A Deadpool 3 announcement at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 looks increasingly likely. In 2019, Disney completed its acquisition of the bulk of Fox's film and TV empire. That naturally meant it was only a matter of time before mutants entered the MCU, with Marvel expected to reboot the X-Men to make them fit in with their shared universe.
Marvel and Disney promised the Deadpool franchise would have a different fate, however. Fox's X-Men franchise had been controversial, with the main team films released to declining returns since 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past. In contrast, Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were popular and critically acclaimed, and Marvel decided to take an approach best described as "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." As a result, Deadpool would find his way into the mainstream MCU with as few changes as possible.
It's increasingly looking like there will be a Deadpool 3 announcement at SDCC 2022. Mutants officially made their MCU debut in Ms. Marvel, and the Merc With A Mouth is sure to follow. A new MCU-inspired ride at Disneyland Paris' Avengers Campus featured a nod to Deadpool, and Disney has officially announced the R-rated Deadpool, and Deadpool 2, will be releasing on the Disney+ streaming service in July 22 - the second day of SDCC 2022. It's a delightful surprise announcement, and surely no coincidence.
When Will The MCU's Deadpool 3 Happen?
It's difficult to say where Deadpool 3 would fit into the MCU's upcoming film slate simply because so much is unknown right now. Production isn't expected to begin until 2023 because director Shawn Levy has a busy schedule. When filming does start, the speed of production will largely depend on the budget. The first two Deadpool films had much smaller budgets than the typical MCU blockbuster, a deliberate choice on the part of the writers - and one entirely supported by star Ryan Reynolds, who felt the budgets gave Deadpool a unique feel among the crowded field of superhero movies. Assuming Marvel Studios follow the same formula, Deadpool 3 would be their first low-budget, R-rated movie, so it may not take long to make. Filming on Deadpool 2, for example, began in June 2017 and wrapped in October the same year.
Deadpool 3 is sure to feature MCU cameos, of course, with Reynolds cheering on the idea of a Chris Hemsworth appearance. As exciting as that would be, it would introduce further complications in the production because filming would need to accommodate the schedules of some very busy A-list actors. As keen as Hemsworth may seem to be on the idea, he's now one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors, so he'd need to find a way to juggle Deadpool 3 in addition to his other potential responsibilities when the time comes.
The interesting question, of course, is whether Marvel will choose to strongly link Deadpool to the MCU's mutants. The MCU officially began its mutant setup in Ms. Marvel episode 6, and it's generally assumed there will be mutant-related announcements at SDCC - if not direct X-Men revelations. If Marvel does want to retain a strong tie between Deadpool and the X-Men, then they may need to ensure Deadpool 3 comes after mutants have been more firmly established. Hopefully, more will be learned at Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con 2022 panel.
