A Love Letter to the Past: Unpacking the Emotional Depth of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s End-Credit Scenes
The unexpected pairing of Deadpool and Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine was a cinematic event that captured the hearts of fans everywhere. But while the film itself was filled with surprise twists and turns, the post-credits scenes weren’t just a surprising addition – they were a masterclass in subversion and nostalgia, expertly crafted to leave audiences with a sense of both humor and heartfelt reflection.
The first post-credit scene is a comedic callback to Johnny Storm, a character from the Fantastic Four franchise, who is hilariously and relentlessly skewered by Deadpool throughout the film. The scene is a masterclass in breaking the fourth wall and showcasing Deadpool’s penchant for crude humor, while also cleverly referencing a joke presented earlier in the movie.
"[Johnny Storm] was always the end-credit scene," reveals Shane Reid, an editor on Deadpool & Wolverine. "Which I thought was a brilliant callback to a joke from early on in the film. There wasn’t anything [else]." This deliberate choice emphasizes how Deadpool, even in the post-credits, maintains his irreverent and unpredictable personality.
However, the real emotional punch comes with the second post-credit scene, a montage of footage from the classic Fox X-Men films. This unexpected sequence serves as a poignant ode to the history of the X-Men franchise, a franchise that has deeply resonated with generations of fans.
"That was Ryan’s brainchild," explains Reid, referencing Ryan Reynolds, the film’s star and producer. "He always envisioned it. And I think some of his partners at [production company] Maximum Effort were aligned in that they really wanted to send the fans with something that felt sweet and appreciative of the history that they’d all come from, and why we were all here. And so that was his idea."
The sequence is expertly curated, filled with nods to iconic moments from the X-Men films. Reid elaborates on the process: "Ryan’s team at Maximum Effort sent us a ton of YouTube clips," he says. "I went into burn some special features and just found as much B-roll as we could. And, then found these little moments of Ryan interviewing as Deadpool in [X-Men] Origins: [Wolverine] and Hugh [Jackman] interviewing and it wasn’t like it was supposed to service just them, but it was like, ‘Okay, we have watched these two characters and you guys have been on quite a journey. Why don’t we just sort of fold that into this?’"
The inclusion of these behind-the-scenes moments, juxtaposed with the familiar scenes from the X-Men films, creates a powerful sense of continuity and connection. It’s a testament to the enduring power of these characters and the stories they represent, and it serves as a beautiful farewell to the Fox X-Men universe before it was officially absorbed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
One notable absence in this montage is Blade, a character who, while part of the Marvel Universe through his films, wasn’t under the same umbrella as the X-Men. "The Blade movies are owned by New Line, which isn’t under Disney," explains Reid. "But I would have loved to have Blade in there."
While the inclusion of Blade would have been a welcome addition, the sequence’s effectiveness lies in its focus on the X-Men franchise, creating a sense of warmth and nostalgia for fans. This sentiment was carefully crafted, requiring extensive collaboration and approval from various parties. "We had to clear all that stuff with the actors and any cameos and anyone who appeared," says Reid. "And those guys [Reynolds and Levy] did the hard sell of calling those celebrities and, in describing what they were doing and their intention behind it, got everyone approved. And, it was a feat of a lot of people’s work to build something that was just quite simply a love letter."
The scene, with its deliberate, slow pacing and lack of overt dialogue, operates on a purely emotional level. This strategic choice highlights the power of nostalgia and the enduring impact of the X-Men franchise on audiences.
"I love when I’m in the audience and the ‘X’ comes on for that legacy reel and you feel people going like, ‘Oh, what’s happening here?’" says Reid. "Then you catch people like sitting poised up in their seats, just watching it, sort of open-eyed the whole time. Like, like just this dopamine hit… And I think it’s that’s Ryan’s brain. Like, how do you take something that’s expected and subvert it and do something that feels solo to the character?"
The success of these post-credit scenes lies not just in their humor or their nostalgia, but in their ability to encapsulate the essence of Deadpool & Wolverine itself – a film that effortlessly blends humor, action, and heart. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring impact of characters that resonate with audiences for generations.
In the end, the post-credit scenes of Deadpool & Wolverine serve as a poignant reminder that even in a world of superhero blockbusters and expansive universes, there’s still space for heartfelt moments of nostalgia, genuine humor, and a touch of the unexpected. It is a true testament to the power of cinema to bring people together, not just through spectacle, but through shared emotions and shared experiences.
