The first reactions to Deadpool & Wolverine couldn’t be more positive, which is making me a bit nervous.
It’s no secret that the most anticipated superhero movie of 2024 is Deadpool & Wolverine, and for good reason.
For one, it will be the long-awaited return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and the movie has promised a ton of fun surprises, such as shocking cameos and blink-and-you’ll-miss-them Easter eggs.
A few lucky fans and critics have already seen the film, and their reactions are full of praise. However, while these glowing reviews should make me more excited to see Deadpool & Wolverine, I can’t help but feel a growing pit in my stomach that the movie may not live up to the hype.
An Endgame size shoe to fill
One of the most notable compliments I’ve seen going around about Deadpool & Wolverine is that it’s “the biggest MCU film since Endgame.”
Excuse me for being hyperbolic, but this is one of the wildest statements any Marvel fan could make about a new project.
Avengers: Endgame is regarded as the peak of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since its premiere in 2019, no other show or movie has come close to its prestige or notoriety.
To compare Deadpool & Wolverine to the best of the best Marvel has to offer makes me incredibly wary of how good this movie could be.
As a lifelong Marvel fan, I take statements like this seriously and, because of my extensive knowledge of the franchise, I’m pretty confident that this comparison cannot be lived up to.
That really breaks my heart because not everything Marvel does has to be at the same level as Endgame.
The ending of Phase 3 was a culmination of a decade-long storyline that was meticulously crafted through dozens of movies.
While I’m sure Deadpool & Wolverine has fantastic moments that will make me laugh, cry, and cheer, I have zero hope that it can come anywhere close to inspiring the emotions Endgame made me feel.
Too many surprises can ruin the fun
I’m going to hold your hand when I say this because I know it’s a bit controversial: too many cameos can ruin a movie or show.
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It’s super fun when a piece of media brings back a few old characters or references a previous storyline or two. Still, if over half of your project is just fan service, it can feel really cheap.
Unfortunately, Deadpool & Wolverine’s marketing has made it clear the movie will be filled to the brim with cameos from Dafne Keen to old-school X-Men characters.
This narrative was actually confirmed by those who have seen it, as one journalist called the film a “nostalgia cameo-fueled ride.”
The boldness of this statement sent a shiver down my spine because a movie that relies too much on nostalgia and cameos can be hard to watch more than once.
For instance, I absolutely adored Spider-Man: No Way Home and had the pleasure of seeing it twice.
When I first saw it during a press screening, I felt like a little kid in a candy store as I came face to face with Spider-Man villains and heroes I never thought I would see share the same screen.
However, upon a second watch, the movie felt extremely tailored to those surprising moments, which made the overall narrative feel stilted.
I’m afraid Deadpool and Wolverine could fall victim to this phenomenon too, because of all the hype surrounding the cameos we’re expected to see throughout its almost two-hour runtime.
It would be a shame if this movie in particular became prey to this trap, because it’s one of my most anticipated movies of the year. I don’t want to leave the theater thinking I’ll never watch this movie again, but all of the early reactions are making me feel like this may be my new reality.
Listen, I’m not trying to be a stick in the mud or say that Deadpool & Wolverine won’t be a great movie. I’ve been a Marvel fan since the universe was born and I always find something I like about the studio’s projects, no matter how they’re received by general audiences.
However, I do feel like piling on the praise for a movie like this could cause it to fly too close to the sun and leave some people, like myself, disappointed as the credits roll.
Deadpool & Wolverine slashes into theaters on July 26. In the meantime, check out our Deadpool & Wolverine soundtrack guide. You can also find out what we learned at the sneak peek event and our suspects for who’s playing Lady Deadpool.