The Curious Case of Deadpool's Next Move: Reynolds Teases Chaos, We Dig for Clues
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Ryan Reynolds' cryptic Instagram post featuring a defaced Avengers logo has sparked speculation about Deadpool's MCU future, but Jeff reckons it might just be Reynolds riding the nostalgic wave of *Deadpool & Wolverine*'s massive success amidst Marvel's current box office doldrums.
Right, so Ryan Reynolds – the bloke who practically *is* Deadpool at this point – has gone and tossed a digital grenade into the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, and I've been tinkering with this story all morning. Bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared, like trying to follow a rogue spell through a wormhole. He's dropped a cryptic Instagram post featuring the Avengers "A" logo spray-painted with an anarchy "A" – a classic Deadpool move, eh? Naturally, the internet has collectively lost its mind, screaming about Deadpool crashing *Avengers: Doomsday*. But what does this mean for us, the long-suffering, perpetually hyped-up gamers and moviegoers? Is the Merc with a Mouth really about to gatecrash the MCU's biggest bash, or is this just Ryan doing what he does best: being a lovable, chaos-inducing troll?
See, the timing of this isn't exactly random, mate. According to a rather insightful piece over at Polygon by Matt Patches (check it out, it’s worth a gander), the summer of 2025 hasn't exactly been a record-breaker for Marvel Studios. *Thunderbolts** wrapped up with decent, but not "Marvel big" numbers, and *The Fantastic Four* cooled quicker than a dragon's breath in a snowstorm. Compared to *Deadpool & Wolverine*'s whopping $1.3 billion worldwide gross from last year – which, fair dinkum, is more than *Captain America: Brave New World*, *Thunderbolts***, and *The Fantastic Four* combined (ouch!) – you can almost hear the crickets chirping in the Marvel exec suites. It makes you wonder if Ryan's just swooped in like a digital hero, trying to rekindle those sweet, sweet hype embers for his next appearance.
Here's where it gets proper confusing, like trying to debug a script written by a mischievous goblin. Despite *Deadpool & Wolverine*'s monstrous success, Marvel hasn't actually announced any kind of sequel, let alone a definitive cross-MCU appearance for Reynolds. And while *Avengers: Doomsday* is apparently cramming in about 25 actors (a proper sardine can, that!), Reynolds isn't even on the list of rumoured additions. So, what's the go?
Well, here's a bit of ancient history that might shed some light, as Polygon points out. Back in late 2024, Reynolds had a chinwag with Andrew Garfield (our favourite third Spider-Man, eh?) and sounded pretty adamant he wouldn't be doing another standalone Deadpool movie anytime soon. He famously said, "I see Deadpool as a supporting [character] much more than he is a main [character], the center... I don't think I can do that again. So I think if he comes back, it's going to be in someone else's movie." He even joked about happily being the "fifth banana" in someone else's flick, like Channing Tatum's Gambit.
And *bingo*! As fate, or perhaps some clever scriptwriters, would have it, Channing Tatum *is* involved with *Avengers: Doomsday* as Gambit. He's set to run alongside a whole crew of Fox-era X-Men legends like Patrick Stewart's Professor X and Ian McKellen's Magneto for what's expected to be their final bow. So, if Reynolds is true to his word about being a "fifth banana" and *if* Gambit is there, then it'd make a certain kind of sense for Deadpool to get in on that multiverse-colliding action, wouldn't it? It's like finding a hidden side quest that perfectly aligns with your character's backstory.
But wait, there's another twist in the tale, and it's a doozy. Earlier this year, whispers started circulating that Reynolds was in early development on a movie that would team Deadpool up with the X-Men. Confusing, because Marvel Studios is apparently full steam ahead on a *reboot* of the superhero team, directed by *Thunderbolts*** Jake Schrier. So, which X-Men are we talking about here? The old guard? The new kids on the block? Both, somehow? It's like trying to untangle a magical knot that just keeps getting tighter. Adding to the chaos, rumour has it that Marvel is interested in keeping Hugh Jackman on as Wolverine for a *new* universe. Because one Wolverine wasn't enough, apparently. My brain actually hurts trying to map out this timeline.
This whole situation – Reynolds' cryptic post, the unconfirmed future, the X-Men reboot paradox – feels less like a strategic reveal and more like a massive, collective shrug from the Marvel universe. As Matt Patches eloquently puts it in Polygon's piece, "The business happening behind the scenes makes it much shadier." It's almost like in the absence of a truly mind-blowing, zeitgeist-grabbing new Marvel blockbuster, even the lead actor of *Deadpool & Wolverine* is feeling a bit nostalgic for the good old days (you know, a whole year ago) when his self-referential, fourth-wall-breaking team-up was setting multiplexes alight. It was a nice feeling, wasn't it? Like hitting a perfect combo in a fighting game after a string of misses.
And here's the kicker, the truly bizarre cherry on top of this chaotic sundae: the second wave of *Deadpool & Wolverine* nostalgia isn't just limited to Reynolds' social media antics. *Elektra*, the maligned 2005 *Daredevil* sequel and the reason Jennifer Garner suited up as the assassin in D&W, is currently trending #3 on Netflix worldwide! Think about that for a second. *Elektra*. A movie that, to be fair, never really got the "it's good, actually" reconsideration that most crappy 2000s movies eventually get. It's sitting at 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, and honestly, that feels about right. There are far better ninja movies out there, mate. Yet, here we are, with legions of fans queuing it up. It seems *Deadpool & Wolverine* just hit that hard, pulling even the obscure, less-than-stellar corners of its universe into the spotlight.
So, while Reynolds *could* very well be teasing a cameo in *Avengers: Doomsday* – and who wouldn't want to see Deadpool bantering with some Fox-era X-Men? – it seems entirely plausible that in this current void of fresh, zeitgeisty Marvel content, he's just sharing the impulse felt by legions of his fans. It's a shout-out to that massive success, a little digital nudge to remind everyone what a bloody good time *Deadpool & Wolverine* was. Sometimes, mate, even a digital wizard like Ryan Reynolds just wants to bask in the glow of a spell that worked *too* well. And we, the curious gamers, are left to decipher whether it's a prophecy or just a bit of clever trolling. Either way, it's never boring, eh?
*Original reporting by Matt Patches for Polygon. Find the full article at polygon.com.*
Tags: Marvel, Deadpool, RyanReynolds, MCU, GamingCulture
Original article: Polygon