Warning! This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Summary
Deadpool & Wolverine’s numerous Easter eggs include a nod to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man that explains hisMCUfate. As the film is the first official project of the Fox Marvel characters in the canon MCU, the studio did not hold back on the references. Even if they are functioning intheir own timelineand not the Sacred Timeline of Earth-616 just yet, subtle nods to the MCU throughout the film make Deadpool and Wolverine feel right at home in Marvel’s Multiverse Saga.
The biggest gold mine ofMCU Easter eggsis Happy Hogan’s office in the Avengers Compound. Plenty of memorabilia from past MCU films surrounds Wade while he’s interviewing for a position on the Avengers. Captain America’s prototype shield fromIron Man 2and Tony Stark’s arc reactor last seen at his funeral inAvengers: Endgameare just some of the notable props shown. However, one item shown actually reveals a lot about the current state of the MCU.
Every Cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine Explained
Deadpool & Wolverine is packed to the brim with cameos from across the entire run of Marvel films, combining the numerous timelines together.
Deadpool & Wolverine Easter Egg References Tom Holland’s Spider-Man
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Doesn’t Actually Appear In The Film
At one point during Wade’s interview, a photo of Tony Stark with his arm around someone is shown. It is clearly the same photo that Tony looked at inEndgamewhen he reminisces about his relationship with Peter Parker, and the photo is the catalyst that convinces Tony to research time travel and rejoin the Avengers’ fight. However, Peter is blocked by another item on Happy’s shelf. The photo could just be seen as another fun Easter egg, but the fact that Peter is obscured from view says a lot about his current situation in the MCU.
It’d seem out of character for Happy to block Peter out, but it makes sense after theending ofSpider-Man: No Way Home. As the only way to stop the multiversal beings from invading, Peter has Doctor Strange cast a spell that wipes the universe’s memory of him. Happy and Peter’s new relationship is shown at the end ofNo Way Home, asHappy sees Peter as nothing more than a strangerwhile at Aunt May’s grave. It’s a tragic fate for Peter, andDeadpool & Wolverineis the first project that shows the greater consequences of the spell.
Deadpool & Wolverine Reveals The No Way Home Ending’s Impact On The MCU
Doctor Strange’s Spell May Have Transcended Time
One question thatDeadpool & Wolverinedoes raise with its Spider-Man Easter egg is the exact timeline of events. The scene of Wade in Happy’s Earth-616 office takes place in 2018, while the events ofSpider-Man: No Way Hometake place in 2024. Even years before the memory wipe spell was cast, Peter is still seemingly forgotten by Happy. The specifications of Doctor Strange’s spell have yet to be fully explained in the MCU, andDeadpool & Wolverineproved that some lines are still blurred.
MCU Spider-Man 4’s Latest Update Has Me Worried For The Future Of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker
The MCU’s Spider-Man 4 is said to be a “significant event” movie, which could be bad for the next installment in Tom Holland’s Marvel film series.
The Easter egg in Happy’s office infers that Doctor Strange not only erased the universe’s memory of Peter going forward from the events ofNo Way Home, but thathe actually erased memories from across time. Fans have theorized that Peter could get his life back by simply traveling back in time, butDeadpool & Wolverinehas all but debunked that possibility. There’s no point in Peter time traveling if it meant that the people closest to him like MJ, Ned, and Happy still wouldn’t remember him.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Other Spider-Man Reference Explained
The Fun Bit Is The Epitome Of Deadpool And Wolverine’s Relationship
While driving to their next location, Deadpool makes a web-shooting hand motion while making a similar sound effect to the one Spider-Man’s web shooters make. It was likely just a fun bit suggested by Ryan Reynolds as an additional Easter egg, and Deadpool is successfully able to annoy Wolverine with his childish antics. However, the moment could also be a reference toDeadpool and Spider-Man’s iconic comic team-up. The two have worked together plenty of times, and though their friendship has had its ups and downs, they are a strong duo.
Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and director Shawn Levy haveall talked about wanting to work with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and make a Deadpool and Spider-Man crossover. Though the moment inDeadpool & Wolverinewas probably nothing more than a fun reference that shouldn’t be looked into too deeply, it is heartening to know that there is a possibility of such a project in the future. Holland’s Peter Parker doesn’t even make a cameo inDeadpool & Wolverine, but the film was still able to provide insight into his current MCU fate.
