The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been touching on a lot of serious subjects lately, giving their characters story arcs that come with a lot of drama and intensity. Wanda Maximoff’s journey with grief and the temptation of power in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, for example, showcases the emotional impact being a superhero can have on Marvel’s characters. The film itself, however, was met with mixed reviews from fans and critics, who felt as if the story didn’t do its characters justice. Other Phase 4 projects like Eternals and Black Widow also didn’t rise to the occasion and meet fan expectations, making them stand out against major successes like Shang-Chi and Moon Knight.
Even with its flaws, the MCU has still seen levels of popularity akin to major franchises like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Deadpool, however, is the perfect antithesis to everything the MCU stands for, and poses a great contrast to even the grittiest of MCU anti-heroes.
Given the vulgarity of both the character himself and the previous two Deadpool films, Wade Wilson’s introduction to the MCU will be nothing short of hilarious. Deadpoolwriter Rhett Reese has finally spoken about some plot details for the next film, saying that Deadpool will be very much out of his element in the third installment of the series.
Coming from an entirely different universe, Deadpool is the perfect character to poke fun at Marvel’s current image. The MCU has maintained a rather wholesome image, given the connections the franchise has with Disney, which has been a point of contention for a lot of viewers over the years. Some viewers feel as if some Marvel projects would be better if granted a more adult rating, while others are perfectly satisfied with how things have been all along.
Deadpool 3 will be keeping the R rating granted to the first two films, despite joining a brand-new franchise. This means that Wade Wilson will be the star of the MCU’s very first R-rated film, which the character will surely speak about during his fourth-wall breaks. This presents a unique opportunity for Marvel to use Deadpool to acknowledge that not everyone is keen on their family-friendly branding, while simultaneously making for some humorous character interactions.
Not only will Wade have the knowledge of a world no other MCU character has visited thus far, he’ll likely have some sort of knowledge about previous Marvel movies and the heroes. Deadpool’s fourth-wall breaking is one of the major elements that makes his movies stand out from all the other superhero films, and gives him the opportunity to roast and reference Marvel’s previous blunders.
Fans have seen Wade talk about events from other movies in Deadpool and Deadpool 2, so Deadpool 3 should be no different. He constantly makes jabs at the X-Men, so dropping him into the middle of the MCU comes with a massive amount of new material. Watching him interact with characters outside his wheelhouse will be interesting in and of itself, but hopefully these interactions come with some surprises for the audience, as well.
Marvel has outdone themselves in a lot of ways, but fans and critics have always been honest about where the franchise could’ve done better. Beyond the previous lack of well-written female characters, the MCU has previously struggled to include diversity and representation in their films. Once again, Phase 4 has taken steps to remedy these issues, but there’s still a long way to go. There seems to be a pretty similar formula used throughout all of Marvel’s movies and shows, as well, which makes certain projects feel too familiar and over-done. Introducing Deadpool provides the perfect opportunity to poke fun and draw attention to the areas where the franchise could do better.
Fans have openly expressed their love of movies that stand out from the traditional Marvel feel, most notably surrounding the distinctive flare Taika Waititi brought during Thor: Ragnarok. With an audience that’s receptive to such eccentric characters, plot lines, and directorial styles, it’s a shame the MCU hasn’t gone outside the box on more occasions. In order for the movie to succeed, Deadpool 3 needs to lean into the adult tone that’s already been developed. Rather than watering down Deadpool’s story, the MCU should use this as a way to start truly diversifying the way they write their characters and their stories.
With so many people watching and giving their critiques, Deadpool 3 is the perfect way for the creators of the MCU to do the same. Between the fourth wall breaks, Wade Wilson’s unusual sense of humor, and his NC-17 branding, Deadpool poses a major opportunity for Marvel to up its game. The MCU should take advantage of this chance to acknowledge any negative feedback they’re getting from audiences, and hopefully start setting the stage for better projects in the future.