In the months since the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, many deleted scenes, cut cameos and abandoned plans have come to light. Deadpool & Wolverine premiered in July 2024, marking Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s first appearances in the MCU as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. The Phase 5 movie has quickly become one of the most successful installments in the MCU’s history, and has beaten Joker to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, but Deadpool & Wolverine could have been very different.
Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy have revealed there won’t be a director’s cut of Deadpool & Wolverine. Even so, a number of deleted scenes have been released, and a slew of exciting concept art has revealed many characters who were planned to appear in the movie, but ultimately didn’t show. Deadpool & Wolverine was jam-packed with Marvel cameos and references to the MCU and Marvel’s movie history, but there could have been even more had these original plans gone ahead.
All Deadpool & Wolverine Deleted Scenes Explained
Several Official Deadpool & Wolverine Deleted Scenes Have Already Been Released
It’s rare that a movie is released without several scenes being left on the cutting room floor, and Deadpool & Wolverine is no exception. Only a handful of deleted scenes have been revealed, however, suggesting that most of what was filmed ended up in the final cut of the Phase 5 movie. For some, it makes sense that these deleted scenes were cut, as a few are inconsequential in the grand scheme. However, a couple of these moments could have changed Deadpool & Wolverine’s ending dramatically, and altered the future of the MCU in some huge ways.
Seeing an extended version of Wade Wilson and Mr. Paradox walking through the TVA, or enjoying B-15 talking down to Paradox, or watching Deadpool show off his new TVA-designed costume would have been entertaining. However, these moments wouldn’t have had much impact on Deadpool & Wolverine’s overarching narrative, or the MCU as a whole. Gambit’s possible survival and more Deadpool variants remaining on Earth-10005, however, could have set up major stories for the MCU’s future, so it’s a shame some of these scenes weren’t kept in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Elevator Ride
Deadpool & Wolverine’s deleted scene, “Elevator Ride,” gives audiences an extended look at Wade Wilson’s first introduction to the Time Variance Authority. Matthew Mcfadyen’s Mr. Paradox explains the Sacred Timeline of Earth-616, which he still considers the “true universe,” even after the events of Loki season 2. The shortened version of this scene made sense for Deadpool & Wolverine, though cutting this scene meant that Wilson didn’t reveal that he watched “Doctor Ant and the Quantumverse of Madness,“ a mash-up of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Gambit Survives
This deleted scene would have provided Deadpool & Wolverine with an alternate, or indeed extra, post-credits scene. During the scene, Channing Tatum’s Gambit walks through the dead bodies piled up in Cassandra Nova’s base in the Void, but soon turns to the camera and smiles at the appearance of a “Marvel Sparkle Circle,” a portal created by a sling ring. It’s unclear who would have created this portal, or where Gambit would have ended up, but this has fueled theories that Channing Tatum’s Gambit could return in the MCU’s future.
Do Nothing
Wunmi Mosaku reprised her role of B-15 from Loki in Deadpool & Wolverine, though now she has assumed a higher-level position in the TVA. As Mr. Paradox’s superior, B-15 denies his resource requests in this deleted scene, instead urging him to “do nothing,” though he evidently ignores her, leading to the installation of the Time Ripper in Deadpool & Wolverine. While this scene was cut, B-15 did show up towards the end of the movie’s final cut, apprehending Paradox and informing Deadpool and Wolverine that their actions spared Earth-10005 from certain doom.
Deadpool Shows Off His New Suit
The inclusion of this deleted scene in Deadpool & Wolverine would have given audiences a longer period to take in Wade Wilson’s new superhero costume, designed in the TVA. This costume is a brighter shade of red than his previous iterations, and is kitted out with new weapons, including adamantium swords. Deadpool did comment on his new costume in Deadpool & Wolverine’s final cut, and scenes shared with the TVA tailor were funny and controversial, but this extended look would have been even more entertaining, if unnecessary.
Daddy’s In Love
It was great to see Rob Delaney’s Peter Wisdom given a more crucial role in Deadpool & Wolverine following his hilarious Deadpool 2 debut as a human, unpowered member of X-Force. Although this deleted scene hasn’t been officially released, one moment at the end of Deadpool & Wolverine would have shown Peter celebrating with Wade Wilson, Logan and the residents of Earth-10005. However, this scene would have revealed that Deadpool Corps members Kidpool and Headpool also remained in Earth-10005, perhaps setting up the opportunity for an incursion event in the MCU’s future.
Peter Shows Off His Chains
Peter Wisdom actor Rob Delaney also shared another deleted scene from Deadpool & Wolverine that would have taken place after Deadpool and Wolverine jump through Cassandra Nova’s portal back to Earth-10005. Meeting Peter and some customers in a parking lot, Deadpool urges Peter to show off his chest to Wolverine, which he does. This reveals Peter’s brave choice of nipple-chain attire. This scene was also featured in Deadpool & Wolverine’s gag reel, as Delaney simply can’t hold back his laughter.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Cut Cameos Explained
Many Brilliant Character Cameos Were Cut From Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine remarkable cast included a huge number of returning characters featured both in the MCU’s history and those from non-MCU Marvel franchises. These characters most prominently come from 20th Century Fox’s X-Men , Fantastic Four and Daredevil franchises, as well as from New Line Cinema’s Blade trilogy and more. However, even more cameos were planned to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, but it’s probably a good idea that the movie didn’t become too over-saturated.
As well as featuring the returns of some iconic Marvel heroes, Deadpool & Wolverine also introduced variant versions of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s titular heroes. Many Wolverine variants were featured while Deadpool was hunting for a replacement for Earth-10005’s Anchor Being, Logan, including one portrayed by Henry Cavill, while Deadpool and Wolverine battled the Deadpool Corps, comprised of many Deadpool variants. Even more were planned, and even reached the concept art stage, but didn’t make it into the final cut of Deadpool & Wolverine.
Wolverine Variants
After Deadpool realizes that the Wolverine of his universe, Earth-10005’s Anchor Being, is actually dead, and this is contributing to the degradation of his reality, he goes on the hunt for a replacement. This brings him into contact with several notable Wolverine variants, adapted from the pages of Marvel Comics. While Old Man Logan, Age of Apocalypse’s Wolverine, John Byrne’s Hulk-fighting Wolverine and Wolverine on the cross all appeared, however, there were several other iconic variants that didn’t make it into Deadpool & Wolverine’s final cut.
This includes Wolverinepool, a mash-up of Deadpool and Wolverine, a version of Wolverine from 1997 and 1998’s WildC.A.T.S./X-Men crossover event in Marvel Comics, an uncanny X-Baby version of Wolverine and an iteration of the clawed hero from Barry Windsor Smith’s Weapon X storyline. It would have been fantastic for the sheer potential of the multiverse to be pushed even further in Deadpool & Wolverine. Audiences were given some interesting Wolverine variants, but there could have been so many more introduced to the Phase 5 movie.
Deadpool Variants
As well as several variants of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine making appearances in Deadpool & Wolverine, new and exciting iterations of Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth also showed up, most notably as members of the Deadpool Corps. This group acted as Cassandra Nova’s personal army, as they all found themselves pruned and sent to the Void by the TVA. The Deadpool Corps included the likes of Lady Deadpool, Cowboypool, Kidpool, Zenpool and Deadpool 2099, among many others, but there were also many more.
Scenes featuring the Deadpool Corps were already jam-packed, so it makes sense that some variants were unfortunately left on the cutting room floor. This includes the likes of Old Lady Deadpool, a punk-inspired Deadpool, a Luchador Deadpool, a Deadpool variant in a onesie, Deadpool Dinosaur and Squirrelpool. Some of these variants, just like Dogpool, Nicepool and Babypool, would have helped to show the weirdness and wackiness of the multiverse, but audiences got enough Deadpool action even without their inclusion.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man (& The Other Avengers)
While speaking to IndieWire in August, Deadpool & Wolverine writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick revealed several other characters who were planned to appear in the movie, including Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. Stark would have appeared alongside Happy Hogan interviewing Wade Wilson, who wanted to join Earth-616’s Avengers team. Reese and Wernick didn’t know about Downey Jr.’s upcoming debut as Doctor Doom. Downey Jr. even read the planned scenes of Tony Stark in Deadpool & Wolverine, but ultimately turned down an appearance.
Paul Wernick: We had wanted [Robert Downey Jr.] to do a cameo. We had written that scene [to start] with Happy and Downey.
Rhett Reese: Ryan Reynolds wrote the scene with both of them, so in the hopes we could get Downey. But he also wanted Favreau, because they’re a great combo, and they were all in the scene together.
Paul Wernick: Behind the scenes, we didn’t know about the Doctor Doom. And there’s no way he was going to do both. And then we said, “Oh, Downey doesn’t say ‘no’ to Ryan Reynolds, does he? No one says no to Ryan Reynolds.” And Ryan gave him the hard press. We wrote scenes, and Downey read the scenes, but what we didn’t know behind the scenes was this Doctor Doom thing.
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick also revealed that a scene had been planned in an early draft of Deadpool & Wolverine, but not actually written, which would have seen all the Avengers appear with Tony Stark and Happy Hogan at this moment. This would have provided the opportunity for Wade Wilson to roast each of them, dressing them down “in a way only Deadpool could do.” It’s unclear which Avengers would have shown up here, as this scene was set in the weeks prior to Avengers: Infinity War, which featured the Avengers as a sparse and disbanded team.
Ben Affleck’s Daredevil
Reese and Wernick went into further detail about who was planned to return in Deadpool & Wolverine, and focused on Daredevil as a possibility. While Ben Affleck’s name was on their list, he was never approached, which suggests that they may have also been considering Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock from the MCU, too. Daredevil didn’t appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, but his variant’s death was mentioned. Daredevil’s romantic interest, Elektra, seemed nonchalant about his demise, cracking a joke regarding Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s messy divorce.
Josh Brolin’s Cable
There was also consideration to include the return of Josh Brolin’s Cable from Deadpool 2. Cable ended Deadpool 2 as a member of Wade Wilson’s rag-tag found-family, so his absence from Deadpool & Wolverine was a mystery. Reese and Wernick suggested that Marvel Studios may want to use Josh Brolin’s Cable in the MCU’s future, especially if more stories unfold on Earth-10005, so they didn’t want to give him any kind of ending or spoil his narrative, so instead left him out. Cable, Domino and Firefist’s absences were curious after Deadpool 2’s ending, but they could still return.
Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider
In conversation with Collider, Ryan Reynolds confirmed that Nicolas Cage had been considered to reprise the role of Johnny Blaze’s Ghost Rider from the eponymous 2007 movie and its 2012 sequel. Amid major speculation that Ghost Rider will soon be joining the MCU, with the most popular theories suggesting he could be played by Ryan Gosling, it was perhaps a good idea that the Spirit of Vengeance wasn’t included in Deadpool & Wolverine. Any cameo from a previous Ghost Rider would have overshadowed his upcoming reinvention.
Nicolas Cage played Johnny Blaze in 2007’s Ghost Rider and 2012’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance , while Gabriel Luna played Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider in Marvel Television’s Agents of SHIELD .
2015’s Fantastic Four Cameo
Shockingly, Ryan Reynolds also revealed to Collider that Deadpool & Wolverine came very close to including a cameo from 2015’s reviled Fantastic Four reboot. It’s unclear whether this would have marked the return of Miles Teller’s Reed Richards, Kate Mara’s Sue Storm, Jamie Bell’s Ben Grimm or Michael B. Jordan’s Johnny Storm. With the surprise return of Chris Evans’ Human Torch, there was no need for more Fantastic Four variants to appear, especially those from a project as hated as 2015’s Fantastic Four, though this would have created some brilliant moments of comedy.
Female Juggernaut
A variant of Juggernaut did appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, not played by Vinnie Jones from X-Men: The Last Stand or voiced by Ryan Reynolds from Deadpool 2, but played by Aaron W. Reed. This wasn’t the only version of Juggernaut planned for Deadpool & Wolverine, however, as concept art revealed by David Masson San Gabriel showed that a female version of the iconic X-Men villain was also set to appear. This would have been amazing to see, and would have leaned into the fact that multiversal variants could literally take any form.
Deadpool 2’s Juggernaut
As well as a female iteration of Juggernaut, more concept art developed by @iweightman_ revealed that Deadpool 2’s version of the X-Men villain was also planned to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine. Several characters from Deadpool 2 appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine, but not in the Void at the End of Time. It makes sense that this version of Juggernaut was removed from the movie, given that questions would have been raised about when and why he was pruned by the TVA, though Deadpool 2’s tease of his survival would have thankfully been paid off.
David Macdonald’s ERG
Shortly after Deadpool & Wolverine’s release, stunt performer Curtis Small (via @powerofxmen) shared an image of several variants from Deadpool & Wolverine.Among them was David Macdonald, who was set to portray Erg in Deadpool & Wolverine, but ultimately didn’t appear in the movie. Erg was a member of the Morlocks in Marvel Comics, though some have mistaken Macdonald’s character as Marvel’s original Nick Fury, thanks to the eye-patch, which Erg also sports. Macdonald did perform stunts for Channing Tatum’s Gambit, but his Erg was noticeably missing from Deadpool & Wolverine.
Rob McElhenney’s TVA Minuteman
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney, who also co-owns Wrexham FC with Ryan Reynolds, was originally set to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine as a TVA Minuteman. McElhenney’s TVA goon even appeared in trailers for Deadpool & Wolverine, though he was shown being devoured by Alioth. Even so, he was cut from Deadpool & Wolverine’s theatrical release. Ryan Reynolds shared a touching message to his friend, expressing his stress about having to cut his sequence that simply “wasn’t working,” though perhaps McElhenney could play someone new in the MCU’s future.
All Scrapped Early Ideas From Deadpool & Wolverine
Ryan Reynolds Reportedly Pitched 18 Ideas For Deadpool’s MCU Sequel To Kevin Feige
It has been heavily reported that, shortly after Disney’s acquisition with 20th Century Fox, Ryan Reynolds met with Marvel boss Kevin Feige to discuss Deadpool’s future in the MCU. A sequel and spinoff to Deadpool 2 had been planned at Fox prior to the buyout, but these were ultimately canceled. Instead, Reynolds pitched roughly 18 ideas to Feige of varying budgets and storylines, each finding new and interesting ways to bring Deadpool into the MCU proper (via Empire), though the inclusion of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine initially seemed like an impossibility.
The details of all of Ryan Reynolds’ pitched ideas haven’t been revealed, though a handful have come to light. There has also been some discussion of planned scenes from Deadpool & Wolverine that, unfortunately, never made it to the filming stage, such as one featuring Wolverine that would have put Hugh Jackman’s musical theater skills to the test. Unlike deleted scenes, these ideas never made it in front of the camera, though they could form plots for future MCU projects featuring Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth.
Peter Picks Up Mjolnir
Think back to the scene of Wade Wilson interviewing to be an Avenger. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick revealed that the Avengers were, early on, planned to appear in this scene, and Rob Delaney’s Peter would have accompanied Deadpool there. In the background, while Wilson tears into the Avengers, it was originally planned that Peter would casually pick up Thor’s hammer, proving that he is worthy of lifting the iconic MCU weapon. This would have been incredible to see, and would have made Peter one of the MCU’s most important and powerful figures.
Oh, that’s right. Peter casually picked up Thor’s Hammer in the background. That was the joke. You’re right. You’re absolutely right. Originally, Peter accompanied him there. There were never screenplay pages, but it was the idea of the scene.
An ‘Awful’ Fake Movie
One of these unproduced ideas was drafted after Hugh Jackman agreed to return as Wolverine after retiring from the role after 2017’s Logan. Reynolds revealed to Variety that Deadpool & Wolverine would have been filmed in secret, under the guise of Reynolds and Jackman teaming up for a ” fake movie called ‘Alpha Cop,’ that was intentionally bad.” Five minutes in, audiences would have been surprised by the Marvel Studios logo and Deadpool & Wolverine, but this perhaps would have had a detrimental impact on the movie’s box office return.
Wolverine’s Dance Number
Prior to Deadpool & Wolverine’s release, Ryan Reynolds revealed that a scene had been planned that would have seen Wolverine doing a song and dance number to Elton John’s “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues.” Jackman’s musical theater background would have ensured this scene would have been spectacular, albeit very weird seeing Wolverine get down and boogie. Somewhat thankfully, this scene never made it past the planning stages, but it surely would have been a sight to behold.
A Rashomon Story
As revealed by Entertainment Weekly in July 2024, one of Ryan Reynolds’ earliest pitches for Deadpool 2’s sequel to Marvel Studios featured a Rashomon-style team-up storyline with Wolverine. Feige noted that getting Hugh Jackman back would be impossible – which saw this idea die on the vine. Rashomon is a 1950 Japanese movie that tells the same story from many different perspectives. This version of Deadpool & Wolverine would have told the story from three perspectives, though it’s unclear who would have been the third after Deadpool and Wolverine.
Deadpool & Dopinder’s Road Trip
One of the lower-budget versions of Deadpool 2’s sequel that Ryan Reynolds pitched would have taken the form of a Sundance indie-style movie. This would have been a “talkie-talkie road trip” featuring Wade Wilson and Karan Soni’s taxi driver, Dopinder. This road trip would have brought them straight into the MCU, not meaning to be anything like an event movie. Luckily, Deadpool & Wolverine became something much larger, more entertaining, and more fitting of its titular heroes’ MCU debuts.
