One of Marvel's most recent Disney+ shows was not allowed to feature Deadpool as a cameo, according to its showrunner.
This is not the first time Marvel prevented certain characters from appearing in certain projects for one reason or another. Often, it comes down to character ownership rights. But sometimes, it could be for another reason entirely.
Many heroes like the Fantastic Four were not allowed to appear in the first two seasons of What If...? because Marvel wanted to use them "first in live-action."
This happened to Kraven the Hunter as well — the villain could not be in the MCU's Spider-Man: No Way Home because Sony wanted to utilize the character.
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Deadpool "Off-Limits" for 1 MCU Show
On May 11, X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Deadpool was not allowed to appear in the show.
A fan asked DeMayo where Deadpool was in X-Men '97, to which the showrunner simply responded that "he was off-limits:"
@zerowontmiss: "Where is Deadpool at?"
@BeauDemayo: "Yeah, he was off-limits"
Back before X-Men '97 debuted, the show's team promised many cameos. It has delivered, featuring characters from all across the Marvel Universe within its first nine episodes.
These cameos have ranged in both recognizability and prominence in the plot.
For instance, MCU fans would certainly recognize characters like Captain America (who appeared in episode 7). However, it was likely only those at least somewhat familiar with X-Men comics who immediately recognized characters like Callisto in Episode 5.
Why Can't Deadpool Appear in X-Men '97?
Though the preventing of certain characters from appearing in specific projects is nothing new for Marvel, it is somewhat surprising to see it within the context of X-Men '97 specifically.
The new series has been full of cameos — including characters like Doctor Doom who have yet to appear in the MCU.
X-Men '97 even featured one cameo that is entrenched in so much ownership back-and-forth, that he rarely gets to make surprise cameos in the MCU: Spider-Man. This all makes it seem like the possibilities for who can cameo in the series are endless. Still, Deadpool was specifically put "off-limits."
An easy guess is that characters like Spider-Man were allowed since they had cameos cameos in X-Men: The Animated Series in the '90s. However, Deadpool also appeared in X-Men: The Animated Series, albeit briefly.
Ownership of Deadpool would likely not be an issue, as Deadpool is an X-Men character and his rights should theoretically transfer with the team — unless there is an exception of some kind.
It could be that Deadpool was barred because of Deadpool & Wolverine, as that will be the project that connects Deadpool with the main MCU.
There currently does not seem to be a specific in-universe reason why that would prevent a Deadpool cameo in a different universe. But, it is possible that the Multiversal elements of Deadpool & Wolverine could be in conflict with a potential cameo.
The finale of X-Men '97 Season 1 hits Disney+ on Wednesday, May 15.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
