Deadpool's first MCU 'appearance' is... in an Avengers theme park ride

The first MCU-adjacent reference to Deadpool has been spotted – in an Avengers theme park.

Those waiting in line for Avengers Assemble: Flight Force at Disneyland Paris will be met by a looping video that eventually namechecks Wade Wilson, AKA Deadpool (via Insider's Kirsten Acuna). That marks the first moment that Deadpool has been mentioned in an MCU space – and follows on from Avengers Campus expanding (a poor choice of words, perhaps) on the infamous Ant-Man/Thanos butt theory in a previous vignette.

Deadpool – along with Fantastic Four and X-Men – is now under the umbrella of Marvel Studios following Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox. Ryan Reynolds is all set to reprise his role as the Merc with a Mouth in a third Deadpool movie – which is currently being written by previous Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.

While we haven’t even seen a glimpse of the upcoming threequel, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has already confirmed that it will stick to its R Rated roots. Reynolds also teased that there was a "pretty damn good" chance of filming starting this year, while Free Guy director Shawn Levy is reportedly on board to helm the project.

All eyes, then, will be on Saturday’s Hall H return for Marvel Studios at San Diego Comic-Con. No word on what Kevin Feige and company will be unveiling, but there’s always a chance Deadpool could make his presence known – with a theme park ride being the most Deadpool way ever to spoil the surprise for everyone.

For more from SDCC, be sure to check out the highlights of the San Diego Comic-Con 2022 schedule.