Deadpool in Deadpool 2.
(20th Century Studios)

How To Get the Most Out of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

The highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine has arrived. Considering it’s currently the biggest film in the country, some newcomers to the franchise may be curious about what kind of background they need to watch the movie.

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Deadpool & Wolverine is the third installment in the Deadpool series and the first to take place in the MCU. The film follows Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) as he travels throughout the multiverse seeking a Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) variant to help him save his timeline from Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfayden). Along the way, they run into further Marvel variants, allowing for some pretty exciting cameos. So far, the movie is crushing the box office and receiving largely positive reviews from critics for its action, comic book accuracy, and humor, although many note it leans too heavily on fan service.

Still, Deadpool & Wolverine is reviving the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a bold and refreshing self-aware movie, making it a strong entry point for newcomers or those casual fans who may not be up-to-date on the films.

Do you need to watch the first two Deadpool movies?

The short answer is that you don’t necessarily need to watch the two previous Deadpool movies before Deadpool & Wolverine, but it would likely elevate your experience to do so.

As mentioned above, the movie is largely fan service, action, and humor. Although it’s a multiverse movie, it has a fairly simple and easy-to-follow plot. On top of that, Deadpool provides a brief recap of Deadpool 2 at the beginning of the film, which explains a significant time travel element that viewers need to know. The movie also briefly establishes what happened in Logan, meaning even newcomers will have a basic understanding of both Deadpool and Wolverine’s most recent history.

So even if one didn’t watch the two prior Deadpool movies, they wouldn’t be completely lost while watching Deadpool & Wolverine.

With that being said, watching the first two movies will definitely enhance one’s experience. First, it will familiarize viewers with the type of humor and self-aware jokes that Deadpool is popular for. The movies will also establish Deadpool’s origin story and add some much-needed context for his history with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and the other members of his found family in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Watching the first two movies also makes Deadpool’s character development and growth in the third movie more enjoyable. Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t huge in terms of emotional depth, and forgoing the first two films would likely erase almost all of the emotion in Deadpool’s story. Ultimately, if you want the full Deadpool experience, you should watch the first two movies before Deadpool & Wolverine, but if you’re just there for the superhero action, jokes, and bromance, you can make do without seeing the movies first.


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Image of Rachel Ulatowski
Rachel Ulatowski
Rachel Ulatowski is a Staff Writer for The Mary Sue, who frequently covers DC, Marvel, Star Wars, literature, and celebrity news. She has over three years of experience in the digital media and entertainment industry, and her works can also be found on Screen Rant, JustWatch, and Tell-Tale TV. She enjoys running, reading, snarking on YouTube personalities, and working on her future novel when she's not writing professionally. You can find more of her writing on Twitter at @RachelUlatowski.