Deadpool & Wolverine Recreates an Iconic Marvel Comics Moment

Deadpool & Wolverine hauled in a truly impressive amount of money at the box office this weekend, putting Marvel back on top of the Hollywood food chain for the moment and setting the stage for a thrilling few days at San Diego Comic Con. The movie is loaded down with Easter eggs and references, some of which are key to the plot while others are there just for fans to point at like Leonardo di Caprio, or to exclaim at like Steve “I understood that reference!” Rogers. One such Easter egg is what we’re here to talk about, although we’re giving a little space for anybody who, for some reason or another, clicked on this article in spite of its very obviously spoilery headline.

We’ll give you a hint, though; it involves a cameo appearance by a Marvel character, a costumer change for another, and Todd McFarlane. 

Spoilers below the break!

In the movie, while Deadpool searches the multiverse for a Wolverine he can recruit into his universe, he runs into a handful of other Logans. One is dressed in the yellow-and-brown look that the character wore in the 1980s. Name-dropping legendary X-Men and Superman artist John Byrne, Deadpool jokes “you fought the Hulk in this outfit!” before Logan snaps his claws, revealing an homage to Todd McFarlane and Bob Wiacek’s cover to The Incredible Hulk #340.

The only big difference is that the Hulk reflected in Wolverine’s claws is green, not grey. Turns out we found the outer boundary of how comics-accurate you can get before Disney decides you’re too off-model for the big screen.

As you might expect, that shot is followed by Deadpool being punched out of frame by the Hulk, and then a quick cut to the next universe.

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, and Rob Delaney as Peter. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, and a bunch of other guest stars we aren’t talking about yet in mixed company.

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 was released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.