Deadpool’s Golden Rule Makes One Avengers Crossover Very Unlikely

Summary

• Ryan Reynolds wants to protect Deadpool’s unique ability to break the fourth wall.
• She-Hulk, introduced in Phase 4, also breaks the fourth wall, complicating potential crossovers.
• Overuse of breaking the fourth wall could diminish audience investment in the story and characters.

Deadpool can interact with many of Marvel‘s greatest heroes after he joins the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine, but Ryan Reynolds’ one Deadpool rule could make one potential crossover tricky. Deadpool is an almost unique character in Marvel as he constantly breaks the fourth wall, joking with the audience and making satirical quips about the universe. And crucially, it’s a quirk that Ryan Reynolds has vowed to protect in comments to Vanity Fair.

“There are rules. Very specific rules. You would diminish stakes in the film if everyone—or even
anyone
else—was also aware of the fourth wall or any kind of meta aspect. Deadpool is the only character who has that ability to do that. If everyone did that, then you would no longer invest in that character as much.”

Reynolds is right that if every hero spoke to the audience and joked about every situation, it would diminish how seriously audiences would treat the film. However, Reynolds is incorrect about Deadpool being the only character with this ability now that he is in the MCU. Phase 4 introduced Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, who broke the fourth wall several times in her Disney+ series. If the pair are ever in an Avengers movie, it could be tricky having two characters who can get meta.

Deadpool And She-Hulk Together Could Be A Problem

Breaking the fourth wall became synonymous with Deadpool, but She-Hulk having that same ability has been a thing in the comics for a long time. Typically, she only does it in self-contained stories, not Marvel team-up events. However, since this trick was adapted into her Disney+ series, it means Deadpool isn’t the only MCU character who addresses the audience.

According to Reynolds’ golden rule, She-Hulk and Deadpool sharing the screen together could create problems if both characters break the fourth wall. If both characters appear in Avengers 5, the stakes could be undermined if both characters make jokes about the Kang situation or how messy the multiverse saga is. It also risks getting stale, as breaking the fourth wall too many times takes the novelty out of it. Getting meta can be a humorous way of criticizing the MCU or the superhero genre, but it can also hurt the story if it goes too far.

She-Hulk‘s finale is a perfect example of what happens when a project goes too far with its meta commentary. After being disappointed with the finale, Jennifer punches her way out of Disney+ and goes to Walt Disney Studios. She speaks with K.E.V.I.N., a robot version of Kevin Feige who makes all the creative decisions for the MCU.

She convinces the robot to change the finale and plenty of meta jokes are made in the process, like K.E.V.I.N. asking She-Hulk to change back into human form because the visual effects are expensive. While the finale has several funny moments, it goes too far in its fourth-wall break.

Yes, the finale the show originally set up was bad, but having the main character criticize it and change it isn’t an effective excuse for poor writing. It also sets up She-Hulk for major future plot holes because if she knows about K.E.V.I.N. and the writers, then she could just prevent anything bad from happening by asking the writers to change it. It’s comical at the time, but it feels cheap and detrimental to Jennifer’s story.

Could Deadpool And She-Hulk Share The Screen Together?

Deadpool & Wolverine will bring the Merc With The Mouth into the MCU, but it’s tough to tell how else he’ll be used afterward. Deadpool isn’t normally a character featured in Marvel team-up stories, but Marvel would love to get Wade Wilson involved in an Avengers film somehow. Audiences want to see Deadpool interact with longtime MCU characters, and Deadpool joining the Avengers would lead to box office gold.

She-Hulk doesn’t have the same fanbase as Deadpool, but she is a powerful hero who would be a useful Avenger. She-Hulk Season 2 is likely not happening, so her next appearance will probably be in a crossover event. If Deadpool is a part of that event, then Marvel needs to be wary of having both of them in the same scene. Breaking the fourth wall can be effective, but it shouldn’t keep audiences from investing in the Avenger’s next battle.