The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

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. 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.

-Shawn Levy

Tier One

When it comes down to prep for Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s Shawn Levy‘s world and we’re not here to argue. So when he says that no homework is required to enjoy the film, we believe him; however, we have selected a handful of projects that might help you maximize your enjoyment come July.

All I ever wanted was to travel off in exotic places and meet new exciting people and then kill them, so I became a mercenary. My name is Wade Wilson. And I love what I do.

-Wade Wilson, X-Men Origins: Wolveirne

X-Men Origins: Wolverine 38% Rotten Tomatoes

By far the worst X-Men movie put to film by Fox, Origins is also the most complete story of Logan’s transformation into Weapon X. While the Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine is most certainly not this Logan, the origin story is almost certainly the same and worth checking out before heading to theaters. There’s also an absolutely atrocious origin of Deadpool tossed in here that is all but a sure thing to be referenced in the new film. In fact, there’s plenty of speculation that one member of the Deadpool Corps is plucked from whatever timeline this disaster took place.

Deadpool (2016) 85% Rotten Tomatoes

The first act in The Tragedy of Wade Wilson, Deadpool is the setup that provides exposition and establishes the majority of the important relationships in Wade’s life. It seems as though Deadpool & Wolverine will see Wade face the threat of losing everything, so it’s good to remember just what everything is.

Deadpool 2 (2018) 84% Rotten Tomatoes

For all of Wade’s mockery of what heroes are and do, Deadpool 2 saw the Merc With a Mouth become one. The second act in the Tragedy of Wade Wilson, the film allowed Deadpool the opportunity to grow and realize his true capabilities. It’s also full of time travel which–one would think–would have to be referenced by the TVA in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Loki Season 1 (2021) 92% Rotten Tomatoes

For all time, always…and any time is always a good time to rewatch one of Marvel Studios’ finer streaming series, however, there may be good reason to limit your rewatch to Season 1. From what can be gleaned from the first two trailers for Deadpool & Wolverine, that project is seemingly set before Loki ascended to his role as the God of Stories in Season 2. Of course, not everything will be what is seems in the trailers and time is very wonky within the walls of the TVA. At the very least, though, it won’t hurt to catch back up on how things work in the TVA offices and freshen up on the Sacred Timeline.

Tier 2

If you’re out to be a Wolverine completist, Tier 2 is for you. In addition to the Tier 1 projects, working your way through these will provide whatever level of Hugh Jackman fix you need.

McAvoy or Stewart? These timelines are confusing.

-Wade Wilson, Deadpool (2016)

X-Men (2000) 82% Rotten Tomatoes

Revisiting Jackman’s first time as Wolverine won’t really help you understand anything that happens in Deadpool & Wolverine but on the heels of the incredible first season of X-Men ’97, it’s another trip down memory lane worth taking. It should provide some especially jarring juxtapositioning to see Wolverine in the ridiculous black leather just ahead of seeing the big screen debut of his iconic comic book costume.

X2 (2003) 85% Rotten Tomatoes

If you’re going to watch the worst X-Men movie ever made (Origins), you might as well treat yourself to the best X-Men movie ever made. X2 did what few sequels did by surpassing the quality of the original and set the franchise up for a killer third installment. While that didn’t quite work out, you can still enjoy Alan Cumming‘s incredible performance as Nightcrawler and hate Brian Cox‘s Stryker all over again. Certainly one of Jackman’s best turns as Wolverine, rewatching this one will be time well spent.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) 57% Rotten Tomatoes

Notable as the first time Fox dropped the ball in telling the story of the Phoenix, The Last Stand is forgettable and tough to watch. As bad as it is, it does introduce Kelsey Grammer‘s Beast, who recently made his MCU debut, and Elliot Page‘s Kitty Pryde. Is that enough to overcome the trauma induced by seeing Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut? Probably not but at least it served as good meme material.

***NOTE***

As the most recent trailer showed, there will be plenty of characters appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine who first appeared on film in the original X-Men trilogy. A rewatch of the trilogy will serve as a nice refresher course on just who is who.

X-Men: First Class (2011) 86% Rotten Tomatoes

Worth a watch just for the cameo appearance by Jackman, First Class is also a very solid film and is likely to be referenced in some way. It won’t add anything to the story of Wolverine but if it’s been a while, check it out anyway.

The Wolverine (2013) 71% Rotten Tomatoes

The closest Jackman came to suiting up in the blue and yellow suit, The Wolverine is a fun, standalone story that gives a little more background on Logan. Depending on what the Variant in Deadpool & Wolverine has been through, that might be valuable.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) 90% Rotten Tomatoes

The highest-rated X-film, Days of Future Past will always be worth a watch. It’s also going to provide more context to all the crazy time travel that’s always part and parcel of X-Men stories and could end up being referenced while Wade and Logan are in the TVA.

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) 47% Rotten Tomatoes

Just a cameo and a reminder of Logan’s tortured past and not worth a watch other than for that.

Logan (2017) 93% Rotten Tomatoes

The film that was supposed to send Jackman off into the sunset, Logan stands as one of the highest-rated and most revered superhero films of all time. Levy, Reynolds and Jackman have sworn that the Logan timeline will not be altered in any way, but there are plenty of rumors about an appearance of an X-23 or two in Deadpool & Wolverine including, perhaps, a grown up version of Dafne Keene‘s Variant.

Loki Season 2 (2023) 82% Rotten Tomatoes

Time is a funny thing within the walls of the TVA so while Deadpool & Wolverine may not start before Season 2 of Loki concludes, there’s no saying it won’t end somewhere else down that road. If nothing else, the season provides a great reminder of how crazy the multiversal stuff gets and is great sci-fi TV.

Tier 3

Maximum effort! Deadpool & Wolverine is rumored to feature some fun cameos from characters who, like Logan, made their film debuts before the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you’ve never seen these films or even if it’s been some time since you have, consider adding these to your pre-Deadpool & Wolverine watch list just in case they show up. The only caveat here is that should you chose to head down this path, you’ll be subjecting yourself to some of the worst superhero movies ever put on film.

I can tell you two things. One, your hairdo is ridiculous. Two, I ate a lot of garlic, and I just farted. Silent but deadly.

-Hannibal King, Blade: Trinity

Blade (1998) 59% Rotten Tomatoes and Blade II (2002) 57% Rotten Tomatoes

Before the live-action X-Men films put superhero in the spotlight, Wesley Snipes‘ Blade opened the door to the world of comic book films. The first film is a classic; the second less so. Why are they on here?

Daredevil (2003) 43% Rotten Tomatoes

Ben Affleck‘s Daredevil has not aged nearly as well as Ben Affleck.

Blade: Trinity (2004) 24% Rotten Tomatoes

Ryan Reynold‘s first role in a CBM was as Ryan Reynolds Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity. With the multiverse open for business, there’s room for a fun joke or two at his expense here.

Fantastic Four (2005) 28% Rotten Tomatoes

A horrible movie with a wonderful cast, it’s quite possible that at least one of those cast members makes a cameo in The Void in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Elektra (2005) 11% Rotten Tomatoes

If you thought Green Lantern was bad…but Jennifer Garner‘s character has been among many rumored to show up in a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, so you might have to give it a shot. Think of it this way: if you can watch this and recover in time to make it into theaters, you may have as strong of a healing factor as Deadpool and Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26th!

About Deadpool & Wolverine

Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine delivers the ultimate team-up throwdown on July 26.

Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine , which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen.

Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. Deadpool & Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.

Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine opens in U.S. & Canadian movie theaters on July
26, and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD and premium
screens everywhere.