How Is Wolverine Alive In Deadpool 3? (It's Not The Mystery You Think It Is)

It's rare to get true closure in superhero media, as heroes and villains must remain perpetually locked in battle to keep stories going. However, the ending of 2017's "Logan" is so impactful because it appears to close the door on Hugh Jackman's iteration of the character. Of course, the Oscar nominee is back in the upcoming "Deadpool & Wolverine." This begs the question: How is Wolverine alive in "Deadpool 3?" In all fairness, there's a fairly simple explanation behind the character's resurrection, and it's all thanks to the Multiverse.

A new "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer casts the spotlight on Logan, and there are several hints to suggest this isn't the mutant we all know from 20th Century Studios' X-Men movies. He's a variant from another reality. This can be inferred when a TVA Agent (Matthew Macfadyen) says, "This Wolverine let down his entire world." The Wolverine we see in "Logan" doesn't quite let down his world, and on top of that, this version of the character looks much different than how he is in "Logan."

While it hasn't been explicitly stated this is a Wolverine variant, it would make the most sense and not mess with established continuity. After all, "Deadpool 2" references the fact Wolverine dies in "Logan." It's clear Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) knows one Wolverine dies, so this is probably a different one from another timeline. 

If nothing else, it should be clear the Wolverine in "Deadpool 3" is a different one from "Logan" because this one has a bright yellow suit, something the old Wolverine from the 20th Century Studios timeline never wears. A variant would be the easiest way for Marvel to have its cake and eat it too, ensuring "Logan" remains one version's swan song while still having Hugh Jackman return for what's bound to be a cameo-filled extravaganza. 

That's just the way Jackman likes it, as he stated in an interview on "The Jess Cagle Show" that he didn't want to mess with "Logan." He explained how "Deadpool & Wolverine" is even possible: "All because of this device they have in the Marvel world of moving around timelines, now we can go back because it's 'science.'" That seems to offer further clarification that this new Wolverine is a variant, as he continued, "I don't have to screw with the 'Logan' timeline, which was important to me and I think probably to the fans."

The "Deadpool 3" plot was originally wildly different before Jackman returned, so fans can have at least one more adventure with the actor before the Marvel Cinematic Universe inevitably has to find the next Wolverine. We say "at least one more" because there's always a chance Jackman could come back for more Marvel movies like "Avengers: Secret Wars." Much like Wolverine himself, Jackman's casting as the character is simply unstoppable.