Ryan Reynolds reprises his role as Wade Wilson, AKA Deadpool. Declaring himself “the Messiah” and “Marvel Jesus,” the crude and sarcastic Deadpool returns for the latest installment of the franchise. Known for his iconic red suit, witty wisecracks, and regenerative powers, the ultimate anti-hero must work alongside Wolverine to protect the multiverse.

In a conversation with Variety, Reynolds revealed that this film has fulfilled his greatest wish — to make a movie featuring Deadpool and Wolverine. The first two Deadpool films feature significant mentions of Wolverine, including a music box of Wolverine impaled by a tree branch (which Reynolds still owns).

During the interview, Reynolds shared what it was like working with Jackman in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), where Wade Wilson was first introduced. He said, “Hugh was a huge influence on me. It was the first time I saw how a movie star operates on set, and it defied all the preconceived notions for a movie star.”

Reynolds has had a prolific career in acting and is considered by some to be a Hollywood legend. Aside from his work as a writer, producer, and star of Deadpool, the Canadian actor is best known for his roles in Van Wilder: The Party Liaison (2002), The Proposal (2009), and Free Guy (2021). Reynolds is married to Blake Lively and the majority co-owner of Wrexham F.C. with Rob McElhenney. 

Despite his character’s death in Logan (2017), Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) has made a surprising return to the big screen. The dour and troubled X-Man reluctantly joins Deadpool to save the multiverse, with plenty of brawls and banter along the way.

Logan first appeared in the original X-Men (2000) and quickly became a fan favorite. Since then, he’s featured in nine X-Men movies grossing roughly $1.7 billion worldwide (per Box Office Mojo). After the release of Logan, Jackman thought he was retracting his claws for good (per Time, 2015).

Fortunately for Wolverine fans, Jackman’s friendship with Reynolds and his love of the character opened the door for another appearance by the clawed mutant. According to Jackman, Reynolds has been trying to “cajole” him “annoyingly” for years (per SiriusXM). Despite being 100% sure he was finished as Wolverine at the time, he was equally 100% sure he wanted to do it again alongside Reynolds.

Jackman also credits the time-traveling and universe-jumping technology of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as part of the reason for his return. He was able to reprise his role without having “to screw with the Logan timeline,” which he felt was important to him and the fans.

Hugh Jackman’s most celebrated role is undoubtedly Wolverine; however, he has also delivered impressive performances in other films, including Les Misérables (2012), The Greatest Showman (2017), and Van Helsing (2004).

The latest installment of Deadpool welcomes a new villain: Cassandra Nova (played by Emma Corrin). Cassandra is the twin sister of Professor Xavier, who proclaims herself the ruler of The Void — a realm she was sent to as punishment by the TVA (Time Variance Authority).

Corrin describes their character as “complex” and “interesting” and reveals that Reynolds and Levy wanted Cassandra to be “charismatic and unpredictable and to really keep the boys on their toes in the film” (per Hollywood Insider).

Corrin shared with People that some inspiration for their character came from Christoph Waltz’s portrayal of Col. Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds (2009). They were also inspired by the “nonchalant, detached power” of Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory (1971).

Prior to their role as Cassandra Nova, Corrin was known for their breakout role as Diana in The Crown (2016-2023). They most recently appeared in the horror film Nosferatu (2024).

Matthew Macfadyen plays Mr. Paradox, another new character who proves to be a thorn in the side of Deadpool. When asked by Hollywood Insider to describe his character, Macfadyen explained he’s “a bureaucrat [working] for the TVA…frustrated with his position” as middle management.

Mr. Paradox oversees monitoring and pruning the sacred timelines in the multiverse. While Mr. Paradox attempts to recruit Deadpool by presenting the opportunity to become a “hero among heroes,” he inadvertently creates more problems for him instead of offering real solutions.

Macfadyen revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show that he developed a “big man crush” on Reynolds and Jackman while working on the film. He also mentioned that the script for Mr. Paradox was so good that he didn’t need to do any further research into his character. 

Described by Reynolds to Etalk as “one of the most interesting actors working today,” Macfadyen is best known for his role as Tom Wambsgans in Succession (2018-2023), for which he won two Emmys and a Golden Globe. He also starred in Pride and Prejudice (2005) as Mr. Darcy.

Vanessa Carlysle (played by Morena Baccarin) returns as Wade’s on-again, off-again girlfriend. Although she doesn't play as prominent a role in this film as she did in the earlier two, her character serves as a significant driving force behind Deadpool’s determination to protect his universe.

Carlysle’s return is all the more surprising, given her untimely death in Deadpool 2. However, if you stay past the film’s credits, you'll quickly grasp why she’s back.

We won’t spoil how Vanessa and Wade leave things at the end of Deadpool and Wolverine, but Baccarin has expressed her support for becoming Copycat (like her comic book counterpart) in future franchise installments (per ComicBook). “I’ve only been waiting for five years. I’m not getting any younger or skinnier!,” Baccarin quipped about the idea.

Alongside her portrayal of Vanessa, Baccarin has also appeared in the series Firefly (2002-2003) and its film continuation, Serenity (2005). The actress is no stranger to the superhero universe; she featured in Gotham (2014-2019) and provided the voice of Gideon in The Flash (2014-2023).

Comedian and actor Rob Delaney unexpectedly returns to the role of the enthusiastic Peter. He is a used-car salesman alongside Wade. Like Vanessa, Peter is one of the reasons behind Deadpool’s dedication to rescuing his universe. 

Delaney described Peter, a character without a comic book origin, as a vital element of a film full of heart. Speaking to On Demand Entertainment, he quipped, “It’s hard not to like Peter because he’s played by me…and other reasons.” Although Peter lacks superhero powers, Delaney believes his “earnestness and warmth is a bit of a superpower.” Teasing fans, he hinted that audiences might just get to see Peter in some sort of superhero outfit.

Aside from his role as Peter, Delaney is well-known for appearing in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) and Catastrophe (2015-2019).

Blind Al (played by Leslie Uggams) is back! Uggams said her character is returning with “the same crazy feistiness” as before, and audiences will still revel in her unpredictable nature (per BlackFilmandTV.com). Uggams also shared that Blind Al’s relationship with Deadpool continues from the previous films, but “it just gets crazier.”

Uggams praised the stories Reynolds built into the films and likened Blind Al and Deadpool’s relationship to a “mother and son kind of situation.”

Before her role as Blind Al, Uggams had a long and storied Hollywood career since the 1960s. Her most notable appearances include Roots (1977), Empire (2015-2020), and Fallout (2024).

Karan Soni returns to reprise his role as Dopinder, one of Deadpool’s best friends and his devoted getaway driver. Soni jokingly explained that some people have the misconception that he’s an “underdog” and “people don’t know he’s out for blood” (per Marvel Entertainment).

Fans may not know that Dopinder is actually based on a real-life friend of Reynolds from elementary school (per Talks at Google). Reynolds revealed that the character is a tribute to his friend who was tragically struck and killed by lightning.

Soni has appeared in many other television series and films. Most notably, he appears in Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) and Miracle Workers (2019-2023).

Edgy, scene-stealing Negasonic Teenage Warhead (played by Brianna Hildebrand) returns for a third time. With her gothic style, the earnest, aloof teenager with atomic powers continues her strange, snarky friendship with Deadpool. Audiences can also expect to see some interaction with her girlfriend, Yukio. 

To prepare for the role of Negasonic, Hildebrand referred back to journals she used for character development while filming the first two Deadpool installments (per Reality of Wrestling). While being part of the Deadpool movies has been an incredible experience, Hildebrand shared that it was sometimes tricky working with Reynolds because he tended to ad-lib and improvise so quickly. 

Following her breakout role as Negasonic, Hildebrand has appeared in the television series The Exorcist (2016-2018) and Lucifer (2016-2021).

Friend, moral compass, and fellow mutant Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapičić) return for the third Deadpool movie. Kapičić previously described the stoic and courageous mutant as “a father figure, a big brother figure” (per STARBURST Magazine). He revealed that the “old school superhero” tries his best to get Deadpool to do the right thing because he knows Wilson has a good heart.

Kapičić provides a deep, gruff voice with a Serbian accent that commands the audience’s attention, as well as Deadpool’s. Kapičić has done many other voice roles and several other acting roles. Fans will recognize him from The Last Voyage of Demeter (2023) and Better Call Saul (2015-2022).

While new to the Deadpool films, Wolverine’s surrogate daughter, Laura, AKA X-23, last appeared in Logan (2017). Keen shared that she would love to reprise Laura for the rest of her life, saying, “She’s the most incredible character to play…and I have so much love for her” (per Moviefone). However, she did feel some trepidation trying to live up to portraying Wolverine’s daughter (per TooFab).

Producers went to great lengths to keep the movie’s plot secret. Keen revealed that she was sent the script but said all the names had been changed. Even Keen had difficulty deciphering who was who until they started filming.

Since her breakout role as Laura in Logan, Keen most notably portrayed Lyra Belacqua/Silvertongue in His Dark Materials (2019-2022), earning her a BAFTA (Wales) Best Actress nomination.

Cheerful and quirky Yukio (played by Shioli Kutsuna) returns to Deadpool and Wolverine. She is the bubbly, pink-haired girlfriend of Negasonic Teenage Warhead.

Kutsuna has featured in some notable Hollywood roles, like Murder Mystery (2019), Invasion (2021-2025), and The Outsider (2018). However, most of her extensive career has been in international productions, primarily Japanese films and television.

Also returning to Deadpool’s third installment, Buck (portrayed by Randal Reeder), a former mercenary friend of Wade’s who wouldn’t look out of place in a motorcycle gang with his long beard, bald head, and tattoos. Despite being a minor character, Buck adds plenty of humor to the movie.

Devoted fans may recognize Buck’s limited dialogue in the film referencing an incident in Deadpool 2. Rumor has it that Reeder forgot his lines in one scene, and Reynolds had to improvise (per Hi Geek). He filled the gap with, “No more speaking lines for you.” The joke is seemingly carried on in Deadpool and Wolverine. 

Reeder is also known for his roles in 21 Jump Street (2012), Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008), and Idiocracy (2006).

Lewis Tan returns as Shatterstar for a brief moment. With his iconic long red hair and star tattoo over his left eye, you won't be disappointed with the Mojoworld alien’s reappearance.

Tan described his character’s backstory as a “Mad Max dystopian, meets Gladiator, meets Blade Runner” story (per Screen Rant Plus).

Tan is well-known for his martial arts expertise, which he regularly employs in many roles. He is best known for his portrayal of Cole Young in Mortal Kombat (2021) and his appearance in Wu Assassins (2019).

The master of fire, Pyro (played by Aaron Stanford), makes his debut in the Deadpool franchise. However, he previously appeared in several of the X-Men films.

In an interview with Phase Zero, Stanford explained that each film that features Pyro is very different. He said that even though it’s a continuation of the character, his portrayal in Deadpool and Wolverine was almost a “satire of Pyro.” He had to imagine how Pyro would have devolved after being ripped from his universe and thrown into a wasteland.

Stanford truly made a mark with his impressive performance in X-Men 2 (2003). He is also well recognized for his role as James Cole in the series 12 Monkeys (2015-2018).

Sabretooth (played by Tyler Mane) is known to Wolverine from the X-Men franchise but is new to Deadpool’s world. With his long, unruly hair, sharp claws, and formidable presence, Sabretooth’s appearance on screen stays true to his comic book roots. Fans will surely be thrilled with the long-awaited showdown between Sabretooth and Wolverine.

Mane, a former professional wrestler, previously appeared as Sabretooth in X-Men (2000). He’s also known for portraying Michael Myers in Halloween II (2009) and his role in Troy (2004).

A welcome and surprising addition, Jennifer Garner reprises her role as Elektra Natchios. Elektra last appeared on the big screen in Elektra (2005) and Daredevil (2003).

Jennifer Garner shared on Instagram the moment Elektra’s return began to take shape during the filming of The Adam Project (2022). She described how Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy “gave each other this look they have that can communicate an idea, 20 pages of dialogue, [or even] nuclear codes.” Garner then added, “There is a crazy artistic kismet between those two,” highlighting their unique creative synergy.

In her lengthy post, Garner also explained that while she was in shape, she wasn’t “Marvel fit” and immediately upped her training regimen upon hearing Elektra would be appearing in the latest Deadpool.

When asked about her character arc she replied, “I didn’t know that Elektra and I needed an ending, but Shawn [Levy] and Ryan did.” Elektra’s fans may finally get the ending she’s always deserved.

While Elektra was seen as one of Garner’s breakout roles, she has become a household name for many other projects. She’s well-known for her iconic role as Sydney Bristow in Alias (2001-2006), as well as starring in films such as 13 Going On 30 (2004), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), and Yes Day (2021).

The true star of Deadpool is Dogpool, played by Peggy the Dog. Crowned “Britain’s Ugliest Dog” in 2023, her unique appearance led the mixed breed to worldwide recognition (per BBC). Dogpool has even been turned into several collectible figurines.

Since the film’s release, Hollywood’s hottest new star has returned to a mostly normal life at home. Peggy’s owner revealed, “First and foremost, she is a family pet... There’s nothing she likes more than either cuddling with us on the couch or snuggling in her bed” (per BBC).

Sadly, Peggy has no scheduled upcoming television or film roles in the near future.