Hugh Jackman seems to be playing a new version of Wolverine in Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, but this iteration may have already been introduced back in 2018’s Deadpool 2. Hugh Jackman was surprisingly confirmed to be joining Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine back in September 2022, bringing his beloved clawed X-Men member into the MCU for the first time. Hugh Jackman previously portrayed James “Logan” Howlett’s Wolverine between 2000’s X-Men and 2017’s Logan in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, but will be given a comic-accurate makeover and a new best friend in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine.

Although he was initially believed to be returning as the incarnation of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise’s Wolverine, Deadpool & Wolverine’s first official trailer seemed to suggest that Hugh Jackman would be bringing a completely new variant into the MCU. The trailer teased something catastrophic having happened to Wolverine’s world and the X-Men, making him exposed and vulnerable enough to be recruited by Deadpool and the Time Variance Authority. However, while the introduction of Jackman as a new variant of Wolverine avoids messing with Logan’s emotional ending, it does raise questions about where this version of Wolverine actually comes from.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Variant Returns From Deadpool 2: MCU Theory Explained

While there are many possible worlds that Deadpool & Wolverine’s new version of Wolverine could have come from, one theory suggests the mutant may be the iteration from Deadpool 2’s post-credits scenes. 2018’s Deadpool 2 ended with Wade Wilson using Cable’s time travel technology to journey through his own personal history, changing major events, and seemingly establishing many new branching timelines. As well as saving Vanessa, warning X-Force member Peter, and killing Ryan Reynolds after reading the screenplay for 2011’s reviled Green Lantern, Deadpool also found himself back in the 1980s during a pivotal scene in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

In one of Deadpool 2’s brilliant post-credits scenes, the new-and-improved Deadpool travels back to X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s timeline and kills his former self, Weapon XI. Ryan Reynolds’ portrayal of Weapon XI was controversial, as it veered massively away from Marvel Comics’ depiction of the merc-with-a-mouth, prompting the updated live-action Deadpool to wipe him out. Killing the version of Deadpool from X-Men: Origins: Wolverine prior to his final battle against Wolverine and Victor Creed would have changed Wolverine’s subsequent timeline massively, so this could be the iteration that returns in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine in the MCU’s Phase 5.

How Did Deadpool 2’s Post-Credits Scene Change Wolverine’s Timeline?

In Deadpool 2, Wade Wilson kills Weapon XI in the moments before the final battle between Weapon XI, Wolverine and Victor Creed. Omitting this fight sequence from the X-Men timeline would have had a major impact on Wolverine’s future timeline in Fox’s franchise, particularly since this could have led to Wolverine being able to safely make his exit from Three Mile Island with his memories intact. Wolverine could have simply joined the young mutants boarding Professor X’s helicopter in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, perhaps allowing him to join the X-Men team two decades earlier than in the original X-Men timeline.

Had Stryker not wiped Wolverine’s memories with an adamantium bullet, the events of X-Men, X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand would have gone very differently. Deadpool & Wolverine’s trailer confirmed that Wolverine was still a member of the X-Men, but this journey may have started earlier. If Deadpool & Wolverine’s version of Wolverine is the same from Deadpool 2’s post-credits scene, this would also explain why Wolverine seems to recognize Deadpool in the bar in Deadpool & Wolverine’s trailer. This version of Wolverine is the only one who’s seen the newer incarnation of Deadpool, and they only met in Deadpool 2.

Deadpool 2 Changed The X-Men Timeline In Many Ways

As well as removing Weapon XI and perhaps freeing a different version of Wolverine, Deadpool 2’s post-credits scenes also made many other changes to the X-Men timeline that may be significant in Deadpool & Wolverine. Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney and Lewis Tan are set to return as Vanessa, Colossus and Shatterstar, respectively, despite dying in Deadpool 2, as Deadpool saved them in the movie’s post-credits scenes. Deadpool & Wolverine could also see Deadpool make jokes about the state of DC’s live-action franchises following his murder of Ryan Reynolds, setting up an exciting and complex multiversal journey for the returning heroes.