Deadpool & Wolverine’s Very Different Post Credits Scenes, Explained
Contains spoilers for “Deadpool & Wolverine”
It goes without saying that “Deadpool & Wolverine” is extremely different from anything else we’ve gotten in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far. It features far more profanity and gory violence than people usually see in MCU movies, which up until now have been relegated to PG-13 territory, with one sexual joke, in particular, creating a problem for Kevin Feige. However, “Deadpool & Wolverine” does adhere to certain MCU standards in other ways, including offering a couple of treats for fans who stay through the credits.
The first isn’t really a mid-credits scene, instead offering a retrospective on the history of Marvel movies made under 20th Century Fox’s banner. As the credits roll, behind-the-scenes footage showcasing actors from the “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four” movies begins to play, all set to Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” There’s even a quick interview clip of Ryan Reynolds seemingly from the set of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” speaking about his enthusiasm for getting to play the Merc with a Mouth. That film may not have been well-received, but it shows just how far Reynolds and superhero movies in general have come in the past decade and a half.
For a “Deadpool” movie, the clip show is surprisingly sentimental, reflecting on actors cast in superhero movies all the way back to the early 2000s. But before you go thinking “Deadpool & Wolverine” ends on an entirely somber note, don’t worry. There’s a true post-credits scene with that Deadpoolian humor we all know and love.
Chris Evans has a potty mouth in the Deadpool & Wolverine post-credits scene
The true “Deadpool & Wolverine” post-credits scene doesn’t offer one final cameo or hint at “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Instead, it pays off a running gag throughout the film.
A Marvel rumor actually panned out with Chris Evans having a small role as Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four. Earlier in the film, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) rips off Johnny’s skin, making him crumble in a pile of bones and organs, all stemming from Deadpool egging her on and claiming that Johnny said all sorts of rude things about her on the ride over to her base. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) holds Deadpool accountable throughout other scenes, insisting that he’s the reason Johnny’s dead, but the post-credits scene sees Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) back at the Time Variance Authority headquarters to show the audience a clip we hadn’t seen previously from the car ride over.
In it, Johnny does, in fact, say all of those mean things about Cassandra. It’s a profanity-laden tirade and a far cry from the days when Chris Evans as Captain America would yell out, “Language,” at the mildest of swear words. As we can see, Deadpool didn’t just make up all those rude things Johnny said about Cassandra, and while Deadpool clearly thinks the footage exonerates him, he still could’ve kept his mouth shut. Then again, maybe that’s still asking too much of the Merc with a Mouth, who frequently never knows when to shut up.
Deadpool & Wolverine’s post-credits moments look toward the past rather than the future
You never know what you might get with an MCU post-credits scene. Some exist as a joke while others set up enticing prospects to come in the franchise. Occasionally, an MCU flick tries to have its cake and eat it too, by having a mid-credit scene do one of those while the post-credits sequences do the other. Some ardent MCU fans may have hoped for a tease of what’s to come in “Avengers 5” or even “Secret Wars,” the latter of which currently has a release date of May 7, 2027. But all we’re left with is an In Memoriam segment for the 20th Century Fox Marvel-verse and Chris Evans swearing like a sailor, and seeing as this is a “Deadpool” movie, maybe that’s all we should’ve hoped for.
Prior to the credits rolling, there is a tease the TVA may call on Deadpool and Wolverine down the road, incorporating them into the wider multiverse. For the time being, Wade Wilson appears to be enjoying time with his friends while Logan gets a Laura (Dafne Keen) of his very own to bond with. After everything the titular duo went through, perhaps getting a reprieve before diving into the next big team-up film is a good thing.
Deadpool himself admits Marvel is at a bit of a low point within its storied history, so “Deadpool & Wolverine” feels like a much-deserved victory lap. It’s a retrospective of two decades of “X-Men” movies and introduces a more mature tone to the MCU’s film slate. With all that, it’s probably fine “Deadpool & Wolverine” ends with a joke about how Evans can swear just as seamlessly as Ryan Reynolds.