Cutting one Wolverine variant fromDeadpool & Wolverinemeant that Henry Cavill’s shockingMCUdebut avoided being undermined by a more interesting version of the clawed X-Men member. Marvel Studios’Deadpool & Wolverinewas jam-packed with multiversal variants, as well as focusing on developing the story ofRyan Reynolds' Deadpoolfrom 20th Century Fox’sX-Menfranchise. This meant there wasn’t time to include all the exciting and hilarious variants that were originally planned for the movie, but one Wolverine who did appear might be grateful for that.
Wade Wilson’s own variants had a fairly large role inDeadpool & Wolverine, as the Deadpool Corps battled the titular mutant heroes in service of Emma Corrin’s sinister Cassandra Nova.Wolverine’s MCU variantsalso delivered the entertainment factor, harking back to some of Logan’s most iconic Marvel Comics stories. Perhaps his most crucial comic storyline was ignored, however, butWolverine’s history with the Weapon X program, where he received his adamantium enhancements, was almost explored inDeadpool & Wolverine.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Weapon X Wolverine Variant Would Have Taken Away From Henry Cavill’s Cameo Reveal
Henry Cavill’s Appearance As A Wolverine Variant Has Been Praised
Marvel Studios concept artistPhil Saundersrevealed in September 2024 that he had worked ondrawings of a Wolverine variantwho was in the process of escaping from the Weapon X facility.This would have explored the events of Barry Windsor Smith’sMarvel Studios Presents #79from 1991, the cover of which directly inspired Saunders' art, with Wolverine sporting a clunky, 1980s-style helmet with a large pink visor across the eyes. While it would have been incredible to see this variant in live-action, it would have taken focus away from another important debut.
Dubbed the “Cavillrine” by Wade Wilson, Henry Cavill made the move from DC to Marvel inDeadpool & Wolverineto appear as a variant of Hugh Jackman’s iconic hero. Cavill is only the thirdactor to portray Wolverine in live-action, andhis brief portrayal of the character has been praised, spurring theories that he could return as the MCU’s official Wolverine, though there has been some dispute. Including the Weapon X Wolverine variant would have taken a lot of the attention away from Cavill’s MCU debut, as more questions would have been raised.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Weapon X Variant Would’ve Raised More X-Men Timeline Questions
20th Century Fox Explored Wolverine’s Weapon X History On A Number Of Occasions
The timeline and continuity of 20th Century Fox’sX-Menfranchise has always been a hot topic of discussion. Fox rewrote history several times, created major plot holes and continuity errors that became confusing over time, and established new timelines with new characters. Consequently,Wolverine’s escape from the Weapon X facility has already been seen twice on-screen, which means that introducing another version of this Wolverine could have convoluted the franchise’s already complex timelineeven more.
I Hope The MCU Keeps The Best Marvel Canon Change Made In Fox’s Most Disappointing Wolverine Movie
Wolverine’s most disappointing movie actually introduced an interesting concept that I would love to see repeated in the MCU’s upcoming X-Men stories.
2009’sX-Men Origins: Wolverinedetailed Logan’s backstorywith Victor Creed, William Stryker and Team X.Originswas a huge disappointment for Fox’sX-Menfranchise, leading to Wolverine’s origin story being hinted at being more comic-accurate in 2016’sX-Men: Apocalypse, which was set during the 1980s.This version saw Logan sporting a more faithful Weapon X costume, but still could have been more comic-accurate. It seemsDeadpool & Wolverine’sWeapon X Wolverine would have been an entirely new iteration, which may have caused some unnecessary confusion.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Variant Roster Was Perfect In The Final Film
Deadpool & Wolverine Included Many Variants Of Its Titular Heroes
WhileDeadpool & Wolverinehad the perfect opportunity to explore the weirdness and endless possibilities of the multiverse, at its core, it was the story ofEarth-10005’s Wade Wilsontrying to save his found family back home. This meant that, while many would have wanted to see a constant stream of exciting and unusual variants appear in the movie,Deadpool & Wolverinewas better off being somewhat restricted.The movie seemed to strike the perfect balance, giving us many Deadpool and Wolverine variants without overwhelming the audience or including variants just for the sake of it.
Deadpool & Wolverine’sDeadpool Corps included the likes of Lady Deadpool, Cowboypool, Kidpool, Zenpool, Babypool, Headpool, Deadpool 2099 and many more, adapted from the Deadpool Corps of Marvel Comics' 2010 multiverse storylines.
Wolverine’s variants, in particular, delivered some incredible moments that spurred laughter and awe from audiences.The likes of Old Man Logan,Age of Apocalypse’sone-armed Wolverine, and a short, comic-accurate version of the mutant, among others, were great to see.Henry Cavill’s Wolverinestole the show, however, but this might have been very different had a Weapon X Wolverine been introduced inDeadpool & Wolverine. Marvel Studios made the right choice to keep the movie’s variants streamlined, though the door is open for more to appear in the MCU’s future.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Cast
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
