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Ryan Reynolds may have been the only Merc with a Mouth for the last 15 years, but 2024 brought a new wave of actors to the role–including one who replaced Reynolds completely.
After Disney acquired 21st Century Fox, including 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox), Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson/Deadpool) made it his mission to bring Deadpool into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Though the original plan was for the mutants to be introduced to the MCU first, Reynolds managed to get MCU President Kevin Feige to push Deadpool 3 ahead in development, which turned out to be a billion-dollar success and a love letter to the Fox universe of superhero movies that started over two decades ago.
Credit: 20th Century Studios
The first two Deadpool films, directed by Tim Miller and David Leitch, were major box office hits, grossing $782 million and $785 million, respectively, paving the way for this third installment. Per Box Office Mojo, Deadpool & Wolverine‘s total takings stand at $1.215 billion–Disney’s second picture of 2024 to surpass the coveted $1 billion hurdle after Kelsey Mann’s Inside Out 2 (2024).
Under the direction of Shawn Levy, the movie evolved into a unique two-hander adventure (not Deadpool 3), with Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Logan/Wolverine and marking a “radical reboot” of the franchise.
The Multiverse played a central role in Deadpool & Wolverine, with numerous cameos from characters across various Marvel Studios and Fox timelines.
Notable appearances included Jennifer Garner (Elektra Natchios), Wesley Snipes (Eric Brookes/Blade), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), and a variety of Wolverines, including a version played by Henry Cavill, dubbed “Cavillrine.”
The movie also introduced different Deadpool Variants, culminating in the appearance of the Deadpool Corps, a collection of characters such as Nicepool (also played by Reynolds), Dogpool (Peggy the Dog), and Ladypool, voiced by It Ends With Us actress (and Reynolds’ spouse), Blake Lively. Reynolds and Lively’s children, Inez and Olin, starred as Kidpool and Babypool.
Interestingly, Reynolds’ The Adam Project (2022) co-star Walker Scobell was initially lined up to play Kidpool in Levy’s movie, but the director confirmed that due to puberty, Scobell was no longer able to voice the role. Later, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians actor confirmed that he grows too fast.
It wasn’t just Reynolds and his family that portrayed the Variants of the Deadpool Corps; other A-list stars and individuals in the pop culture canon took on the Merc.
Welshpool was played by Wrexham A.F.C. forward Paul Mullin, while Nathan Fillion portrayed Headpool, and Academy Award-winning actor Matthew Matthew McConaughey played Cowboypool.
Interestingly, Shawn Levy confirmed earlier this month that Reynolds was lined up to play Cowboypool before McConaughey, thanks to his great Cowboypool voice. “I implored him to let us use his voice as Cowboypool,” Levy said on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast.
“I feel like, eventually, he was like, ‘Okay, fine, we’ll stick with my voice unless we can get someone like Matthew McConaughey,” Levy added. “Cut to…yes! Literally, days later, Matthew sent us that recording. It was so good and dropped in like butter.”
“Ryan, you’re fired as Cowboypool. Matthew, you’re in,” Levy recounted.
Now, new information has come to light regarding the creation of Cowboypool and just how important the character was to the overall Deadpool Corps aesthetic.
“One the coolest and craziest sequences in the film is the portal opening and arrival of an army of Deadpool variants,” concept artist Jonay Bacallado said on the Deadpool Corps arrival in the movie’s final act. “Cowboypool was one the first ones to be conceptualized.”
“[Costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo] wanted to pay homage to the Western genre,” the artist continued. “We got inspiration from great icons like Clint Eastwood; we adapted to shapes, materials, and motifs to a more organic vibe.”
Jonay Bacallado shared the Cowboypool concept art on his Instagram earlier this week, which can be viewed below:
Cowboypool final costume concept for costume designer @mayesrubeo in Deadpool & Wolverine
One the coolest and craziest sequences in the film is the portal opening and arrival of an army of Deadpool variants. Cowboypool was one the first ones to be conceptualised. Mayes wanted to pay homage to the western genre. We got inspiration from great icons like Clint Eastwood. We adapted to shapes, materials and motifs to a more organic vibe. The Deadpool poncho pattern was even created in the traditional method of knitting. Turned out to be a guy with so much attitude!
The film was a star-studded affair, not only with Reynolds and Jackman in the lead but also featuring a host of familiar faces like Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Morena Baccarin (Vanessa Carlysle), and Rob Delaney (Peter Wisdom).
Newcomers included Matthew Macfadyen in his MCU debut as Mr. Paradox and The Crown‘s Emma Corrin as the powerful mutant–and twin sister to Charles Xavier/Professor X–Cassandra Nova.
Despite the Multiversal stakes and the many rumors preceding the movie’s debut, Deadpool & Wolverine had no major direct impact–or so it seemed–on the primary MCU timeline, Earth-616.
However, it did introduce a new mechanic called “Anchor Beings,” an individual held in such heightened regard that, upon their death, their entire universe begins to end. It will be interesting to see if these Anchor Beings come back around–will Marvel Studios confirm that a character like Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Dr. Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is the Anchor Being for Earth-616, for example.
Kevin Feige called Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange the “anchor” of the MCU at the Sherlock actor’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony back in 2022, but that could be a coincidence…
Related: Deadpool and Wolverine Have Already Been Recast, as Ryan Reynolds Casts Doubt Over MCU Return
Deadpool & Wolverine shattered expectations at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. By the end of July 2024, just five days after opening, it had already grossed $590 million, establishing itself as one of the biggest theatrical events of the year.
Alongside its commercial success, the film cemented itself as a cultural milestone for Disney’s MCU, following in the footsteps of other major releases like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Related: Every Shocking Cameo in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ Ranked
Levy’s movie injected a much-needed spark into the superhero genre after both Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. DC Studios faced a severe box office drought when it came to this genre in 2023, with the exception of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), which did a commendable $845 million globally.
How did you feel about all the Deadpool Variants and the actors who played them in Deadpool & Wolverine? Let us know in the comments down below!
