‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer Hopes Pegging Can Save the MCU
As with most film commercials that dropped throughout Super Bowl 2024, the brand new trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine was solely marketed with a teaser. Makes sense contemplating trailers are normally a pair minutes and Big Game adverts are decidedly 30-second spots. But there was a distinct purpose it was solely a teaser that aired on tv and inspired followers to look at the total trailer on-line: The full trailer introduces pegging to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The trailer opens on Wade Wilson’s birthday celebration. There’s a knock on the door. Wilson (aka Deadpool, performed by Ryan Reynolds) solutions and is greeted by brokers from the Time Variance Authority, the timeline-policing outfit on the heart of Loki. As the TVA brokers whip out their glowing Time Sticks, Wade retorts “Pegging isn’t new for me, friendo. But it is for Disney.” Then he seems to be immediately on the digital camera.
We gained’t get into pegging right here (IYKYK), however suffice to say, Wade’s proper. While it may be a run-of-the-mill joke for Deadpool, it’s one thing new for an MCU/Disney providing. Deadpool & Wolverine is the primary Deadpool film to hit theaters (it drops in July) since Disney accomplished its $52 billion acquisition of twenty first Century Fox and introduced Deadpool and the X-Men into the MCU fold. Doing so, and bringing Wolverine into the combo, was at all times going to require some kind of timey-wimey retconning—he’s had two motion pictures value of adventures whereas the opposite Avengers had been out chasing Thanos—so tying Deadpool to the TVA is smart from a continuity (and Kang Dynasty) perspective. It’s additionally an indication that no less than somebody at Disney is aware of the MCU must be shaken up.
As it stands, Deadpool & Wolverine is the one Marvel film popping out this yr, and the final one—The Marvels—didn’t precisely gentle the world on hearth, regardless of being a very good time. Many speculated in 2023 that Marvel was shedding its means. Introducing a foul-mouthed sexy hero, one which builds on the moderately queer themes of the Thor motion pictures and Loki, appears to be Disney’s plan for injecting some pleasure into the franchise.
When I interviewed Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy final yr, I requested him about bringing some chew to the mild world of Marvel. I requested if the film could be R-rated, and he stated, “Fuck yes.” When I requested about Deadpool’s id, he perked up, noting that “the pansexual openness of Deadpool is delightful … [He’s] so audaciously ahead-of-his-time fluid.” Ideologically, he stood on the facet of Disney in being in opposition to laws like Florida’s “Don’t say gay” invoice, which has put the Mouse House in a authorized standoff with the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis.
It could be straightforward to put in writing off the queering of the MCU beneath the auspices of Disney as an empty try at “edginess”—one which solely winks at LGBTQ+ followers with out truly representing them. There is one thing to the cynical view, however given the blowback Disney is more likely to obtain for releasing Deadpool & Wolverine throughout Hot Election Year Summer, the hassle seems real.
