WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Deadpool 2
The long-awaited Deadpool 2 has arrived with more action, more blood, more Cable, and way more Easter Eggs. Ryan Reynolds led a parade of fiction-breaking references to Marvel, DC, and pop culture in general with the first film. With a bigger budget, a bigger cast, and celebrities lining up to join in on the fun, Deadpool 2 doubles down on small moments of fan service and inside jokes most fans will miss.
Not to mention some incredibly subtle jokes and Easter Eggs that are almost impossible to find - because nobody in their right mind would ever actually look for them. Josh Brolin’s Cable may grab some of the spotlight from Wade Wilson, but it’s the A-list cameos, overt nods to the extended X-Men comic mythology and movie franchises, and background gags that truly shine. And we’re here to make sure that no audience member misses a single one of them.
We’ve collected the very best Deadpool 2 Easter eggs, secret backstories, inside jokes, and clues to the future of the X-Men universe that fans might have missed - and are breaking them all down here.
So with one final SPOILER warning, let’s get started. Here are the 30 Things You Completely Missed In Deadpool 2.
30. “Laird, Hit It!”
We’ll start with the moment in Deadpool 2 that will probably have most eagle-eyed-and-eared fans wondering what they missed, since it’s an Easter egg aimed directly behind the camera, that almost nobody would even understand. It comes when Wade is giving his final pep talk to Peter on board their helicopter, before launching their ambush on the prisoner convoy. As Deadpool assures Peter that he would never let anything happen to him, he abruptly turns towards the pilots of the chopper, and shouts the stumping phrase: “Laird, hit it!”
No character by that name has been introduced to this point, but the fact that it’s phrased like the rest of Ryan Reynolds’s jokes clues the crowd in to a deeper meaning. The pilot seen just moments earlier is simply credited as “Pilot,” played by Abiola Uthman - and with good reason.
The meaning of the line is a complete inside joke, directed toward Laird, a member of the film’s costume department entrusted with helping Reynolds in and out of his Deadpool costume.
The first teaser trailer for Deadpool 2 had Reynolds rush into a phone booth and slowly put on his signature suit… taking long enough for an innocent elderly man to be shot. Reynolds actually makes the first mention of “Laird” as that teaser closes, so it seems he made sure to give a nod to his trusted costumer in the film itself.
29. Brad Pitt’s (Invisible) Cameo as Vanisher
Without question, there is only one cameo that every single movie fan will be talking about once the credits roll on Deadpool 2. And since you don’t need to be a comic book fan to spot Brad Pitt, few will miss this gem. But the story behind this cameo may wind up to be just as interesting (and not necessarily the biggest cameo that most moviegoers will completely overlook).
Believe it or not, there was a time when Brad Pitt was actually in the running to play Cable, Deadpool’s main co-star and antagonist.
It doesn’t appear that those talks went much farther beyond conversations or even a concept drawing or two, but Josh Brolin won’t leave many fans wishing things had gone differently. But even after it was decided that Pitt wouldn’t play, it seems things were left on a positive and enthusiastic enough note to cook up this cameo that, from the very beginning, isn’t even one fans know to watch for. Not when the completely invisible (but apparently real?) mutant arrives, calling himself “Vanisher.”
That in itself is a nod to Marvel Comics, and the character of the same name. The film uses the name alone, since that mutant’s powers made him able to teleport, not turn invisible. But that’s a worthy compromise, given the payoff when Vanisher turns into Pitt moments before his end.
28. Deadpool’s Definitely Seen Marvel’s Movies
The first Deadpool movie made it clear that Wade Wilson enjoys himself the very same superhero movies that the audience does. It was one of the strongest elements adapted from the comic, where Deadpool is aware of… well everything taking place inside and outside of his own comic universe, or that of the competition. In the movie world, that means Deadpool having a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier from Avengers, which nobody commented on (since Deadpool is a Fox property, not Marvel Studios). With Deadpool 2, the references have multiplied.
There are the overt references to DC characters, of course, since Deadpool regularly takes shots at the DCEU. But so many MCU-related lines are fired off, fans are sure to miss one or two along the way. There is Wade’s dismissal of Domino’s leather-clad, attitude-enriched ideas by referring to her as “black Black Widow,” and even dubbing Dopinder as “Brown Panther” once he gets his first body count in the movie’s final scene. And of course, his description of Cable as a “grumpy old f***** with a Winter Soldier arm.”
But the best would have to be his nod to Avengers - no, not the slanderous mention of Hawkeye’s non-superpowered abilities - but his homage to Hulk’s Lullaby, typically delivered by Black Widow. After hopping onto Juggernaut’s shoulders in the final fight, Wade tries to calm him by telling the rampaging villain that “the sun’s getting real low…”
27. Taylor Swift’s Kittens T-Shirt
There’s probably much to be gained from dissecting every shirt worn by Ryan Reynolds throughout the course of the movie, but his choice of two kittens for one t-shirt is particularly worth calling out. It makes its appearance after he attempts to take his own life following the loss of Vanessa, and is recovered and cared for by Colossus (we always knew he cared about Wade). But before the massive, organic steel titan can give Wade his entire pitch on joining the X-Men, he has disappeared. Absconded, it turns out, with Charles Xavier’s own wheelchair.
Throughout the scene, plenty of viewers will notice his t-shirt adorned with a photo of two cats, surrounded by text. Since Deadpool’s previous t-shirts have delivered some solid Easter eggs, it makes sense for fans to get curious. The cats depicted are no random felines. As the lettering in the circle around them reveals, they are “Olivia” and “Meredith” - which some will instantly recognize as the names of Taylor Swift’s pets. Yes, Deadpool is wearing a t-shirt with Taylor Swift’s cats on it.
To answer the obvious question, no, it sadly isn’t a t-shirt we could find being sold anywhere (meaning the filmmakers may have ordered a custom job, which is even more incredible). For those wondering, the cats’ full names are Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey, the heroines of Law & Order: SVU and Grey’s Anatomy, respectively.
26. Hugh Jackman’s Les Miserables Joke
The first Deadpool movie traded heavily in references to both Hugh Jackman and Wolverine. That might be expected, since both Deadpool and Wolverine were turned into super-healers by the Weapon X Program of Marvel Comics. But the jokes and references made on film were of a more personal nature, and when Jackman showed he was game to keep the humor building, fans knew Deadpool 2 would up the ante. And it did, dropping several more nods to both the actor and character who quickly became the X-Men movies’ biggest star.
But we think it’s worth pointing out one of the funniest and hardest-to-spot Easter eggs directed at Hugh Jackman. It isn’t spoken out loud, and isn’t actually involving Wolverine or a superhero film at all. When Deadpool is outlining his plan using crayons and a crudely (yet intricately) drawn blueprint of their mission, no location or key player has been overlooked.
Russell, the pyromancer delinquent, has been designated as “Prisoner 24601” on the blueprint.
The musical fans will already get the joke, since that is the famous inmate number reserved for Jean Valjean, the protagonist of Les Misérable - a character played to an Oscar nomination by, you guessed it, Hugh Jackman.
25. Deadpool’s X-Men Origins Bullet Slice Redux
There will be many conversations and laughs had thanks to Deadpool 2’s mid-credits scene, an instant contender for one of the very best to ever appear after a comic book, or any other kind of movie. But Deadpool’s time-traveling caper isn’t actually the first throwback to X-Men Origins: Wolverine: the first movie to put Ryan Reynolds into the role of Wade Wilson. That version would be hailed by many, including Reynolds, as one of the worst embarrassments int comic book movies to date.
Still, the parts of the film that showed Reynolds as Wade Wilson before his experimental surgeries and enhancenments weren’t all bad. In fact, the sword work done by Reynolds remains one of the film’s bright spots, taking down a room full of enemies with nothing but a pair of katanas, deflecting bullets by spinning them faster than the shooters could detect. It’s a stunt that Deadpool attempts in his newest movie - and most shockingly, without making any overt mention to Origins at all.
The sequence begins with Deadpool once again slicing a single bullet directly in half, shown in super slow-motion. The twirling blades follow… this time, far less effective at actually deflecting any. It pays to be invincible.
24. Yes, Juggernaut is Charles Xavier’s Brother
Of all the secrets that the Deadpool 2 team managed to keep, none is more impressive than the inclusion of the Juggernaut. Fans will surely be pleased to see that this version is far more faithful to the comic book version than the one seen in X-Men: The Last Stand (played by Vinnie Jones). But they may explode in their seats when Russell reveals the family history Juggernaut has been discussing. Yes, he wears his metal helmet to keep his brother from reading his mind… but it’s all even, since his brother is also in a wheelchair.
Most will do the math, but it seems that Deadpool 2 has confirmed that the movie versions of Charles Xavier and Juggernaut a.k.a. Cain Marko are brothers, just like the comics.
They’re step-brothers, to be more exact, after Charles’s mother Sharon married Cain’s father.
The two didn’t exactly hit it off in the comics, so it’s not surprising that they’ve reached the same uneasy but agreed-upon truce in the film universe as well.
We can assume the Wade Wilson is also aware of the relation, since he’s obviously a Juggernaut superfan, rattling off some of his best appearance. Uncanny X-Men #183, where he got into a fistfight with Colossus, Thor #411, where he went toe-to-toe with the god of thunder, and more.
23. Fox’s Young X-Men Cameo
When Deadpool hit theaters, it did so with more than a few doubters. Those who doubted that the character could live up to the hype, or those who doubted that an R-Rated comic book movie could draw a big enough crowd. But once the movie released, it was suddenly Fox’s most bankable X-Men related property. In hindsight, that made the jokes delivered while Deadpool visited the Xavier School even better. Sure, he got Colossus and a new mutant… but strange that none of the other faculty would be present when he came calling.
To say that the filmmakers doubled down on the joke would be an understatement, as Deadpool 2 shows how things have changed. As Wade once again notes that he only gets to deal with the same regular mutants, the camera shifts to show most of, if not the entire cast of X-Men: Dark Phoenix in the room next to him. That means James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier, Evan Peters’ Quicksilver, Tye Sheridan’s Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp’s Storm, and Kodi Smit-McPhee’s Nightcrawler.
Turning instantly and seeing it’s Wade in the hallway, Nicholas Hoult’s Beast silently slides their doors closed to avoid him noticing. A fun explanation for their continued absence, clearly made possible thanks to Dark Phoenix shooting around the same time as Deadpool 2.
22. Deadpool’s Chunk Shirt
The t-shirt emblazoned with Taylor Swift’s cats is a good indicator of the kind of inside joke and blink-and-you-miss it details that the crew worked into the movie. As further proof of just how many times we’ll need to see the movie to catch them all, we present the floral shirt worn by Wade while recuperating. Why he decided to change into a borderline Hawaiian shirt is unclear, but we have to assume that being torn in half by Juggernaut can do some psychological damage as well… so we’ll let it slide.
The shirt is, upon inspection, the very same one worn by ‘Chunk’ in The Goonies (1985).
It goes without saying that Wade would obviously be a superfan of the infamous ‘Truffle Shuffle,’ but the real joke at work here is probably a case of friendly fire towards one of the movie’s own cast members. Specifically Josh Brolin, who has discussed his evolving love-hate-love relationship with his own role as ‘Brand’ in the seminal 1980s adventure movie.
But don’t worry: if you were hoping to see some more overt references to The Goonies, and perhaps one seven easier to miss… the rest of the movie doesn’t disappoint.
21. The Director Cameo
We can hardly blame director David Leitch for wanting to get in on the insanity of Deadpool 2 physically, moving from behind the camera to the front of it. But where does one choose to appear, if given the choice? One of Deadpool’s many faceless victims? One of the criminals slain in his apartment, setting the events of the movie into motion? Most of those shots would be too quick to catch, and the one Leitch landed on isn’t much different.
But for those fans looking to catch the moment along with all the other cameos and inside jokes, he’s actually one of Cable’s victims in the massive prison convoy action scene. After Domino has commandeered the convoy and Cable has leaped his way on top of it, he takes an unconventional approach to shaking Deadpool off of their tail. He disengages one of the mutant holding cells loaded onto the truck, and pushes it back to fall tumbling into the street - staring down David Leitch, begging him not to do it.
We have to hand it to the director: being taken out by Cable, Deadpool, or Domino would be a dream come true. But to actually be turned into a weapon by Cable? That’s next-level.
20. “One Eyed Willy” Goonies Easter Egg
As we mentioned before, Chunk’s signature shirt wouldn’t be the only nod to The Goonies included in Deadpool 2. It’s one that will only be noticed by people who have seen and remember the movie, which will probably make it one of the easier nods or pop culture references to appreciate (a reference everyone will get is inherently less fun). But it isn’t Brand being referenced - it’s the film’s fabled pirate.
Once Cable and Deadpool are trading blows and bullets on board the convoy - and after Black Tom Cassidy has been accidentally eliminated - Wade decides to challenge his opponent. Cable has a gun, while the Merc With a Mouth draws only his twin katanas. Still, he issues the challenge without flinching: “Give me your best shot, One-Eyed Willy.”
A nickname that can play for the instant laugh, as Wade has taken notice of Cable’s artificial eye.
For Goonies fans who know the boys were hunting down the legendary treasure of One-Eyed Willy, it’s among the movie’s best fourth-wall-breaking one-liners.
Is it time to pause and reflect on the fact that The Goonies was so long ago, the boy’s teenage brother is now old enough to play a grizzled Cable? Hey, it beats the alternative.
19. Logan’s Movie Music Box
In a peculiar way, it seems as though Deadpool 2 is made to begin exactly where Logan ended. It might be a stretch to claim some larger artistic intent is behind that decision more than the opening joke, but it’s possible. For those who may not remember, the conclusion of Logan saw Wolverine eliminate all remaining threats to his genetic clone-daughter Laura… and wind up impaled on a tree stump, healing factor failing for his trouble.
If you had forgotten that final attack before Logan’s burial, the opening scene of Deadpool 2 would jog your memory, since Wade has turned that soul-crushing end into a delightful music box. And you have to admit: seeing a scaled-down model of the aging, undershirt-wearing Wolverine skewered through on a fake tree limb… definitely takes away from the emotional weight.
Still, we’re willing to wager that the few seconds of the Logan music box - rotating to a chiming version of “All Outta Love” - is all it takes to send demand for that exact prop skyrocketing. The studio may not capitalize on the obvious merchandising potential, but you have to assume of all the jokes in the film, it will be this one that anyone on the Logan team will appreciate most.
18. Throwback To Deadpool’s Grey X-Force Costume
The first film put Wade’s body to the test, explaining his choice of uniform as the best color to conceal blood stains. But the sequel takes things even further, seeing Deadpool shot through dozens of times, torn in half, having his back broken in a fall, and burned in a fiery explosion. But the most painful attack, for both physical and emotional reasons, comes in the movie’s final act. As Wade tries to embrace Russell and apologize for abandoning him, the kid is too far gone - and roasts Deadpool with full power.
We don’t know how heatproof the Deadpool suit may be, but the cosmetic change to its exterior is a pretty direct nod to Wade Wilson’s time on the X-Force roster.
We’re referring to the X-Force of the Marvel Comics universe, which he was recruited onto, instead of founding like in the movie. Yes, the final scenes of the movie see Deadpool in the grey and black X-Force costume he wore during his membership. Thanks to a photo Ryan Reynolds took inside of his Deadpool 2 trailer, fans knew that Deadpool would wear a grey suit in his movie sequel.
It may just be one of a few costume nods to the comics, but it’s no coincidence that Deadpool’s suit turning to grey and black perfectly coincides with the X-Force - the movie’s real X-Force - uniting into a real family unit.
17. Deadpool Gives Another Nod to His Yellow X-Men Suit
For obvious reason, Colossus doesn’t offer to make Deadpool a FULL member of the X-Men right off the bat. Instead, he assigns him to the role of Trainee, a point made clear multiple times throughout the film, and even printed across the back of Deadpool’s yellow and black jersey. It seems like an obvious joke to every viewer, but the comic-minded may spot a larger reference being made.
Believe it or not, Deadpool has actually served as a member of the X-Men in the Marvel Comics Universe. For all his violent ways, the fact that he is a) a skilled fighter with mutant healing abilities, and b) not explicitly evil means he’s actually better equipped for Xavier’s attack team than some others who have enjoyed membership. So when he shows up to the first mission in the cropped yellow jersey, small x logo on the front, and “Trainee” printed across the back, Marvel Comics fans will know it as an overt nod to Deadpool’s days on the team.
When he first joined up with the X-Men in the comics, Deadpool stayed on-brand by keeping his red and black mask, and donning an X-Men uniform that read “X-Men” in large red letters across his chest. Eventually, he would don the standard X-insignia, still with “Deadpool” printed across the back as if his uniform was a sports jersey.
16. Alan Tudyk’s Redneck Cameo
When the action shifts away from Deadpool’s story to that of Cable arriving in this modern era, it’s hard to ignore the overall vibes and parallels to the Terminator movie series. Time traveler shows up from the future after enduring a painful experience, stumbles across some lower-class civilians, and winds up ending them. The similarities are easy to spot, but the cameo in the scene may be missed.
Officially credited as “Redneck #2,” the man being lectured on the truly proper way to go about wiping oneself in the washroom doesn’t say much, and is immediately electrocuted after delivering his one line.
It’s enough to notice that the actor is Alan Tudyk, known for Firefly, Con Man, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and more.
He’s made his mark on Disney with countless voice roles - interestingly enough, that includes the part of the Duke of Weselton in Frozen (a film Wade comes close to accusing of plagiarism early on in the movie).
Although, the real bombshell of this scene isn’t the cameo that you can spot with your eyes and ears, even if it is set at night. The “Redneck” actually telling the story might be Deadpool 2’s biggest secret cameo of all…
15. Madelyne Pryor, Jean Grey’s Clone (and Cable’s Mommy)
There’s just no easy way to say this: the origin story of Cable is weird, and weird in the way that actually just makes everyone involved feel even weirder once you attempt to explain it. Still, an Easter egg in Deadpool 2 makes it necessary for us to do it, so on we must push. Beginning with the most obvious detail: technically, Cable a.k.a. Nathan Summers is the son of Scott Summers and Jean Grey of the X-Men. The mutant child was born, infected with a virus turning half his upper body into metal, and sent into the future to be cured.
There’s just one thing about that “technically”… he’s the son Scott Summers had with Madelyne Pryor, the woman he married after Jean Grey was presumed gone, and a genetic clone of Jean. Everything worked out in the end though, so we can all be thankful that Deadpool 2 stops short of suggesting that same origin is bound to unfold and produce Cable… or does it?
Keep your eyes peeled after the X-Force descends into disaster during their first mission, and you’ll notice the streets filled with civilians partially gathered around a neighborhood ice cream van. The name on the van is “Pryor’s Treats,” so we’ll leave the fans to decide what joke is being played at here beyond the idea that Madelyne is the heiress to a modest ice cream fortune.
14. Cable’s Daughter, ‘Hope’
As every fan of Cable’s past in the X-Men corner of Marvel’s mythology knows, it’s hard to explain his importance without also shifting focus to Cable’s adopted daughter, Hope Summers - the mutant Messiah. We won’t dive too deeply into the lore of Cable and Hope, and simply say that on a broad level, the version of Cable in the film could be the exact same as the comics.
That was the hope when fans spotted the teddy bear on Cable’s waist, taken as a sign that this version was also the future father of Hope Summers, the first mutant born after their kind had been wiped out in the future.
She wasn’t Cable’s daughter in the comics, but he took her to keep her safe, jumping farther and farther into the future as they were pursued by other trained mercs.
If the plot of Deadpool 2 was disappointing for basically featuring… none of that plot, fans did get a silver lining. The first time through that final fight, Cable explains to Deadpool that the teddy bear is a reminder of his daughter. But on the second time, he adds the detail that her name really is ‘Hope.’ Which, incidentally, is exactly what that revelation gives fans hoping to see those future adventures play out on film.
13. The “Essex School,” Another Mr. Sinister Tease
It’s hard to believe it, but one of the biggest clues as to the coming villains of the X-Men movie universe might be missed by some, if not most comic book fans enjoying Deadpool 2. That’s for a fair reason, since the early hints and teases of Mr. Sinister have been sidelined, as Wolverine got his somber sendoff in Logan, and the X-Men films have struggled for a few different reasons.
Still, the “Essex” name should mean big things for the X-Men movie universe. It was the company that showed its name in the X-Men: Apocalypse post-credits scene, gathering up the evidence of Wolverine’s involvement in Weapon X - and potentially taking that material forward to grant Wade Wilson his own similar abilities. And with X-Men: Dark Phoenix a new Miss Sinister could play a significant part in the story, too.
All we know is that Deadpool 2 reveals a twisted orphanage that tries to torment mutant children for the sake of humanity at large. So we shouldn’t really be surprised that it’s referred to on a news broadcast as the “Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation.” Is it a hint that the overall goal is leading to Cable and his clone Stryfe going to war for the future? It’s still anyone’s guess.
12. “The Kid” Actually is Marvel’s Mutant Firefist
The first time the audience hears that young Russell dreams of growing up to become a mutant pyromancer named “Firefist,” it might earn a few chuckles. Not exactly the most subtle name, but admittedly, the kind that most teens might come up with as the epitome of cool. But that really is Russell’s fate in the comic books, as Firefist, member of Cable’s X-Factor.
The character made his debut in a similar fashion in X-Factor #1, unable to control his powers over fire, and prevent them from harming innocents.
He was brought into the team to help him cope, so the basic story points remain intact for the film. Fortunately, the filmmakers also take the chance to poke fun at Firefist’s actual worst name.
When Shatterstar is brought in to interview as a prospective member of Deadpool’s impromptu X-Force, he explains that his name is Rusty, but he goes by “Shatterstar” - a decision both Wade and Weasel think is for the best. Well, Shatterstar’s name isn’t actually Rusty… that’s the name that Russell went by in the comics, a decision they decided to avoid for the movie (but still point it out for those who know the hero’s entire comic book history).
11. Deadpool Writer, “Gerry Duggan Parkway”/Calls Yakuza as “Gail”
Deadpool just wouldn’t be Deadpool without the comic book minds who made him what he is today, and that fact isn’t lost on the makers of the movies (Reynolds least of all). The first Deadpool movie made sure to throw nods to comic creators in the form of street names, and the same is done for the sequel - you’ll just have to listen for it, instead of look for it this time.
The first comes when Deadpool is about to launch his full-scale assault on a Cantonese gang, deciding to announce his arrival by calling up the gang’s apparent leader before smashing through the window. Wade uses a false name, claiming that it’s “Gail” calling - a nod to Gail Simone, the writer who popped onto many comic fans’ radar with her highly praised run on the Deadpool series. And who happens to have just launched a new Domino solo comic!
The second is a reference to the writer who recently concluded his run on Deadpool, delivering one of the longest and most enjoyed runs in recent memory. And who ended the run by giving Deadpool his most disgusting power yet. When Weasel is being interrogated by Cable– well, when he is being threatened of being interrogated by Cable, he offers up the exact location where Deadpool and his team is head: “Gerry Duggan Parkway.”
10. Dopinder’s Taxi - Alpha Flight Easter Egg
It may be news for moviegoers, but comic fans know that Wade Wilson is a proud Canadian, just like his Weapon X colleague Wolverine. The movie makes that point at a few times, but most of the background items attesting to his Canadian roots will be missed. What won’t be missed is the shout-out given to Alpha Flight, Canada’s very best team of superheroes.
No, sadly, the heroes aren’t actually shown in the movie… nor are their one of a kind costumes, powers, or even news reports taking note of a massive heroic sasquatch, or a human wrecking ball dressed in the maple leaf.
Take a close look at Dopinder’s taxi - the advertisement mounted on its roof, in particular - and you’ll spot the Easter egg.
It seems that this version of ‘Alpha flight’ is actually advertising commercial airline flights to destination spots (a Canadian pastime in its own rite). Originally introduced as the strike team of Canada’s Department H - the same program tied to Weapon X - they earned their own comic series from legends Chris Claremont and John Byrne in the 1980s. Somehow, we doubt that their own big screen adaptation isn’t all that likely. Just… nobody tell Deadpool.
9. The TJ Miller Recasting Outcry is Addressed
There’s a good chance that Hollywood hasn’t seen the last short-notice recasting or role deletion due to misconduct, and even Deadpool 2 wasn’t immune to some serious accusations. We’re referring to the accusations of assault made about actor T.J. Miller not long before Deadpool 2 began the final stages of its marketing campaign. And not long after Kevin Spacey was publicly replaced by Christopher Plummer in the almost-completed Ridley Scott movie All The Money in The World.
While Miller denied the accusations, many saw the Spacey incident as proof that wrongs could be righted, and on shorter notice than some might think. But for all the reasons why recasting or removing T.J. Miller from Deadpool 2 would make sense, or be for the best, the studio pressed forward to the finish line… but not without addressing the issue, and hinting they may be more sympathetic than assumed.
Once the film moves from the Icebox prison to Cable rebuilding his signature weapon, look to the news ticker along the bottom of his television.
The headline states that Christopher Plummer respectfully turned down the Deadpool 2 role extended to him.
Well played, even if some will still be upset that Fox didn’t make a more proactive move.
Miller has since been arrested by the FBI for allegedly calling in a fake bomb threat and Reynolds has confirmed he will not appear in the X-Force movie.
8. The Cure For Blindness Was There All Along
As much as the injection of a character like Cable might change the status quo, Deadpool 2 finds a lot of ways to call back to memorable jokes or moments from the first movie. There’s Vanessa’s correction of the Star Wars/Empire Luke and Leia incest accusation, the Skee Ball token, and the most tragic of all… the cure to Blind Al’s blindness.
On the one hand, the joke was just one of a dozen others from the first movie used to show that Deadpool was the worst roommate imaginable, making Blind Al’s life a living Hell (with some breaks for assembling IKEA furniture mixed in for flavor). So when Wade headed off for his final heroic mission in the first movie, and told Blind Al that there was a stash of illegal substances hidden somewhere in her house - right next to the cure for blindness - her response of total frustration seemed appropriate.
Seeing Wade return to Blind Al’s home in the sequel, pry open a floor board, and actually remove a bag of said substance may be the movies most unexpected callback. Even more unexpected is the package labeled “cure for blindness” sitting right next to it. Sure, it’s a little cruel he wouldn’t just GIVE Al the cure… but the real point here is that Deadpool is a man of his word.
7. Deadpool’s Creator, Who “Can’t Draw Feet”
More movie fans than ever before know the name Rob Liefeld, the comic writer and artist who first brought Deadpool into the world of Marvel Comics with a wink to DC’s Deathstroke (and a personality all his own - and then some). As a result, Liefeld got the honor of his very own cameo in the first Deadpool movie. Easy to miss, since Wade nonchalantly greets him by name when arriving at Weasel’s bar. But that was just the first movie… now it’s time to start taking shots.
It’s still in the spirit of fun, obviously. For those who don’t know, it was Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza who created Deadpool, Shatterstar, X-Force, and more during the span of just a few years at Marvel. Eventually, they got to Domino, a mercenary whose mutant ability alters probability in her favor. The result is Domino becoming the luckiest person on the planet, and staying that way. A fun power, but… not one that makes a whole lot of sense.
The movie still takes that pitch and runs with it, but they do make sure to give her creator a bit of a dig, when Deadpool launches into a tirade over the improbability of her probability. It’s an idea so dumb, he claims, it could only be thought up by a writer who “can’t draw feet.” The criticism most often made of Liefeld’s work (both friendly and unfriendly) is a nice touch for the fans… and Wade is completely right on the feet thing.
6. Marvel Reporter Irene Merryweather
When Wade is recruited by Colossus to head off on his first training mission, the perspective immediately shifts to a news chopper view of Russell’s power rampage.
Narration of the incident is offered by the reporter on scene, identifying herself as “Irene Merryweather of WHIT.”
Not a name you would easily forget, and even less so if you know her character from the comics.
Irene has appeared frequently throughout the Cable & Deadpool comics, originally fleeing from the villains of the Hellfire Club who wanted her eliminated for investigating their operations behind closed doors. Eventually, she became something of an on-again, off-again romantic interest for Cable. That doesn’t seem to be the plan for the movies but considering some fans might have expected to see Irene as a cast member, a cameo is better than nothing.
Especially when her second appearance sees Shatterstar basically liquefied when descending blind into the rotors of the WHIT News chopper. The look of disgust and horror on Irene’s face is justified and, all things considered, pretty reserved. But what else would you expect from the star investigative journalist at New York’s Daily Bugle? A paper that now possibly exists in the MCU… no luck for Irene.
5. Deadpool’s Van Wilder Callback
It’s been a long time since Ryan Reynolds played either Green Lantern or Wade Wilson the first time around, but it’s been even longer since he ruled a fictional college campus as Van Wilder. Even so, Deadpool 2 has an odd connection to Reynolds’s breakout comedy role.
As we mentioned before, the film opens with Wade vacantly smoking, and sending a music box version of Logan’s last minutes twirling to a version of Air Supply’s “All Out of Love.” Don’t get us wrong: it’s an incredible song, like all others in the film are (in one way or another). But either by design or fortune, it sets a new bar for the kind of references and inside jokes viewers will need to look for. If we’re looking to see what really gets credit for mixing Reynolds with Air Supply, it’s National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (2002).
When the consummate college party animal lets his heart open up to his romantic interest, he winds up burned, being used for a newspaper story and nothing else. He grieves by sitting isolated in his dorm room, beer and guitar in hand. When a co-ed (Sophia Bush) inquires as to his mood, he channels his sadness into a pained performance of - you guessed it - “All Out of Love.” The fact that the song and artist are completely lost on Bush’s character is yet another reminder that it may be time for Wilder to move on from the younger college crowd. And towards a role as a superhero comedy superstar, obviously.
So, is it total coincidence, a bit of fun from the filmmakers, or an obvious contract stipulation that Ryan Reynolds can insert “All Outta Love” into all his film projects in perpetuity? We may never know.
4. The Geppetto Woodchipper Claims Zeitgeist
Let’s get this out of the way: yes, it was funny and unexpected to see the recruited X-Force members all slaughtered without ever stepping into a fight. But it was also a bit of a disappointment to those young mutants who hoped to see the true potential of teamwork and dedication against evil. Still, the slapstick of Zeitgeist’s and Peter’s ends is hard to top, as shockingly twisted as it is final and gruesome.
In the case of Zeitgeist, he completed what has to go down in history as one of the worse random parachute landings in movie history, dropping from thousands of feet in the air directly into the business end of a woodchipper. And not just any woodchipper either. No, for the minds behind deadpool 2, that hag alone isn’t funny enough.
They have to name the business operating the woodchipper Geppetto, after the fairy tale Italian wood carver who first fashioned Pinocchio into a wooden marionette.
We don’t know if that means that Zeitgeist wasn’t actually a real boy, or this machine is used purely to destroy Pinocchio dolls. Maybe it ties into the theme of creating a monster, something that Deadpool, Russell, and Cable can all understand.
3. “M-Day is Near”
By the end of Deadpool 2, it’s still not exactly clear what the Essex House and its religious fanatics were hoping to achieve. The propaganda posters and slogans pasted throughout the building are the kind of ignorance now commonplace in the X-Men universe, as the non-mutated see the mutants as defective, or in the case of Deadpool 2, an “abomination.” But one slogan stands apart.
The printed chants of “purity,” or “unity,” or preferential treatment of “mankind” over “mutantkind” all blend in to one another. But the cryptic statement that “M-DAY IS NEAR” should set alarm bells off in the minds of comic book fans. For the unfamiliar, “M-Day” is a very real date in Marvels’ comic universe, which took place as part of the “Decimation” event back in 2005.
After previously warping reality to make mutants, and not humans the dominant species on Earth, Scarlet Witch decided to swing the pendulum catastrophically back in the other direction. In an instant, over 90% of the mutants on Earth lost their powers. The resulting chaos spun out into the following “Messiah War” event, then the “Second Coming,” followed eventually by “Messiah Complex.” It’s the story that launched Hope Summers into the role of mutant savior, so that graffiti is one BIG Easter egg to leave where fans will spot it.
2. The Tragically Hip
While not connected to the movies, there’s a very good chance that fans of Deadpool 2 will have some questions about the decorations and artwork in Wade and Vanessa’s apartment at the start of the film. Before everything gets blown up in flames, along with most of Wade’s body. Some of the set decoration remains from the previous film, but a few choice items will stand out. Chief among them the white print on a red background proclaiming itself “TIRED AS F***.”
If you try to look just below the large block letters, you’ll notice the smaller print denoting it as the title of a song by The Tragically Hip, one of Canada’s most prolific and successful bands in history.
The placement of the song title and styling seems to be a memorial for lead singer Gord Downie, who passed away in October of 2017.
That was just a few months after Deadpool 2 filming began, and just over a year out from The Hip announcing their farewell tour the day after Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Reynolds was one of many Canadian artists and celebrities who voiced condolences upon Downie’s passing, but it seems everyone involved with the movie made sure to give him another nod in the film itself.
1. The New Mutant (Not Those Ones)
Fans of the first Deadpool movie may focus their attention on the “new” Negasonic Teenage Warhead, with her costume and hairstyle change representing a true evolution of her character. But they shouldn’t overlook her mutant girlfriend, either. The character is only ever referred to by the name Yukio, which is an odd choice, considering the baggage that name brings with it (Yukio was also the girl who became Logan’s sidekick at the end of The Wolverine). So exactly who actress Shioli Kutsuna is playing in Deadpool 2 is up for some debate. But there are a few clues that help narrow down the inspiration.
In the world of the movie X-Men there aren’t actually that many mutants with powers of electricity, as demonstrated by the crackling of sparks and power along Yukio’s weapon in he final fight against Juggernaut.
The best guess is that she is based on Noriko Ashida, otherwise known in mutant circles as ‘Surge.’
With the ability to absorb and redirect electricity and electric charge in her immediate vicinity, she would sure be skilled at potentially stunning an opponent - no matter how big or brutal they may be.
Those are all of the Deadpool 2 Easter eggs, subtle secrets, cameos, and movie references that we could spot. Did you notice any others? Let us know in the comments.
