Marvel Fans Think Deadpool Is In 'Doctor Strange 2,' But Is That Just a Rumor?

Deadpool is one of Marvel's most popular characters. Since Ryan Reynolds stepped into the Merc With A Mouth's trademark suit, the anti-hero has become a pop culture sensation. He's starred in two movies, appeared in a few more, spawned tons of merchandise, and almost made viewers forget Reynolds was in Green Lantern.

With how much viewers love Deadpool, they jump at any chance to see the character. Rumors have been circulating for some time that Reynolds will be making a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but now that the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film is out, what's the real story?

Here's what Ryan Reynolds had to say about Deadpool in Doctor Strange 2 — and the latest on the character's future.

Fans believed that with Fox being acquired by Disney, which also owns Marvel, that would clear the way for Deadpool to start running amok in the MCU. And what many thought appeared to be Deadpool in a shard of glass on a Doctor Strange poster only fueled the rampant speculation.

However, Reynolds publicly announced back in February 2022 that Deadpool is not in Doctor Strange 2.

"I'm really not in the movie," Reynolds told Variety when promoting his Netflix series The Adam Project. When the trade asked if he might be being coy to avoid spoilers, he repeated, "I'm promising. I'm not in the movie."

While MCU films and series love their cameo appearances, this is a pretty clear and emphatic denial from the actor. Plus, even with the whole Multiverse idea in play, Deadpool really doesn't fit with the horror tone that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is going for.

If Deadpool is not in Doctor Strange 2, then what about Deadpool 3?

Talk about Deadpool 3 has been going on since 2016 — two years before Deadpool 2 even came out. But things got derailed when Fox was taken over by Disney, in a process that started in 2017 and didn't officially finish until 2019. Under that new corporate structure, Deadpool's future got a lot more murky.

The original idea for Deadpool 3 (which, also according to Reynolds via /Film, would've been a road trip movie with Deadpool and Wolverine), was kiboshed. In 2019, Reynolds again spoke to Variety and said that Marvel Studios was now looking to develop its own Deadpool 3.

Flash forward three more years to March 2022, and THR reported that Marvel hired Shawn Levy (who directed the actor in The Adam Project and Free Guy) to direct, while Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are returning as writers.

The film still doesn't have a release date, but it's definitely hurtling its way down the road of development like Deadpool driving a taco truck. With key creatives in place and Reynolds set to return in the title role, hopefully fans will see it in 2023 or 2024. They just won't be seeing Deadpool harass Stephen Strange.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits movie theaters on May 6.