Deadpool 3: Ryan Reynolds Shatters Long-Standing MCU Record, a Feat No Other Actor Has Accomplished in 16 Years.

In 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds will play Wade Wilson’s Deadpool once more, but this will be his first MCU film where he will be more than just an actor.

With Deadpool and Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds is already leaving his mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe by pulling off a feat no other actor in the company has equaled. Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said shortly after Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox was closed in 2019 that the Merc-with-a-Mouth will be joining the MCU on a permanent basis. After a poor start in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds played Deadpool in Fox’s Deadpool and Deadpool 2. Now, he will bring his costumed antihero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Deadpool & Wolverine.

Following several setbacks caused by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, production for Deadpool & Wolverine eventually concluded in January 2024. A few weeks later, the first trailer for the film was unveiled. One of the most eagerly awaited projects in the MCU’s Phase 5 is Deadpool & Wolverine, which will include the return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, many characters from Fox’s Deadpool franchise, and some unexpected appearances from Fox’s previous X-Men films. Thanks to Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool & Wolverine is not only crammed with mutant superhero action but also smashing records for the MCU.

Ryan Reynolds Had A Huge Role In Deadpool & Wolverine’s Development

Since he was originally cast as Wade Wilson, a.k.a. Deadpool, back in 2004, Ryan Reynolds’ love and devotion to the role have been apparent. Reynolds’ dedication to the film industry has only grown with Deadpool & Wolverine, where he not only acted but also earned writer and producer credentials. This marked a significant departure from Reynolds’ previous roles in filmmaking. The fact that Ryan Reynolds was so involved in bringing Deadpool into the MCU is evident from the fact that this is the first time an MCU actor has been given credit as a writer and producer for their own MCU film.

4 Other MCU Actors Hold A Different Marvel Movie Record

While Ryan Reynolds is the first actor to be given writer and producer credit for a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a number of other actors have set new records for the studio. It’s true that four of the MCU’s former filmmakers have portrayed characters in the franchise, going all the way back to 2008’s Iron Man. Jon Favreau not only directed Iron Man but also starred in the film as Tony Stark’s closest friend, Harold “Happy” Hogan. Favreau is still in the role of Hogan, most recently in the second season of What If…? and Spider-Man: No Way Home from 2023.

In the MCU, Taika Waititi has also played the character of Korg with Jon Favreau. He made his screen debut in Thor: Ragnarok and made a comeback in Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn also makes a brief appearance as Lambshank, a High Evolutionary experiment that Stan Lee was supposed to be the initial recipient of. One half of the Russo brothers, Joe Russo, also made appearances in the films Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame as various characters. Although it’s unknown if filmmaker Shawn Levy will make an appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine, he may become a member of this exclusive group.

MCU Director	MCU Roles
Jon Favreau	Harold “Happy” Hogan from Iron Man (2008) onward.
Taika Waititi	Korg from Thor: Ragnarok (2017) onward.
James Gunn	Lambshank in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
Joe Russo	Dr. Fine in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Dr. Theo Broussard in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Bert in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Grieving Man in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Russo also provided additional motion capture for Thanos in Endgame.