Part of what makes She-Hulk such a fun character in the comics is her knack for breaking the fourth wall, which has already been shown in the first episode of her Disney+ series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law starring Tatiana Maslany and Mark Ruffalo. But while she may have been the first to use this classic trope in Marvel comics, Wade Wilson/Deadpool has become arguably the most popular character in all media to do this during his own run in comics and movies.
Now that Disney has officially brought the X-Men into the MCU, Ryan Reynolds is already prepped and ready to bring Deadpool 3 into play, which will be Marvel Studios' first R-rated movie. This threequel will once again feature Wade Wilson referencing the audience as he adjusts to his new Marvel Studios setting, which should make for arguably one of the funniest projects in MCU history.
With two fourth-wall breakers either already in the MCU or coming soon, fans are naturally wondering how they will affect one another. Well, Ruffalo may have an answer to that inquiry thanks to his latest interview.
Mark Ruffalo on She-Hulk's Ties to Deadpool
Speaking with IGN, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star Mark Ruffalo teased how She-Hulk could have an impact on Deadpool's MCU arrival.
When asked if this series will reassure people that Disney will do Deadpool right, Ruffalo praised Marvel for letting "the filmmakers make the film they want to make" throughout the MCU.
He also looked back to his time on Thor: Ragnarok, in which they basically "reimagined" his Hulk and Chris Hemsworth's Thor, even tying it back to She-Hulk by saying that the show opens the door to what Deadpool can do in the MCU:
“I mean, listen, you know… Ryan [Reynolds] could take that anywhere… and I trust that he will. The one thing about Marvel is they pretty much let the filmmakers make the film they want to make. I mean sometimes it doesn’t work out, but every experience I’ve had, it’s been like that. I mean, what we did with Thor: Ragnarok… they had thrown out, basically, Thor and totally reimagined him. And Hulk… for that matter. So I feel confident that between [director Shawn Levy] and Ryan, they’re gonna do something that’s gonna be very satisfying to the Deadpool people and… I do feel like She-Hulk… sort of does say, ‘Hey, we’re open enough, and we’re free enough and, we’re interested enough to really go anywhere people have the will and the pleasure to go.‘”
In a separate interview with Kevin McCarthy, She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany teased her own ideas for how She-Hulk could interact with Deadpool in the MCU.
The actress discussed how she's originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, which is where Deadpool is from in the comics. This common thread would lead to a strange conversation where Maslany is herself and Reynolds is Deadpool, but then they switch their personalities and "get really freaky with it" the whole way through:
“Yeah, here’s, like, a very meta thing. Deadpool’s from Regina, Saskatchewan. Right, isn’t he? Which is where I am from. So, like, this was a meant-to-be situation. I think we should both be in Regina, but I’m Tat in Regina, and Deadpool is Deadpool, but then it’s Ryan Reynolds, and it’s She-Hulk, and we get really freaky with it.”
She also addressed She-Hulk's fourth wall-breaking abilities, noting how she retains her own consciousness when her body changes and how "she’s aware of the audience." She attributed this to the "super hyper-awareness" that's part of her character, which all plays into her place as the MCU's most meta character to date:
“[Jennifer Walters’] consciousness stays the same [when she turns into She-Hulk], and she’s aware of the audience. That feels like it’s her superpower engaged with the meta element of the [show]. It’s like an extension of her superpower, she’s like, ‘I know I’m, talking to a camera. I know you guys are watching this.’ And there’s something about that super hyper-awareness that is [a part of] who she is.”
Will Deadpool and She-Hulk's Fourth Walls Collide?
Even with the minor worries that fans have had about Deadpool joining the MCU, Mark Ruffalo appears confident that his introduction will be done the right way for fans.
He praised Reynolds' ability to make Deadpool work on the big screen while also giving props to Marvel Studios' upper management for allowing creatives and filmmakers to do what they want to do. He's especially looking forward to the working relationship between Reynolds and Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy, which should bring a movie that Deadpool fans are proud of within the MCU.
As for She-Hulk's own place in the MCU, Ruffalo sees this character as an indication that Marvel will be able to bring Deadpool into the story in a way that does justice to his history in the comics and in his first two movies. With both bringing their own unique brand of comedy into the expanding MCU narrative, only time will tell how much She-Hulk will influence the way Deadpool adapts to his own new surroundings.
Now all that remains to find out is whether the two most meta characters in Marvel movies will cross paths. Perhaps Deadpool 3 could explore how Wade Wilson would react to another character like Jennifer Walters being able to talk to the audience as he does.
Episode 1 of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now streaming on Disney+. Deadpool 3 is in the early stages of development ahead of its undisclosed release date.
