Deadpool & Wolverine brings back several iconic mutants from 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, including Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth.

The latest trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine builds anticipation for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, which is set to finally hit theaters on July 26, 2024. The Deadpool sequel reunites Ryan Reynolds’s Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine as they embark on a journey spanning the multiverse.

Not only will the upcoming film connect Deadpool to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it will also feature plenty of connections to Fox’s original X-Men franchise. In addition to Deadpool and Wolverine appearing therein, the 2024 film will also include several returning X-Men characters for the first time in years.

8. Deadpool Leads The Charge Against A Rising Threat

In his upcoming film, Deadpool delves into the multiverse after being recruited by the Time Variance Authority to deal with the rising threat of Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). Wade realizes that this new threat could potentially cause him to lose everyone he loves, leading him to team up with his old pal Wolverine to defeat Nova and save the multiverse.

Deadpool will finally make his long-awaited jump to the Marvel Cinematic Universe during the events of his upcoming film. While it remains unclear precisely how he will factor into the franchise moving forward, his character could play an instrumental role in the Multiverse Saga, being one of the few main characters therein who physically hails from a different universe altogether.

7. Wolverine Returns In A New Form

In Deadpool 3, Wolverine seemingly returns from the dead seven years after his character’s death. After almost two decades, Hugh Jackman finally hung up his claws in 2017’s Logan, saying goodbye to his iconic superhero–but not forever. Deadpool & Wolverine introduces a new Wolverine variant who is forced to team up with Wade Wilson against his will.

The latest trailer for the film reveals that this version of Wolverine “let down” his entire world, likely failing to save it from the villainous regime of Cassandra Nova. However, by teaming up with Deadpool, Wolverine fights to fix his past mistakes and change his fate–and the fate of his universe.

6. Colossus Appears At The Beginning Of Deadpool & Wolverine

Colossus has been a staple of the Deadpool franchise from the beginning, guiding Wade on his journey from antihero to hero. The mutant member of the X-Men has a body entirely made of metal, making him a powerful hero. By the end of Deadpool 2, Colossus was an official member of Wade’s found family.

The beginning of Deadpool & Wolverine will include several characters from the franchise as Wade lives out what appears to be his perfect life. However, he is taken away from all of that by the Time Variance Authority, which informs him that his entire world is on the verge of destruction. Colossus, therefore, becomes one of several people that Deadpool fights to save in his upcoming film.

5. Pyro Makes His Long-Awaited Return

John Allerdyce, a.k.a. Pyro, first appeared in X2: X-Men United. A turbulent and hotheaded young mutant, Pyro found himself increasingly at odds with the pacifistic ways of the X-Men. Eventually, he was lured to Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants, fighting against his former allies during the events of The Last Stand, where he was defeated by his former friend Iceman.

The first trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine surprisingly revealed that Pyro would make an appearance in the movie. The character is seen in post-apocalyptic clothing, perhaps suggesting that he will show up in the Void sequence of the film, where Cassandra Nova’s headquarters appears to be. After so long without his character making an appearance, fans are certainly excited to see more of Pyro moving forward.

4. Sabretooth May Return In Two Forms

Sabretooth has been a sporadic but important character in the X-Men franchise from the very beginning. Tyler Mane first played the character in the original 2000 film, where he was depicted as one of Magneto’s lackeys. He is later revealed to be an old friend and war buddy of Wolverine in X-Men Origins.

Several months ago, a series of set photos revealed that Tyler Mane’s Sabretooth would appear in Deadpool & Wolverine. The photos also revealed that he would fight Wolverine at some point during his cameo. While they have yet to be substantiated, some rumors maintain that Liev Schreiber’s Sabretooth may also return in the upcoming film.

3. Toad Leaps Back Onto The Big Screen

Toad is one of the first mutants ever introduced in Marvel Comics, typically fighting alongside Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He has only made a handful of appearances in the X-Men franchise so far, serving as a little-remembered henchman of Magneto until his infamous death at the hands of Storm.

Set photos reveal that Toad will return in a battle sequence during the events of Deadpool & Wolverine. It appears that he and several other mutants from the Fox franchise will confront Wade and Logan. It may be that Toad and the others are minions of Cassandra Nova, who has conquered Logan’s reality and recruited some villains to be her henchmen.

2. Lady Deathstrike Is One Of Cassandra Nova’s Minions

Kelly Hu first appeared in X2: X-Men United as Lady Deathstrike, a brainwashed minion of General William Stryker, who sought to exterminate mutantkind. Wielding long claws similar to Wolverine, she acted as Stryker’s enforcer throughout the film. She is eventually killed after a fight with Wolverine when he injects Adamantium directly into her body.

Lady Deathstrike makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in the second trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine, confirming long-held rumors that she would appear in the film. While it is difficult to make the character out clearly, her claws are distinctive, betraying her identity. Deathstrike seems to be working with Cassandra Nova in the film, perhaps acting as one of her enforcers in much the same way she did Stryker.

1. Azazel Makes A Surprise Return

The teleporting mutant Azazel was a member of the Hellfire Club first seen in X-Men: First Class. Working alongside Sebastian Shaw, Azazel fought the first iteration of the X-Men in the 1960s. However, he was killed off-screen before the events of Days of Future Past, leaving much about his character unexplored.

Azazel appeared alongside Lady Deathstrike for a brief moment in the new Deadpool & Wolverine trailer. It appears that he too will work under Cassandra Nova at her headquarters in the Void. This confirmed appearance by Azazel could hint that the movie will delve further into his backstory that was never explored in previous entries, including the fact that he is secretly Mystique’s father.