MCU Director May Have Already Teased Deadpool & Wolverine’s Biggest Battle

Marvel Studios’ biggest upcoming battle might have already been teased by the director of Deadpool & Wolverine. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman will be joining the MCU as Wade Wilson’s Deadpool and James “Logan” Howlett’s Wolverine in the Shawn Levy-directed Deadpool & Wolverine, which is set to release on July 26, 2024, as part of the MCU’s Phase 5. Levy has previously worked with both Reynolds and Jackman, the latter on 2011’s Real Steel and 2014’s Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, and the former on Levy’s most recent projects, 2021’s Free Guy and 2022’s The Adam Project.

Shawn Levy joined Deadpool & Wolverine in March 2022, and, according to recent speculation, has done such a good job directing the upcoming Phase 5 movie that Marvel Studios will be looking to attach him to future projects. This spells good news for Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s debuts in the MCU proper, and the popularity of Deadpool & Wolverine’s first trailer suggests the project may become the highest-grossing MCU movie since 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Despite joining Marvel Studios in 2022, however, Shawn Levy may have teased a major plot point in Deadpool & Wolverine a year earlier.

Shawn Levy Teased A Deadpool & Hulk Battle In 2021

2022’s The Adam Project starred Ryan Reynolds as futuristic time traveler Adam Reed, with Walker Scobell portraying his younger self in the present day. Mark Ruffalo, who has played Bruce Banner’s Hulk in the MCU since 2012’s The Avengers, portrayed Reed’s father, bringing together the Hulk and Deadpool actors in a project directed by none other than Shawn Levy. Teasing The Adam Project’s upcoming release on February 12, 2021, Shawn Levy shared a photo of Reynolds and Ruffalo to promote the movie, which included stickers of their respective MCU characters and the mysterious caption, “the showdown we’ve been waiting for.”

While this was promoting The Adam Project, and was posted over a year before Levy was announced to be joining the MCU, the cryptic caption led to speculation regarding a battle between Deadpool and the Hulk. With Levy leading the production of Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s very possible that this battle could now come to fruition, reuniting Reynolds, Ruffalo and Levy. Ruffalo is another of Levy’s regular collaborators, having appeared in 2010’s Date Night and 2023’s miniseries All the Lights We Cannot See, so it would make sense for him to team up with Levy again for Deadpool & Wolverine.

1 Brilliant Marvel Comics Battle Could Be Adapted For Deadpool & Wolverine

Of course, a battle between Deadpool and the Hulk would be brilliant, but there is a more iconic feud from Marvel Comics that could also be adapted for live-action if Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner is involved with Deadpool & Wolverine. Since Wolverine was introduced into Marvel Comics in 1974’s The Incredible Hulk #180, he and the Hulk have sparred on many occasions, each using their impressive strength and skill to perfectly match the other. His first Marvel Comics appearance saw Wolverine battle the Hulk in a Canadian forest, kick-starting perhaps the most memorable and long-lasting feud in Marvel Comics history.

Shawn Levy’s potential tease of Deadpool and the Hulk battling in Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine perhaps means that the Hulk and Wolverine’s legendary battles can also be adapted. This would be appropriate for Wolverine’s debut in the MCU, as he could battle the Hulk in his first MCU project just as he did in his Marvel Comics debut. Hugh Jackman will be replaced by a new actor when the MCU’s official Wolverine is introduced, so it’s possible this battle with the Hulk could wait until then, but it would be great to see Jackman’s Wolverine and Ruffalo’s Hulk battle-it-out.​​​​​​​

The Hulk Appearing In Deadpool & Wolverine Can Solve 1 Major MCU Concern

Mark Ruffalo hasn’t been confirmed to be returning as Bruce Banner’s Hulk in Deadpool & Wolverine, but his potential appearance could help to solve a major Hulk criticism. Since he transformed into Smart Hulk in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the Hulk has been the victim of “nerfing” complaints, as his power and brutality has been seriously diminished, though many want his savagery to return. Pitting the Hulk against the likes of Wolverine and Deadpool in the MCU’s Phase 5 could unlock his savage state, allowing Deadpool & Wolverine to solve these complaints, and bring back the Hulk audiences want to see.