How Will Deadpool Join The MCU? Every Theory

Deadpool is finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Deadpool 3, and as details about his arrival to this connected universe haven’t been revealed, there are a couple of theories on how the Merc with a Mouth will become part of the MCU – and here’s every one of them. Deadpool has become one of the most popular and beloved antiheroes from Marvel Comics, so there was a lot of anticipation around his first big-screen appearance, but unfortunately, it didn’t go well.

Wade Wilson/Deadpool made his first big-screen appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where he was played by Ryan Reynolds, but the way he was depicted was heavily criticized and endlessly mocked. Luckily, Wade was given a new chance years later in his own movie, simply titled Deadpool, which brought Ryan Reynolds back to tell the origin story of the chaotic antihero who often breaks the fourth wall. Deadpool was a critical and commercial success thanks to its sense of humor, faithfulness to the comics, and Reynolds’ performance, breaking numerous records and making way for an equally successful sequel two years later, simply titled Deadpool 2.

Deadpool 2 introduced Cable (Josh Brolin), Russell Collins (Julian Dennison), and Domino (Zazie Beets), who accompanied and fought Deadpool in a story that included time travel, revenge, and a team called X-Force that, unfortunately, couldn’t complete its mission. A sequel was said to be in development in 2016, but after the Disney/Fox merge, all X-Men movies were canceled, including Deadpool 3. However, the mutants and Mr. Pool are now becoming part of the MCU, and Deadpool 3 is now in development at Disney, with Shawn Levy in charge of directing. Of course, the biggest questions now are how Deadpool will be integrated into the MCU, and there are already different theories on how Deadpool will join the MCU without him and his stories feeling disconnected.

Deadpool Will Be Caught By The TVA

One of the biggest theories on how Deadpool will join the MCU involves Loki’s TVA and connects to the hilarious mid-credits scenes of Deadpool 2. As mentioned above, Deadpool 2 introduced time-travel through Cable, a cybernetic soldier from the future who traveled back in time to kill Russell. However, Deadpool’s plan to keep Russell safe backfired and the young mutant formed a partnership with Juggernaut to kill the abusive headmaster of the orphanage he lived at. This led Deadpool and Cable to team up to stop Russell, with Deadpool sacrificing himself, but Cable decided to use the last charge on his time-travel device to go back a couple of minutes and save Deadpool, even though that meant not being able to go back to the future with his family. In Deadpool 2’s mid-credits sequence, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio repair Cable’s time-travel device for Deadpool, who uses it to go back in time and save his girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), kill his X-Men Origins: Wolverine version, and Ryan Reynolds after he finishes reading the script for Green Lantern.

Now, the MCU’s Phase 4 has been dealing with the multiverse and its many dangers and branches, and the TV series Loki introduced the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an organization located outside of space and time and tasked with preserving the Sacred Timeline by preventing the creation of branching timelines through “Nexus events”. Loki was captured by the TVA and imprisoned for escaping with the Tessaract in Avengers: Endgame and creating a new branch in the timeline, and after messing with so many events at the end of Deadpool 2, the TVA could be going after him, especially now that it’s being ruled by Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Deadpool could then talk his way out of this or join forces with the TVA, but either way, he would be brought into the MCU through this organization.

Cable’s Time-Travel Device Is Linked To The Avengers

Another way to link Deadpool’s previous adventures to the MCU is through Cable and his time-travel device. Deadpool 2 didn’t explore the backstory of Cable and only shared the important details about his life, family, and why he wanted to kill Russell. This leaves the door open for different theories on the origin of his time-travel device, and one of those links it to the Avengers and the Time Heist in Avengers: Endgame. The theory, posted on Reddit, suggests that, in the future, Cable discovered the Avengers’ time-travel device buried underneath what used to be the Avengers compound, which was destroyed in Avengers: Endgame when Thanos and his armies arrived. Cable then used its technology and modified the bracelet with his own tech so he could go back in time without needing the special suits. The theory is supported by the similarities between the bracelets used by the Avengers for the Time Heist and the one Cable used in Deadpool 2. This, of course, would also mean that Deadpool has always been part of the MCU, which can make way for some very Deadpool-like jokes.

Deadpool Will Land On Another Universe (The MCU)

In addition to time travel, the MCU is also exploring the multiverse and the many dangers and chaos that it can unleash. Loki, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness have explored the MCU’s multiverse in different ways, and it could be the best way to bring Deadpool into the MCU. Deadpool’s time and space travel in the mid-credits scene of Deadpool 2 could leave him stranded in a different universe (after all, as seen with Cable, the device gives him limited trips), this being the MCU. Deadpool 3 could see the Merc with a Mouth doing his best to adapt to a whole new world with superheroes and villains unknown to him. Some theories around this idea have taken it as far as to suggest that this could reveal Deadpool’s time-travel shenanigans created the MCU, thus why he breaks the fourth wall all the time and knows so much about other franchises and worlds.

Ajax’s Connections To The Red Room Or HYDRA

Another way to connect Deadpool’s previous adventures to the MCU and make his transition smoother is through Ajax (Ed Skrein) and the people he worked for. Ajax was an artificially-mutated member of the program that created Deadpool, who along with Angel Dust (Gina Carano) injected Deadpool with the serum to awaken latent mutant genes and tortured him as well. In the comics, Ajax worked for Weapon X, but in Deadpool, it was unknown who he worked for, so that has made way for different theories. The biggest ones suggest Ajax’s employers were linked to the Red Room, the ones responsible for the Black Widows, or he could have worked for HYDRA as well. This would tie Deadpool to some of the darkest parts of the MCU, thus integrating him in a smoother way.