Yesterday evening, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Ryan Reynolds will reprise his role as Deadpool in next December's Avengers: Doomsday (scooper @MyTimeToShineH was first to share the news, a good hour or so before the trade).
While a report from an outlet like this is typically taken as "official," nothing is truly confirmed until Marvel Studios or Disney chimes in. Now, conflicting reports about Reynolds' supposed return as the Merc with a Mouth have emerged.
According to Deadline, "Sources tell us that they haven’t seen Reynolds on set in London, and he isn’t set to appear in the next two Avengers movie."
Addressing the Deadpool & Wolverine star's cryptic Instagram post from earlier this week, the trade writes that Reynolds was "just having some fun," and that "a fan made it, Reynolds spotted it and was intrigued to post it."
The Wrap, however, counters that report with insights from its own insiders. They're reporting that "we haven’t seen the last of Deadpool, and will see him next in 'Avengers: Doomsday.'"
Interestingly, the piece notes that "no one is going on the record about it — yet," implying that the deal isn't finalised and The Hollywood Reporter may have jumped the gun by reporting on Reynolds' return. That might also explain why the news was included in its Heat Vision newsletter rather than in a full-blown article.
Reynolds likely will return in Avengers: Doomsday, especially after that Thor tease in the TVA. The movie would benefit from some major star power, and it seems likely that the actor will be included in the next cast announcement.
For now, it seems we'll have to wait and see. March's cast announcement primarily focused on actors from Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but lots of fan-favourites are still M.I.A.
Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make the Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
The Russo Brothers direct the movie from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Captain America and Avengers franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.