The Marvels could set up Deadpool 3 – and change everything in the MCU

Monica Rambeau in The Marvels — (Image credit: Disney/Marvel)

Now streaming on Disney Plus, it's the perfect time to catch up with The Marvels. And it's worth it – the Captain Marvel sequel is a game-changer. Not only does the post-credits scene potentially set up Deadpool 3, it also changes everything we know about the MCU, which we think is worth getting excited about.

We've got the lowdown on what all this means for the MCU and the Deadpool threequel, which is getting ever closer to arriving in cinemas. Before we get any further, though, here's your warning that we're about to get into major The Marvels spoilers territory, so turn back now if you haven't watched the movie yet. If you are up to speed, however, read on for a breakdown of the latest seismic shift in the MCU.

How does The Marvels set up Deadpool 3 and the future of the MCU?

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in Deadpool 3 — (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The Marvels' stinger introduces Kelsey Grammer's Beast – or should we say re-introduces, considering Grammer played the character in X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past (Lashana Lynch's Binary is also introduced, a variant of Maria Rambeau).

That's exciting enough on its own, but it's also an intriguing tease about the future of the MCU. We already know that Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, which will be set in the MCU, but this opens the door for even more familiar faces.

Going by Grammer's return, we can speculate that the other X-Men inhabiting the parallel universe Monica Rambeau has found herself in will also be played by the actors we know and love from the previous movies. That could mean the likes of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender returning as Professor X and Magneto, to name just two.

This would also explain why it's Jackman's Wolverine returning in Deadpool 3 – though not how he's back after his tragic death in Logan. We're going to assume that will be revealed in due time.

Thinking about the bigger picture, though, this post-credits scene could make all the previous X-Men movies canon to the MCU. It also opens the door to the mutant team finally showing up in earnest. How it all plays out remains to be seen, since no X-Men project has been officially announced for Marvel Phase 6 just yet. Until then, we'll be waiting with bated breath.

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I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film section. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.