Deadpool and Wolverine is a fitting goodbye to Fox's Marvel franchises

I haven’t been Marvel’s biggest fan of late.

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m slowly growing out of the age demographic that the films are aimed at, if the film quality has dipped, or even if it’s a mix of both.

For a few years now, it has felt like we would never get a movie event quite like the last Avengers movie ever again. That was until Ryan Reynolds announced that his good friend Hugh Jackman would return for one last hurrah as Wolverine, but this time in the MCU.

Ever since this announcement was made in 2022, I circled 25 July 2024 on my calendar.

*CONTENT WARNING: This trailer contains naughty words and adult themes.*

After seeing the film, the question a lot of people reading this review will be asking whether Deadpool and Wolverine save the MCU?’

The short answer is no. However, this film was a lot of damn fun.

For spoiler purposes, I won’t be mentioning any story beats as they do lean quite heavily into secrets that are meant to be experienced not read. What I will try to do is give you realistic expectations of what you’re going to see if you see this movie.

As mentioned before, this movie isn’t an Endgame or Infinity War-level event. There are no plans for the MCU being set and there aren’t any tie-ins to other MCU films.

What this film does is honour the previous Fox-owned films before Disney bought them.

For a brief recap, in the 1990s, Marvel (the comics company) sold certain characters’ rights to several different movie studios in order to stay financially afloat.

X-Men, Daredevil and Fantastic Four (and several lesser characters) were sold to Fox; Spiderman was sold to Sony; and in the late 2000s, Disney partnered with Marvel and formed Marvel Studios, which have made the MCU movies today.

Eventually, Marvel got the film rights to many of its characters back in 2019, with Disney buying 20th Century Fox. Unfortunately, it put an abrupt end to many Fox franchises – X-men being the biggest victim.

Deadpool (which falls under the X-Men licence) survived the transition due to the fourth-wall-breaking nature of the character, which made it easier for him to switch franchises narratively. Now entrenched in the MCU five years after the buyout, Deadpool and Wolverine finally gives a fitting send-off to all the previous Fox movies.

If that sounds complicated, it’s because it is, and I think that can hinder some people’s enjoyment of this film. If you don’t know the history or the difference between studios, some of the jokes will be lost on you. If you do, you will have a much more enjoyable time.

There’s not a lot of substance when it comes to plot, and while I think a story is important, it’s not necessary for a movie like this. It’s a bit basic and quite a few leaps in logic to get characters from one spot to another, but it never took me out of the experience.

This is also Disney-Marvel’s first ever mature-rated film and it uses the rating to comedic effect. There are plenty of self-referential jokes, sexual innuendos and slapstick gags that made the first two Deadpool films great, so don’t be scared of a watered-down Disney version of the character.

There were fears that this film would disturb the ending of Logan, which saw the death of Wolverine in the aforementioned Fox universe. Thankfully, due to the multiverse hopping of this film, they were able to respect the ending of Logan while still being able to bring Wolverine back.

Deadpool and Wolverine is a bit of a weird film to watch and review. It’s less of a narrative and more of a farewell to a 25-year generation of superhero movies.

As a fan of those films, I truly appreciate Deadpool and Wolverine. In saying that, I don’t think those who haven’t will enjoy it nearly as much.

If you’re expecting cameos, fourth-wall-breaking jokes and brilliant chemistry between two beloved characters, you will love this film.

Personally, I think Deadpool and Wolverine is a breath of fresh air for Marvel and well worth the watch for those who have enjoyed superhero movies since the first X-Men film, all the way back in 2000.

Deadpool and Wolverine is showing in cinemas across the country.