Deadpool 3: When Ryan Reynolds Met With Kevin Feige Revealed

It may surprise some fans to learn when Ryan Reynolds met with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige to discuss Deadpool 3. The first two Deadpool movies were released by Fox when the studio had the film rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises. Disney would eventually acquire 20th Century Fox, meaning Marvel now had creative control of all X-Men and Fantastic Four characters, including Deadpool. News regarding Deadpool 3 has slowly come out over the years, but September brought the first official confirmation that the film would bring back Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Marvel projects are years in the making, and that's how long it's been since Reynolds and Feige got together to bring the Merc With a Mouth to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman told Variety that plans for Deadpool 3 have been brewing for some time, with Reynolds stating he met with Kevin Feige three and a half years ago, shortly after Disney's acquisition of Fox was completed. "I got Kevin to talk what, if anything, the future holds for Deadpool in that transaction," Reynolds said of his first Marvel meeting. "The subject was coming up in the meeting about if we could find a way to do a Deadpool-Wolverine pairing. It wasn't possible then. For this to be happening now is pretty damn exciting."

Was 2017's Logan Hugh Jackman's Final Time Playing Wolverine?

Hugh Jackman said on numerous occasions that his performance as an older Wolverine in 2017's Logan would be his last time playing the character. However, after seeing a screening of 2016's Deadpool, Jackman started having second thoughts. Deadpool came out before he started filming Logan, but the actor had already gone on the record as calling Logan his final Wolverine performance.

"I went to a screening of Deadpool. I was 20 minutes in, and I was like, 'Ah, damn it!'" Jackman said. "All I kept seeing in my head was 48 Hrs. with Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. So it's been brewing for a long time. It just took me longer to get here."

Is Hugh Jackman Returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3?

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman announced Wolverine for Deadpool 3 on September 27th. Having previously hung up his claws after 2017's Logan it's quite a surprise that the actor could be talked back into returning, but something made him consider it, perhaps the prospect of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way.

"We're extremely sad to have missed D23, but we've been working very hard on the next Deadpool film for, uh, a good long while now," Reynolds said in the announcement video. "I've had to really search my soul on this one. His first appearance in the MCU obviously needs to feel special. We need to stay true to the character; find new depth and motivation, new meaning. Every Deadpool needs to stand out and stand apart. It's been an incredible challenge that has forced me to reach down deep inside... And I...I have nothing. Yeah...Just...completely... empty up here. And terrifying. But we did have one idea."

At that moment Reynolds, seated on a couch in his home, calls out behind him, asking: "Hey, Hugh, you want to play Wolverine one more time?" That's when the Academy Award-nominee walks into frame behind him, takes a bite out of an apple, and while ascending some stairs replies: "Yeah, sure, Ryan." 

Deadpool 3 has a release date of September 6, 2024.