Early reviews for the opening parts of Marvel Studios' Deadpool and Wolverine are generating strong buzz ahead of its theatrical debut.
Coming with a massive cast of characters, Deadpool and Wolverine marks the MCU's first X-Men-centric solo film behind Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.
Insiders have heard reports of the MCU threequel being "really good" after learning of multiple reviews from test screenings, potentially setting up a film that could usher the franchise back into prominence.
Strong Reviews of Deadpool and Wolverine Footage Shared by Fans
After screenings of the first ~37 minutes of Marvel Studios' Deadpool and Wolverine in Berlin, Germany, and Shanghai, China, and London, Great Britain, critics shared strong, positive reactions to the footage they saw on X (formerly Twitter).
@hzjoe03 found it difficult "to find any negatives" about the footage he saw, teasing that fans are in for "a straight-up continuation from Deadpool 2 story and tone-wise:"
"I WATCHED THE FIRST 35 MINUTES OF 'DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE!' (No spoilers) No joke, I’m struggling to find any negatives. Despite the Fox merger, this feels like a straight-up continuation from 'Deadpool 2' story and tone-wise. Nothing has been toned back, all the comedy hit, and the action was beautiful. Saw lots of you had a problem with the color grading in trailers, but on screen it’s so much better and the suits are absolutely gorgeous."
He went on to note that "a majority of the footage" from the film's trailers "happens in the first 30 minutes or so." On top of that, attendees saw a short bit of footage not seen in trailers yet, which he called "insane" in all caps:
"The trailers haven’t given much away at all, a majority of the footage you’ve seen happens in the first 30 mins or so and even then, a lot of that 30 minutes were things I didn’t expect at all. They also showed us a snippet of things not in the trailer and it looks INSANE! Begging you to stay away from spoilers for the next two weeks because this movie might blow your mind. If the full movie is as good as the footage I saw, then this is easily gonna be one of my favorite Marvel films and definitely the best of the 'Deadpool' trilogy!"
"The excitement levels" for Looper's Nick Staniforth "have just gone through the roof" after seeing the threequel's opening, leading him to plead to see the rest of the action:
"I’m never one to say 'you’re not ready,' but you really aren’t ready. The excitement levels for 'Deadpool and Wolverine' have just gone through the roof. The first 30 minutes prove that Wade and the Wolverine are cutting loose in the best way possible. Gimme the whole film."
London Critics member Katie Smith-Wong saw enough from the first 37 minutes to tell her "this movie is going to be...epic:"
"It may have been a 37-minute peek but it's enough to tell me that this movie is going to be &:!-£:@“# epic! Can’t wait to see the whole thing!"
Hassan Hamid admitted to "hating on this film" ahead of its debut but was "grinning the whole entire time" during his screening, not wanting it to end:
"As someone who was HATING on this film before its release I just have to say… THIS ABSOLUTELY FUCKING RULED MY GOD I WAS THERE GRINNING THE WHOLE ENTIRE TIME I WISH WE COULDA WATCHED THE FULL THING I NEVER WANTED IT TO END"
@Nacht_Silver made it clear that he is not sure "if the ENTIRE movie is good" but said the footage that he saw was good, leaving him and the audience "satisfied:"
"Before people come at me I only saw the first 37-40m. I don't know if the ENTIRE movie is good or nah. From the stuff which i saw, it was good. The audience & me included were satisfied. We even clapped at the end But YOU can have in 2 weeks a total different opinion than me"
He shared a second post anticipating blowback for his response to the footage before saying director Shawn Levy "actually got that sauce," leaving him in awe of what he saw:
"The timeline might cook me for that but Shawn Levy actually got that sauce oh my god. I am in disbelief"
@whenbatmenfly specifically highlighted the "cool opening credits" and called the movie "pretty fun:"
"I just watched the special footage of 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' Pretty fun, cool opening credits. I will make a spoilery post later."
Cinema Bravo teased a "gritty yet groovy opening scene," noting how Marvel delivers "in-your-face humor, action-packed sequences, and eye-popping visuals:"
"We were invited to an early footage screening of 'Deadpool and Wolverine' and here's our initial reaction. 'Deadpool & Wolverine' 'Just wow! From the gritty yet groovy opening scene to the nail-biting montage of what's to come, Marvel Studios' latest offering overflows with in-your-face humor, action-packed sequences, and eye-popping visuals. While its R-16 rating might be too soft or too strong for some, the dynamic pairing of Deadpool and Wolverine is a special treat for fans and casual viewers alike, offering a fresh and fierce twist amidst the usual superhero flicks.'"
Other reviews shared reactions to the footage that touched on more spoiler-filled specific moments from the first 40 minutes.
Warning - the next section includes minor reported spoilers from Deadpool and Wolverine.
Some of the footage included an unspecified moment between Logan and the Hulk, letting them share the big screen together for the very first time.
There are also multiple Logan Variants seen (per MaxBlizz) along with the Deadpool Corps, which comes after fans saw promotional images of characters like Headpool and Kidpool.
In terms of other references, Disney and 20th Century Fox are both thrown on the chopping block for jokes at their expense.
@RayyanTCG reiterated the previously mentioned fact that the trailers have only used footage from the first 40 minutes, leaving most of its record-breaking 127-minute runtime a mystery.
Will Deadpool and Wolverine Be the MCU's Next Big Success?
After 2023 saw The Marvels become the MCU's biggest financial flop to date (on top of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania underperforming), these reviews for Deadpool and Wolverine are encouraging.
Particularly with it being the MCU's first-ever R-rated movie, the expectations for the franchise to return to prominence appear astronomical ahead of its debut.
The hype also only continues to grow for the film, as Variety reported the first Deadpool and Wolverine teaser broke the record for the most-viewed trailer in history in February with 365 million views.
In June, Deadline then reported that early box office projections for its opening weekend were in the range of $200 million worldwide. Numbers on that level have not been seen since 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, which topped Avengers: Infinity War and grossed more than $260 million in its opening weekend worldwide.
On top of the cameos already confirmed for Deadpool and Wolverine (including at least five past X-Men villains), the threequel feels like the event movie fans have wanted for a long time.
The film is also rumored to be one of Marvel Studios' three most important movies for the MCU's future (along with Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars).
Taking all that into consideration, expectations should only continue to rise for what the threequel can do upon its debut.
Deadpool and Wolverine will slash its way into theaters on Friday, July 26.
Read more about Deadpool and Wolverine below:
Deadpool Corps Explained: 6 Confirmed Characters in Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool and Wolverine Popcorn Buckets: Where to Buy & When They'll Release
Ryan Reynolds Confirms 6 Chilling Facts About Deadpool 3 Villain Cassandra Nova
Deadpool 3's Alioth Cameo Explained: Loki Connection Revealed
