Deadpool & Wolverine's Best Cameo Proves One Actor Was Always In The Wrong Superhero Universe

Warning: heavy spoilers for "Deadpool & Wolverine" follow.

"Deadpool & Wolverine" — much like the "Captain America" movies — uses its third entry to tell a much bigger story than its previous two installments. Like "Captain America: Civil War," the latest "Deadpool" does an epic crossover that brings multiple heroes together, but this time on a much larger scale. Undoubtedly, this is kind of the "Deadpool" equivalent of "Avengers: Endgame," but for the entire history of Marvel movies made by 20th Century Fox, as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The result is polarizing, but for many, it will work like catnip.

This is honestly a perfect send-off to more than 25 years of superhero movies before and even after the MCU changed cinema, an homage to the movies that built the superhero landscape as we know it, to the movies that maybe weren't as influential or successful, and also perhaps the movies that never got made. Beyond the gnarly, gross violence and the crude jokes, the "Deadpool" movies have always been earnest, but this is probably the most effective one of the trilogy when it comes to an emotional throughline — and it is its most meta yet.

Of course, this is still a "Deadpool" movie, one that pokes fun at everyone and everything — from joking about an X-rated sex act that Kevin Feige had to teach some Marvel employees about, to jokes about the MCU's own failings to joking about its competition, DC Studios. There are a handful of jokes about DC comics, including one spectacular and unexpected cameo that proves DC wasted one of its stars — Henry Cavill. Indeed, Cavill shows up as a rather screen-ready and perfectly cast Logan, known as Cavillrine in the credits.

The former Clark Kent appears early on in the film when Deadpool goes on the hunt for one Wolverine that will help him save his universe. He meets several variants that reference known comics story arcs. Then there's one Wolverine who looks much like Jackman from behind, tall, muscular, and badass but is actually played by Cavill.

The best description for Cavillrine is given by Deadpool himself in the film, who simply says "This feels right" after seeing him. This Wolverine is the right combination of Cavill's growl-heavy work in "The Witcher," the charisma of his Superman, and the reloading arms of Cavill's August Walker from "Mission: Impossible — Fallout." Does this mean Cavill will play the role in the MCU moving forward? Probably not, but it is a rather great little cameo that is reminiscent of Brad Pitt's guest role in "Deadpool 2."

It is also a reminder that Cavill was sadly wasted in the DC Universe, a fantastic Superman actor who never got the "Superman" movie he deserved, nor a universe he could really play in. "Man of Steel," for all its flaws, still has some great moments in it, but after that, Cavill had little to do. His role in the abysmal "Batman V Superman" does not do him any favors, and he is barely in "Justice League." Really, the last we will ever see of his performance (other than a CGI monstrosity in "The Flash") was a dumb and pointless cameo in "Black Adam" brought along by Dwayne Johnson's ego for a sequel idea that never materialized. 

Cavill's cameo in "Deadpool & Wolverine" serves as a reminder of the wasted potential of this actor in a troubled comics universe, but also a fun "what if?" and hopefully even a hint at the future.