Ever since the announcement that the X-Men would be eventually joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans have been eagerly awaiting the MCU debut of their favorite mutant heroes and villains. But of all the characters tied to the X-Men franchise, few are quite so demanded for the MCU as everyone’s favorite crimson-clad assassin: Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds in his two stand-alone films. 

Hype for Deadpool’s next film appearance has only gotten bigger ever since Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that the Deadpool films would retain both their R rating and Reynolds’ casting in the lead role following the title character’s introduction to the MCU. And more recently, Marvel fans got their first taste of what Deadpool might look like in the MCU thanks to a promotional video for Reynolds’ upcoming film Free Guy. In the video, Reynolds appears as Deadpool alongside Taika Waititi as his Thor: Ragnarok character Korg, and the duo react to the Free Guy trailer with their typical brand of off-beat humor.

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Needless to say, the reaction video quickly gained traction with Marvel fans — after all, it showcases Deadpool’s usual crass, fourth-wall-breaking comedy as performed by Reynolds, while also allowing the character to bounce off another MCU fan favorite. It provides a promising look at Deadpool’s future on the big screen, while also reinvigorating fan speculation on what the Merc with a Mouth’s role in the MCU will look like. All that’s known for sure right now is that a third Deadpool movie is on the way — beyond that, it’s impossible to know where else Deadpool could show up, or what characters he’ll interact with.

Deadpool reacts to Free Guy trailer

However, recent developments in Phase 4 of the MCU may be hinting at a perfect opportunity for Deadpool to make a special impact on the wider setting. It’s becoming increasingly clear that one of the most important new players in Phase 4’s overarching story is Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Contessa de Fontaine, aka Val for short, first appeared in the penultimate episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to recruit John Walker after he was stripped of his title as Captain America. In the series finale, Walker is shown to take Val’s job offer, taking on a new costume and codename as the U.S. Agent. 

As if that wasn’t enough evidence that Val would be playing a major role in future MCU entries, she appears once again in the post-credits scene of Black Widow. Val appears at Natasha Romanoff’s grave to approach Natasha’s younger sister Yelena Belova about a new mission — judging by how they interact, it’s clear that these two have been working together for a while now. While Yelena’s story is set to continue in the upcoming Hawkeye series on Disney Plus, it’s clear that much bigger things are on the horizon for Val.

We already know that Val is working with Yelena and U.S. Agent — two characters who, while having good intentions, both have much darker pasts than the average Marvel hero. Many fans theorize that Val is working on putting together her own team of anti-heroes and reformed villains, not unlike DC’s own Suicide Squad. In fact, such a team already exists in the comic books: the Thunderbolts.

The Thunderbolts have had a long history in the comics, with several different lineups and countless members. Everyone from Baron Zemo to Bucky to Luke Cage to the Green Goblin has been a member of the Thunderbolts at some point over the decades. But one notable lineup of the team, which lasted from 2012 to 2014, featured a roster consisting of the Red Hulk (aka General Ross), Venom, Elektra, the Punisher — and of course, Deadpool.

Marvel's Thunderbolts

It’s unlikely that this exact team of Thunderbolts will be adapted to the big screen: after all, most MCU films take influence from their characters’ entire history rather than one specific era in particular. However, if Marvel Studios really is building up to a Thunderbolts film as a major MCU entry, then bringing in Deadpool as a member of the team would be a massive draw to get fans interested in a relatively obscure group. He’d fit right in with a team filled with other anti-heroes and ex-villains, and his irreverent sense of humor would allow for no shortage of fun interactions with his teammates.

One of the MCU’s greatest strengths is that it’s a true shared universe, where any character can plausibly interact with any other. Black Widow can show up in a Captain America film, Thor can bump into Hulk and Dr. Strange on one of his adventures, and Spider-Man and Iron Man can end up fighting alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is filled with infinite possibilities for how its characters will fit into the greater narrative of the setting. And for Deadpool, becoming a member of the Thunderbolts would be a natural move for his character that would also be the perfect way to give him a significant role in the larger MCU.

Of course, this is all just speculation for now. No official word of a Thunderbolts project in the MCU has been released, despite the persistent rumors that one is in the works. But until then, fans will continue to speculate on what the MCU’s Thunderbolts might be like — and whether a certain Merc with a Mouth could be involved.

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