The only way Deadpool 3 can possibly beat the stellar post-credits scene set up in Deadpool 2 might be to bring Cable (Josh Brolin) and Thanos (Josh Brolin) together for the ultimate post-credits gag. 2018's Deadpool 2 delighted viewers with its familiar, yet enjoyable blend of action, raunchy comedy, and meta-references. One of the film's most talked-about aspects was the post-credits scene, in which a time-traveling Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) executes the version of himself that appears in X-Men Origins as well as a version of Ryan Reynolds who has just signed on for Green Lantern. In a scene deleted from the theatrical cut, it's even implied that Wade smothers an infant version of Hitler. All told, these scenes are as bold as they are hilarious, and only a movie like Deadpool 3 could ever hope to outdo them.
Unfortunately for fans, the fate of Deadpool 3 remains unclear. 20th Century Fox owned the film rights to X-Men until 2019 when Disney bought Fox and its properties. While this move opens up some compelling possibilities in regard to X-Men populating the MCU, it also creates concerns for the Deadpool property. Many have speculated that Disney will have little interest in perpetuating Deadpool's crude, foul-mouthed, R-rated legacy. Although Deadpool 3 is not listed as part of the MCU's Phase 4, Reynolds has expressed a great deal of interest, and it seems likely that in time, fans will get the third installment they've been clamoring for. There's no doubt that Deadpool 3 will invest great effort into its post-credits scene, so here's an explanation of how that sequence could possibly match and/or outperform that of Deadpool 2.
It's no secret that the Deadpool franchise makes its living off meta-jokes. Throughout both the original and the sequel, Wade Wilson makes constant wisecracks about various films in which Deadpool cast members have appeared. When he first removes his hood for Vanessa in the original Deadpool, Wade has a picture of Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman stapled to his own disfigured face. In Deadpool 2, Wade complains that Wolverine has stolen his thunder by making Logan R-rated and dying at the film's conclusion. In Deadpool 2, while having a dispute with Cable, Wade quips, "Zip it, Thanos." Obviously, Wade is riffing on the fact that both Cable and the MCU's Thanos are played by Josh Brolin. The first two Deadpool films have set the foundation for a litany of Cable/Thanos jokes, and there's every reason to believe the third installment will carry those jokes as far as possible.
Deadpool 2 has already set a comedic precedent by killing off multiple versions of Ryan Reynolds / Wade Wilson. Now that the filmic Deadpool property officially belongs to Marvel, Josh Brolin's dual roles may prove an irresistible target for Wade's brand of irreverent, reference-driven comedy. It's easy to imagine a post-credits scene wherein Cable creates an alternate universe by slaying the Mad Titan Thanos in a manner that's both hilarious and somewhat analogous to Thor's execution of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. In that case, the Brolin-on-Brolin violence will likely prove all too tempting for Wade, who will surely reel off a string of memorable one-liners. He might even surprise viewers by working in another jab related to The Goonies--Brolin's breakout film.
The post-credits ending of Deadpool 2 sets an incredibly high bar in terms of sheer comedic horsepower. Now that Deadpool exists under the auspices of Marvel Studios, the only way for Deadpool 3 to top the previous installment is by expanding the irreverence, raunchiness, and meta playfulness of the first two films. Here's to hoping the third installment capitalizes on a potential scene in which Cable sets out to eradicate "himself."