Deadpool 3's Original Plot Was Wildly Different Before Hugh Jackman's Wolverine

If Disney hadn't purchased 20th Century Fox, "Deadpool 3" could have been a radically different movie. In 2019, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige was finally given the keys to the X-Men after Disney confirmed its purchase of the studio formerly known as 20th Century Studios. Now, Ryan Reynolds' franchise is set to return with the long-awaited threequel "Deadpool & Wolverine." 

While speaking with ScreenRant, Dopinder actor Karan Soni revealed that having a Deadpool and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) crossover episode against the backdrop of the Time Variance Authority wasn't always the plan for a third film. "It was going to be originally a road trip movie where Deadpool tries to save Christmas, so we all go to the North Pole," Soni said. As intriguing as it would have been to see Deadpool and the gang spoof a Christmas movie, fans are obviously more interested in seeing the duo enter the MCU — the "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer broke the record for the most-watched of all time. 

Soni revealed that he was surprised by the direction the film ultimately went in and how he blurted out the plot details for the initial Fox version during a first date. "[...] On our first date I recapped the plot of 'Deadpool 3,' which I wasn't supposed to. This was the Fox version, which didn't get made because the studio got sold or whatever," the actor explained. Desperate to impress his date, he revealed that Jackman's Wolverine was also going to be in that scrapped version of "Deadpool 3."

Further plot details regarding the original, Fox-backed "Deadpool 3" are minimal. In an X, formerly known as Twitter, post, franchise steward Ryan Reynolds teased what the pre-MCU version of the film could have looked like. "[...] before Disney bought Fox, 'Deadpool 3' was gonna be a road trip between Deadpool and Logan. 'Rashomon' style. For real," Reynolds shared in early 2021 before cameras began rolling on what's now called "Deadpool & Wolverine." 

Reynolds' post lines up with the information that Karan Soni revealed. However, it's interesting that Reynolds' account doesn't mention anything about Christmas. Perhaps he was saving that bit of information for the final product? Or maybe a Christmas-themed "Deadpool 3" was a different script written sometime in the production process? Regardless, it's great to hear that the plan was to always bring Hugh Jackman in as Wolverine for one last hurrah. When Jackman's inclusion in "Deadpool 3" was first announced under the Marvel Studios banner, it appeared to be a cash grab, a last-ditch effort of sorts to bring the iconic mutant into the MCU for the sake of nostalgia. Now, we definitively know that it was a key part of Reynolds' vision. Marvel Studios is eager to fold the "X-Men" batch of films into the MCU, with the threequel's first trailer revealing the return of a villain 18 years after their debut. 

"Deadpool & Wolverine" — which will reportedly feature Wolverinepool, a variant of Wolverine — hits cinemas on July 26, 2024.