Deadpool & Wolverine: Ryan Reynolds May Have Teased a Major MCU Connection

Based on every trailer and clip that has been released to this point, it’s clear that Deadpool & Wolverine is going to be digging into all sorts of random corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is Deadpool’s foray into the Marvel Studios franchise, and his multiverse-hopping adventure will likely have lasting implications for the other films and shows in the future. Exactly how Deadpool & Wolverine ties into the rest of the MCU is being kept under wraps, but producer and star Ryan Reynolds is teasing some different franchise elements, including a major tie to Doctor Strange.

On Thursday, a week before Deadpool & Wolverine‘s premiere, Reynolds shared a couple of interesting images to his Instagram story. He shared two different photos of concept art from Doctor Strange, depicting Strange’s sling ring, the tool he wears on his fingers to open portals between locations (and sometimes universes). Take a look!

The sling ring from Reynolds will obviously get fans wondering if the tool will appear in Deadpool & Wolverine at some point, which would mean multiple things. It’s already well-known that the film will be exploring different universes, and the sling ring could be the way Deadpool and Wolverine hop between them, but it could also indicate some kind of involvement from Stephen Strange himself.

No matter how it ends up being significant, the sling ring being teased by Reynolds isn’t exactly a massive surprise. A portal resembling the ones Strange opens throughout the MCU has been featured in just about every trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine to this point. What we don’t know in this point is how those portals will be used, and just how Deadpool might come into possession of that technology.

In Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film also stars Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, with the return of Deadpool alums Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Lewis Tan as Shatterstar. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, with Jennifer Garner rumored to return as Elektra Natchios. 

Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. Deadpool & Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy. Deadpool & Wolverine will be released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.