Deadpool 3 Theory May Explain Why Wolverine Appears - And How He Will Die

Excitement is high for the third installment in the "Deadpool" film franchise for more reasons than one. Not only will Ryan Reynolds return as the titular loud-mouthed mercenary, with the character making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the process, but he'll do so alongside a Marvel movie legend. In a shocking move, Hugh Jackman will play longtime "X-Men" franchise staple Wolverine one more time in the feature. Naturally, since this news came to light, fans have begun to wonder how and why the adamantium-clawed Canucklehead will pop up in the story, with theories popping up left and right.

One theory stems from a Marvel Comics artifact known as the Muramasa Blade, which TikTok's @builtbygamerspt explains is a unique and dangerous weapon. It can negate all healing factors, meaning the potentially endless lifespans of Wolverine and Deadpool could be cut short by the blade. Could Deadpool find the blade and go after Wolverine, attempting to kill him for some reason? Or, since Jackman teased to Le Parisien that "Deadpool 3" will have him work a "dual role" (via Men's Health), will the two team-up and use the sword to defeat attacking variants of themselves from other universes, keeping with the MCU's multiversal direction?

Of course, the big issue with this theory and the very idea of "Deadpool 3" focusing on Deadpool and Wolverine together comes in the form of one of the greatest comic book movies of all time: "Logan."

To commemorate the supposed end of Hugh Jackman's run as Wolverine, director James Mangold offered moviegoers "Logan" in 2017. This tale of a run-down Wolverine barely living through a future where mutants have gone extinct is immensely sad. At the same time, through Logan's relationship with his daughter, Laura (Dafne Keen), it's also a heartfelt story that fans have clung to since its release. In the end, Logan succumbs to his injuries due to his failing healing factor, with Laura burying him in a makeshift grave.

So, how would "Deadpool 3" and the Muramasa Blade theory avoid tarnishing this near-perfect send-off? Simple, the movie won't touch "Logan" at all.

"Logan died in 'Logan.' Not touching that," Ryan Reynolds shared in a video teasing Wolverine's role in "Deadpool 3." That can mean two things, either the film will feature Wolverine before the events of "Logan," or Hugh Jackman will play a different version of the character from elsewhere in the multiverse to deviate further from "Logan." If the latter is the case, the inclusion of the Muramasa Blade would carry much more weight since we wouldn't know ahead of time what the fate of this other Wolverine is. He could live on, or meet his demise on the wrong end of the blade, and we wouldn't know until the end.

Surely as "Deadpool 3" inches closer to its November 8, 2024 release date, we'll learn more about Wolverine's reason for appearing — and how accurate or off-base this theory is.