Deadpool & Wolverine Doesn't Require You To See Other Marvel Movies First

Rejoice, casual moviegoers and other normal people who don't spend every waking moment watching superhero movies! Remember when the #ItsAllConnected branding campaign of the Marvel Cinematic Universe popularized the idea of everyone putting in dozens (if not hundreds) of hours of homework in order to watch the next installment? Which meant we were soon inundated with a rising tide of crossover movies — some of which weren't even in the same continuity or part of the same franchise, like Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire's respective Peter Parkers teaming up in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" — that only made sense if audiences had watched several other movies beforehand? Well, one loudmouthed mercenary with a habit of breaking the fourth wall might just shatter that annoying little trend in a big way later this year.

Everyone and their mother knows that "Deadpool & Wolverine" stands as Marvel's major big-screen event of 2024, representing the first time the Merc with the Mouth will officially cross paths with the MCU. Not only is Ryan Reynolds' fan-favorite superhero directly acknowledging plot points from shows like "Loki," but it's also wrangling in the events of the 20th Century Fox "X-Men" universe through the inclusion of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. Between both decades-spanning franchises from two (formerly) separate studios, that's a heck of a lot of movies and shows to wade through for audiences hoping for a simple, straightforward time at the theater. According to director Shawn Levy, however, nobody needs to brush up on the Marvel wiki page before catching their showing of "Deadpool & Wolverine." As he explained in an interview with The Associated Press:

"I was a good student in school. I'll do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies."

Don't expect Marvel to schedule one of those endless MCU marathons or a special re-release of the "X-Men" movies before "Deadpool & Wolverine" claws its way into theaters later this year. Director Shawn Levy is rather adamant that the film can be enjoyed entirely on its own merits, even as it also caters to fans who have watched every second of every piece of comic book media that's ever existed. As he went on to say to the AP:

"I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn't want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research."

That's definitely a relief to hear these days, although it's a bit ironic that we're now at the point where filmmakers have to assure fans that the interconnectivity of these movies — once touted as the main selling point of every "Avengers" crossover — won't be a hindrance to the experience. Still, does this sentiment really pass the smell test? We already know that this threequel carries over several characters from the previous two "Deadpool" movies, to say nothing of its connections to the wider MCU (along with references to the previous "X-Men" movies). While there'll almost certainly be some exposition explaining the ins and outs of the Time Variance Authority for those who didn't see "Loki," will the film stop in its tracks to catch viewers up to speed on everything else? I have my doubts!

Either way, we'll be first in line when "Deadpool & Wolverine" opens on July 26, 2024.