Final Deadpool & Wolverine Trailer Reveals Cameos From Lady Deadpool And X-23

With just one week to go until the movie hits theaters, Marvel Studios has released the final trailer for "Deadpool & Wolverine." Viewers beware, those who are averse to spoilers may want to turn back as this one comes with some pretty major reveals. For everyone else, buckle up because there is a ton of action here and, more than that, a surprising shift in tone for the R-rated, typically comedy-heavy superhero franchise. Get ready to see the emotional side of Wade Wilson.

Whereas some of the early footage from "Deadpool & Wolverine" leaned into jokes about cocaine and more expected fare, this trailer has an almost somber tone to it. We hear Ryan Reynolds sounding more emotional than perhaps he's ever sounded before as this character. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is also in a new mode here. We're accustomed to seeing the mutant angry, but there's a bitterness to him. Now for the really big stuff; we get our best look yet at Lady Deadpool in all of her glory and it's confirmed that Dafne Keen is back as X-23 for the first time since 2017's "Logan."

While one assumes that Marvel is still keeping a lot of this movie's secrets locked up until opening weekend, they dropped a bomb by revealing Keen, who was a huge part of closing Jackman's tenure as Wolverine before he decided to un-retire for this film. It would have been one heck of a surprise for fans, but it's out there now and it's worth talking about.

Keen only got to play Laura, aka X-23, the one time in "Logan" when she was just 11. At one point, Fox had plans to make an X-23 spin-off movie with director James Mangold involved. However, once Disney purchased Fox, those plans fell through. The door re-opened eventually once Jackman decided to pick up the claws once more for this film. Up until now though, Keen had to keep her involvement a secret.

"I had to do a bunch of press for a job that I just finished," Keen said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly about her return to the Marvel universe, alluding to her role in the "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte" on Disney+. "I got asked in every interview, and I just got to lie, which was really funny." Keen also talked a bit about that scrapped movie that never came to be, revealing that it was sad having to say goodbye to that character.

"I was quite sad. I was like, 'Oh well, I guess that's it. That's life, and I'll have to move on' — even though this is one of the greatest characters I'll ever get to play, and annoyingly, I got to play her at 11! I peaked at 11."

However, her agent had been negotiating in secret with Marvel to get her in "Deadpool & Wolverine." When the call finally came in, Keen was thrilled. "I immediately screamed. I dropped my phone in the bath. I had to put it in rice; it was a whole thing." While Keen was nervous to get back into Laura's shoes after all these years, she also said that once the cameras started rolling, it was like doing "Logan" all over again.

"As soon as they said, 'Rolling!' I really felt like we were back doing Logan. It was like eight years hadn't passed."

Bringing X-23 back might further run the risk of sullying what "Logan" accomplished for some fans. For many, it was the perfect send-off to Wolverine and one of the better comic book movies ever made. The hope is that Marvel Studios found a way to bring these characters back in an interesting way without tarnishing the legacy they've already left behind.

Beyond Laura, this trailer also offers a little bit more footage of Sabretooth, who we haven't seen on screen in some time. But the other big reveal here is Lady Deadpool in her full costume from head to toe. We'd previously seen glimpses at the character but now, nothing is left to the imagination. The only question we're left with is, who is under the mask? Theories have ranged from Reynolds' real-life wife Blake Lively to pop star Taylor Swift. For now, it's all speculation and we'll have to wait until opening night to find out the answer.

For those worried that the trailers might be spoiling too much, don't forget that Marvel likes to be misleading sometimes. They might be intentionally laying out some breadcrumbs that don't go where we think they're going to go. So sure, we may know about more of the characters who are going to show up, but we don't know how they're going to factor into the overall story, which is far more important.

Shawn Levy ("The Adam Project") directed the film. Emma Corrin ("The Crown") is on board as the film's villain Cassandra Nova, a character that notably comes with a wild backstory. Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen also star.

"Deadpool & Wolverine" hits theaters on July 26, 2024.