Did Deadpool 3 Fight Photos Just Tease The Death Of Wolverine & Fox's Marvel Heroes?

"Deadpool 3" is on the horizon. It will wrap up the Merc with the Mouth's trilogy that began in 2016 and bring the vigilante into the Marvel Cinematic Universe when he was previously designated to 20th Century Fox's "X-Men" world. And it looks like the trilogy capper will have fun at its former studio's expense. What makes the threequel even more special in the eyes of fans is how the Shawn Levy-directed film will fold Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) into Deadpool's (Ryan Reynolds) world. But if set photos are anything to go by, the duo's long-awaited team-up won't be perfect. 

Verified set photos have shown Deadpool battling Wolverine. The two actors have long maintained a friendly rivalry in the real world. Additionally, Wade Wilson, the man behind Deadpool's blood-red mask, often references Wolverine in the movies, especially their oft-maligned first outing, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Now, they're sharing the screen again, with Wolverine getting a comic-accurate costume, no less. 

And it seems they won't be on the best terms, at least for part of it. The photos show Deadpool duking out with Wolverine in a desert-type setting. One such photo published by /Film seems to show Deadpool killing or seriously injuring Wolverine, but given the fact both characters have healing factors, Logan probably won't bite the dust in that capacity. Regardless, Deadpool's out for blood in these pictures. And considering there are also photos of the wreckage of the 20th Century Fox logo amidst the desert, it suggests Wade may kill the Fox Marvel universe. 

Deadpool killing Wolverine (regardless if it sticks) could reference the myriad of times he's died in the comics. This is most apparent in the "Death of Wolverine" arc, but he's also bitten the dust in "End of Days" and "Enemy of the State," to name a couple. No matter what the relationship between the two ends up being in "Deadpool 3," the fight scene combined with the destroyed 20th Century Fox monument suggests Deadpool may be out to get everyone involved with a 20th Century Marvel movie. 

It's also heavily rumored that Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong) of the Time Variance Authority introduced in "Loki" will factor into the movie. What if the TVA assigns Deadpool the mission to prune the 20th Century Fox branch of the Marvel universe? Deadpool gets tasked with wiping out everything that transpired from the "X-Men" movies to even "Elektra," with Jennifer Garner being confirmed to appear. There's a possibility Deadpool and Wolverine could team up in this endeavor. Anything's really possible with such a massive playground and the backing of Disney now behind Deadpool on the big screen. And with the multiverse in play, it's possible that several different variants of both Deadpool and Wolverine could pop up. 

The "Deadpool" franchise has succeeded against all odds, proving that audiences can tolerate (and celebrate) an R-rated, self-aware superhero with a penchant for violence. With "Deadpool 3," director Shawn Levy and producer Ryan Reynolds have the tall task of not only wrapping up Wade Wilson's story but also justifying the inclusion of Wolverine, who received a ceremonious sendoff in 2017's "Logan." While speaking with Sirius XM, Jackman made it clear that the comical "Deadpool 3" wouldn't interfere with the grounded "Logan," saying that he wouldn't screw with the James Mangold-directed film's timeline. 

Only time will tell how Wolverine is folded into the "Deadpool" universe but it will be interesting for fans to see why exactly the duo are fighting. Is it possible that other 20th Century Fox Marvel heroes will join in on the fight, attempting to justify their existence in a cinematic universe that has since been consolidated thanks to Marvel's Kevin Feige? The Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't been clear about its plans regarding the "X-Men" franchise, but it's extremely probable that they'll reboot the whole series, allowing new actors to populate iconic roles like Professor X and Jean Grey. Having Deadpool kill off previous iterations of these characters is certainly an inspired choice, but one that could prove to be controversial with hardcore fans of the franchise.

Before Disney bought Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox was integral to bringing these superheroes to massive audiences. One way or another, it's seeming like "Deadpool 3" will be the swan song, and hopefully, this chapter gets laid to rest in style and with just a little bit of irreverence. It is a "Deadpool" movie, after all.