Is Deadpool and Wolverine part of the MCU? Its ties to canon explained

Deadpool and Wolverine finally brings the morally-flexible mercenary Wade Wilson into the MCU (you can read our review of the film here). But what does that actually mean? Is this a continuation of the previous two Deadpool movies or something else entirely? We have the answers for you right here, but buckle in – it's about to get complicated and we'll be talking spoilers, so this is your first and only warning. If you don't want to know what happens at the end of Deadpool and Wolverine, look away now.

What universe is Deadpool and Wolverine set in?

If you've seen the first two Deadpool movies then the thought of the ultra-violent, ultra-sweary, fourth-wall-breaking character sharing the same universe as the family-friendly likes of Thor, Captain America, and Spider-Man is probably a little bit incongruous. That's because they don't: the previous two Deadpool movies and most of this one (which is a direct sequel, not a reboot) all take place in a separate world, designated on screen as Earth-10005. The MCU film series that began with Iron Man, meanwhile, are all set on Earth-616.

There's a practical real world reason for that, namely that the Deadpool franchise began as a spin-off of the X-Men movie franchise produced by 20th Century Fox. The MCU movies, meanwhile, are made by the Disney-owned Marvel Studios. For the longest time there was no crossover between these franchises because they were made by different companies.

Following a merger with Fox in 2019, however, Marvel Studios now has access to the X-Men characters and Deadpool, allowing these two distinct worlds to overlap and interact: hence, Deadpool and Wolverine.

All that said, one of the most interesting aspects of Deadpool and Wolverine is that it isn't just set on one Earth, but several...

Does Deadpool stay on Earth 616?

Surprisingly, the answer to this is: no. At the start of the film we see Wade pop on over to Earth-616 and apply for a job as an Avenger. He fails the interview with Happy Hogan, played by Jon Favreau, and leaves dejected, skulking back to Earth-10005.

Some time later the villainous Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) tries to lure Deadpool into crossing over to Earth-616 permanently as he plans to destroy Earth-10005. We see some clips of the classic Avengers in action (including an apparent future scene of Thor cradling an injured or dying Deadpool), but Paradox hasn't counted on Wade's attachment to his family and friends. Deadpool refuses the deal and is consigned to the Void, which is where most of the rest of the film takes place until the final act. By the end both Deadpool and Wolverine are safely living on Earth 10005 and both remain separate from the main MCU continuity, at least for now.

What is the Void?

This is a strange un-reality first introduced into the MCU in episode five of Loki's first season (we have an in-depth explainer which also goes into its comic book origins) which is prowled by the monstrous Alioth. In Deadpool and Wolverine we learn that the Void is now ruled over by the villainous Cassandra Nova. It's with Nova's introduction that the film also reveals most of its many returning characters – all of whom are from the 20th Century Fox films, rather than the MCU. You get high profile heroes like Blade and Elektra, as well as evil mutants like Toad, Juggernaut, and Azazel. Channing Tatum's Gambit, meanwhile, is a reference to the planned but unmade Fox film about the mutant Remy LeBeau.

Now, some of these characters are set to eventually become part of the main MCU, albeit in a different form. A new Blade film starring Mahershala Ali instead of Wesley Snipes has been in development hell for several years now. Élodie Yung played Elektra in Netflix's Daredevil series (rather than Jennifer Garner) and she may one day appear in the MCU proper. And the X-Men have already started to appear here and there in the MCU movies with Kelsey Grammer's Beast appearing in the post-credits scene for The Marvels. But the scene with Happy and a couple of moments with Wunmi Mosaku's Hunter B-15 aside, Deadpool and Wolverine is remarkably light on cameos from MCU actors.

Will there be a Deadpool 4? We don't know yet, but Deadpool and Wolverine certainly leaves the door open for future adventures from Marvel Studios that will be both part of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe banner, while presumably still taking place in Deadpool's separate Earth-10005 continuity. Then again with this reality-crossing, fourth-wall-breaking hero, anything is possible.

For more, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as our breakdown of how to watch the Marvel movies in order.