Besides being a highly-anticipated project in the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine could have an unexpected impact on the DCEU too. The third film in the Deadpool trilogy has yet to premiere, but it is already breaking plenty of records. It’s no surprise that the film is so highly-anticipated as the Deadpool franchise has always been a fan favorite, and it will also mark the return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. The film is also set to be both of the characters’ introduction into the official MCU thanks to the concept of the multiverse, much to the DCEU’s dismay.

Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was tied to 2023’s TheFlash in the DCEU for a very brief moment. The movie was ultimately led by It franchise director Andy Muschietti, but knowing that the film could’ve been under Levy’s direction is unfortunate. With how Deadpool & Wolverine’s story is shaping up, it seems like Levy knows his way around a multiverse plot. There will always be thoughts of what could’ve been when a decision is made in a big franchise like the MCU or DCU, but knowing Levy’s ties to both just make the imagined scenarios hard to ignore.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Multiverse Story Shows What The Flash Could Have Been

Loosely adapted from the DC Comics Flashpoint storyline, The Flash introduced the concept of the multiverse to the DCEU as Barry Allen attempted to change history. The film was bound to draw comparisons to the MCU’s interpretation of the multiverse with The Flash releasing right in the middle of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Seeing glimpses of Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine multiverse story from the trailers, thefilm’s premise shows what The Flash could’ve been.

Deadpool & Wolverine hasn’t released yet, and it is already being received well for how it manages to pull off a major multiversal plot that involves combining prior superhero stars. When done well with the appropriate characters, a multiverse plot should spark excitement in the audience. The Flash’s multiverse plot felt messy, and many don’t even know it for being a multiverse story either. The Flash featured a plethora of past iterations of DC characters, most notably Michael Keaton’s Batman. However, the storytelling ultimately fell flat and now leaves fans to think about what could’ve been under Levy.

Shawn Levy Almost Directing The Flash Makes The Deadpool & Wolverine Comparison Far More Pressing

Alongside the fact that he was briefly tied to The Flash, Levy also mentioned that he turns down plenty of IP-based movies because he needs to feel like the story is worth telling (via Entertainment Weekly). Though this wasn’t said directly about The Flash, it does beg the question as to what was lacking from the project that made Levy pass it up. With this information at hand, it’s going to make the comparisons far more pressing once Deadpool & Wolverine actually premieres and audiences have a full idea of Levy’s multiversal storytelling.

Deadpool & Wolverine is already going to be impactful on the MCU as it’s the first look at Deadpool and the X-Men in the official timeline, but it’s also going to impact the DCEU too. The fact that Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was briefly slated to direct The Flash is bound to draw up comparisons between the two films, especially because they both deal with a multiversal story. The more Deadpool & Wolverine shines with its storytelling, the more the DCEU’s multiverse failure with The Flash is going to look terrible even a year after its release.