Ryan Reynolds is set to officially join the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine, but Reynolds might have just hinted at his further involvement ahead of Avengers 5. While Deadpool was first released in 2016, and Reynolds helmed the role even earlier in a highly altered state in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009, the character has yet to officially join the MCU proper. When Fox was acquired by Disney in 2019, the prospect of the Regenerating Degenerate joining forces with other standout heroes in the established MCU became a strong possibility.

Now, with Deadpool & Wolverine set to release on July 26, the character is making his official debut in the MCU. However, actor Ryan Reynolds may have just revealed an intriguing detail about Deadpool’s future in the MCU on his personal Instagram. His official Instagram account shared a brief looping video which shows off the Avengers team logo on a blue flag waving in the wind. The video also shows the logo having been defaced with a sprayed anarchist symbol, which could allude to Deadpool appearing in the 2026 sequel, Avengers 5.

Why Deadpool Would Be Perfect For Avengers 5

The Merc With The Mouth In The MCU

Deadpool is one of the most successful superhero properties to exist outside the MCU. Despite the R rating, the first two entries proved incredibly popular and earned more than $1.5 billion between them (via The Numbers). The third entry is expected to be even more successful, thanks to the long awaited inclusion of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, who features prominently enough to prompt the characters name to be included in the title, and the movie establishing a connection to the MCU.

The character is also one of the most blunt and exciting fictional heroes, providing a running commentary on the studio’s and real-life actors, in the Marvel tradition of breaking the fourth wall. In addition, including Deadpool provides an exciting and invigorating new connection to the franchise with a fan favorite character. His style and humor is not immediately a match for heroes in the MCU who have literally called out swearing mid-battle. Having Deadpool in Avengers 5 will certainly change the dynamic for the upcoming film.

Is Ryan Reynolds Toying With Fans As Deadpool?

Deadpool Breaking The Fourth Wall

While the image shared by Ryan Reynolds is not an outright confirmation of his character’s inclusion in the upcoming Avengers movie, it’s a very encouraging hint. As an expert marketer and businessman, Reynolds has become famous outside his work in movies for his advertising and social media presence. He is extremely deliberate in his approach to whatever he shares online, and he knows what kind of reaction he will generate when sharing images like the above.

There is a possibility that this post is alluding to something that will prove to be considerably smaller and less ambitious than Deadpool prominently appearing in Avengers 5, but it seems there will be some sort of connection between Deadpool and the Avengers. This could be as far out as the sixth Avengers movie, Secret Wars in 2027, or potentially beyond, but considering how quickly Marvel generally moves, it is likely to be revealed much sooner. With Deadpool & Wolverine releasing so soon, more information about Deadpool’s connection to Avengers 5 could be arriving imminently.