A new report indicated that Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool will return to the MCU as soon as 2026 in Avengers: Doomsday. Wade Wilson may finally be under the Marvel Studios umbrella after Deadpool & Wolverine, but his first two solo outings came during the 20th Century Fox era. The MCU will bring back several X-Men heroes and villains from that universe next year in Avengers: Doomsday, including Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, James Marsden's Cyclops, and, seemingly, Reynolds' Deadpool.
Scooper Alex Perez (from The Cosmic Circus) took to X to respond to a rumored list of fight sequences that will be featured in Avengers: Doomsday. Responding to one match-up of Pedro Pascal/s Reed Richards vs. Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler, Perez hinted that Mr. Fantastic is fighting the "wrong mutant" before following up with a GIF of Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool from his 2026 debut.
When asked to clarify if he was confirming Reynolds' 2026 return, Perez doubled down with another GIF of the Merc with a Mouth, saying, "I know, right."
It was previously reported that Deadpool will return in multiple MCU projects, including Avengers 5, although there were conflicting remarks surrounding his role in the ensemble blockbuster that Perez may now have settled.
Notably, Marvel Studios already confirmed Channing Tatum's Gambit will return after his debut in Deadpool & Wolverine, setting up their potential reunion.
This comes just days after fellow insider Daniel Richtman revealed on Patreon that Reynolds' Deadpool will play a "major role" in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. He will reportedly reteam with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine while also appearing alongside two Spider-Men, played by Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland.
Interestingly, Reynolds himself is among the actors to deny that he has "stepped foot on set" for Avengers 5. Then again, so was Chris Evans, who was recently confirmed to reprise his role as Steve Rogers in Doomsday.
Deadpool Secretly Has a Major Role in Avengers 5 & 6
Deadpool & Wolverine hinted that the TVA is assembling heroes from across the Multiverse for a "higher purpose" that could "save the entire Sacred Timeline." It seems likely he and others, such as Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, will finally be called upon in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars to join the growing conflict.
If Wade Wilson's "major role" is truly being saved for 2027's Secret Wars, his role in 2026's Doomsday may be a more minor one. Fans could be introduced to this new superhero team assembled by the TVA in Avengers 5, setting them up for a bigger role as the Multiverse's true saviors in the following year.
It is rather interesting to hear Alex Perez seemingly tease that Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool will fight Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards in Doomsday. This may indicate that Marvel Studios is hiding more superhero-on-superhero fights than meets the eye after it was hinted that the X-Men and Fantastic Four will come to blows.
When Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom enacts his plan on the Multiverse and presumably leaves Avengers 5 victorious and creates Battleworld, it may be these familiar, nostalgic heroes who rise up to defeat him in Secret Wars.
Of course, bringing Deadpool into the wider MCU won't be without its challenges and changes for the foul-mouthed character. His language and violent nature will certainly need to be toned down for the PG-13-rated affairs, and fans shouldn't expect to see him turning to the camera for any fourth-wall breaks.
