After years of superhero movies being famously associated with the family-friendly market, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool took the genre to the R-rated crowd. The outrageous fourth-wall-breaking mutant flick proved to be a smash hit with fans, critics, and at the box office, leading it to spawn a sequel and become the only element of the Fox universe to carry over to the MCU.
With the writers promising a "fish out of water" tale as Wade Wilson makes the jump into the MCU, anticipation is high for Deadpool 3, especially with the creatives behind the previous films onboard. Directing the flick will be Reynolds' recent collaborator Shawn Levy, who recently directed the actor across both Free Guy and The Adam Project.
As progress rapidly continues on Deadpool 3 with the threequel getting closer to shooting, many were expecting an official announcement from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. But even as the MCU boss took the stage to reveal Phase 4, 5, and 6, Deadpool 3 was absent - but the release date may have been secretly revealed.
Did Deadpool 3's Release Date Already Get Revealed?
Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool 3 was absent from Marvel Studios' San Diego Comic-Con presentation, despite having recently signed a director, art director, and writers. Even though Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige offered no news on the Merc with the Mouth, he may have secretly announced the release date.
Prior to the panel, Marvel Studios had release dates marked for untitled movies to hit theaters on November 3, 2023, as well as February 16, May 3, July 26, and November 8, 2024. The majority of these slots were filled with Blade, Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, and Fantastic Four.
February 16, 2024, was suspiciously left empty on the Phase 5 slate, leading many to speculate Deadpool 3 will take the vacant date. Of all the projects Marvel Studios has been reported to have in development, Deadpool 3 is the only one to have publicly revealed a crew and be beginning filming prep.
Previous reports have also suggested Marvel Studios may be lining up a World War Hulk movie in secret, with plans to shoot this year for a late 2023 or early 2024 release. If these reports are accurate, the gamma-infused blockbuster could also claim the February 2024 date, although there is currently no public indication of any progress on the project, unlike Deadpool 3.
Beyond 2024, per Box Office Report, Disney has also scheduled release dates for unannounced movies on February 14 and July 25, 2025, placing these as Phase 6 movies on either side of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Further dates were also scheduled for 2026 on February 13, May 1, and July 24, which ought to place these in Phase 7.
When Will Deadpool 3 Be Announced?
In the run-up to Comic-Con, MCU fans set expectations back and forth multiple times from only Phase 4 reveals to a Phase 5 slate. Ultimately, Kevin Feige ended up going above and beyond even the latter as he revealed slates for Phases 4, 5, and 6, now better known as the Multiverse Saga.
Despite blowing fans away with plenty of content, many were left disappointed by a lack of news on the mutants. Ms. Marvel just recently introduced Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan as the MCU's first mutant, which led many to believe news on the MCU's X-Men reboot, reportedly titled The Mutants, may be on the way.
As Marvel Studios has yet to actually announce The Mutants, that reveal always felt like a long shot. But most assumed Deadpool 3 would offer some news, with Reynolds becoming increasingly vocal on the project, Levy on board to direct, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick returning to pen the script, and pre-production getting underway.
Nonetheless, Disney may simply be eager to save some reveals for its D23 presentation in September. With filming expected to begin in the first half of 2023, a formal announcement before the end of the year feels inevitable. Perhaps Reynolds will take the stage at D23 to officially confirm Deadpool's return to theaters in February 2024 along with a few surprise reveals.
Deadpool 3 has yet to officially confirm a release date, but the first two installments in the trilogy are streaming now on Disney+.
