character, honor them.
Sure, one ofDeadpool & Wolverine’s cameos plays for comic relief, asChris Evans’s Johnny Stormis only there for the laughs. But that’s because there’s already a Captain America in this cinematic universe that he portrays and that we care about. His being used as a buffoon, for the purpose of resurrecting a character from a bygone era of superhero media, is allowed. The same could apply eventually toMichael B. Jordan’s Johnny Storm (as well),Josh Brolin’s Cable, and maybe evenOscar Isaac’s Apocalypse.The possibilities are endless when you have such iconic characters played by such iconic peopleand – more importantly – you have the ability to bring them back.
Up to now, Marvel’s Multiverse Saga has been an interesting experiment, but it has also been a hit-or-miss strategy that has either satisfied or angered fans. Lessons have been taught and learned. The recent reception of the most recent MCU projects has certainly rattled Marvel Studios, with this year seeing only one film release.Deadpool & Wolverine’s handling of the multiverse is the way to go. For now, we’ll have to wait and see what the announcements fromMarvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con panelwill bring.
Deadpool & Wolverineis now in theaters. Click below for showtimes near you.
