Deadpool & Wolverine is now showing in Malaysian cinemas and it’s the only Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie in 2024 after the last one, The Marvels in November 2023.

If you’re looking for a spoiler-free review of the movie, head on over here instead.

I’ll be discussing major spoilers from the movie (including the movie’s post-credits scenes), so here are some spoiler warnings:

Deadpool & Wolverine Breakdown Ending Explained

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

In Deadpool & Wolverine, Wade Wilson AKA Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) lives a life devoid of meaning and purpose after the events of 2018’s Deadpool 2. It’s revealed that in the aftermath of the ending of Deadpool 2, Deadpool actually went to Earth-616 AKA the Sacred Timeline where most of the MCU takes place and applied to join the Avengers. Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) rejected his application, so Deadpool went back to his own universe, but stopped being a superhero and was forced to work as a car salesman instead. It’s also revealed that his girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) broke up with him after that because he didn’t feel like he mattered anymore (but they were still friends).

During a birthday celebration (with returning characters from the first two Deadpool movies), agents from the TVA (Time Variance Authority) came and kidnapped Deadpool. It’s then revealed that Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) is the leader of this rogue division of the TVA and he wants to use a device called the Time Ripper to more efficiently destroy dying universes. Mr. Paradox reveals to Deadpool that each universe has an Anchor Being, and when their Anchor Being dies, the universe starts dying too. Deadpool’s universe is one of these dying universes because his universe’s Anchor Being was Logan AKA Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who died in 2017’s Logan.

Mr. Paradox gives Deadpool two choices; to go live on Earth-616 AKA the Sacred Timeline, or die along with his universe. Deadpool instead chooses to go find a variant of Wolverine to replace the Anchor Being of his universe. He finds a Wolverine variant and brings it to Mr. Paradox but Mr. Paradox reveals that you can’t just replace an Anchor Being with simply any variant and especially not this variant of Wolverine, who is said to be the worst of them all. Mr. Paradox then sends Deadpool and Wolverine to The Void, a dimension where the TVA send fugitives or survivors of dying universes.

(L-R): Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

It’s later revealed the reason why this Wolverine variant is “the worst” is because he abandoned his friends (the X-Men of his world) when they needed him. The X-Men of his world got killed by human hunters and this caused this Wolverine variant to go on a killing spree as revenge. Unfortunately, this caused humans in his world to hate mutants even more, which means that he made the situation worse. Not only did he let his friends die, but he also brought shame to their legacy.

In The Void, Deadpool and Wolverine meet a Johnny Storm AKA Human Torch variant (played by Chris Evans). They get caught by a bunch of goons (which includes antagonists from the 20th Century Fox Marvel movies), who bring them to meet their leader, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). Cassandra Nova wants to sacrifice them to a hungry Alioth (the same entity from the Loki TV series that consumes living beings). They escape and find shelter when a bunch of former heroes save them, including Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner), Gambit (Channing Tatum), Blade (Wesley Snipes) and Laura Kinney AKA X-23 (Dafne Keen).

They all team up to bring the fight to Cassandra Nova and her goons. They manage to defeat her. Cassandra Nova then helps Deadpool and Wolverine return to Deadpool’s universe by using a Sling Ring from a dead Doctor Strange variant. However, when Cassandra Nova learns of Mr. Paradox and the Time Ripper, she goes to Deadpool’s universe to use the Time Ripper to destroy all the universes. Deadpool and Wolverine get attacked by the Deadpool Corps (including a Ladypool played by Blake Lively) but defeat them when they get distracted by a Peter’s (Rob Delaney) arrival.

Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

Deadpool and Wolverine apparently sacrifice themselves to stop Cassandra Nova and the Time Ripper before Deadpool’s universe is destroyed. However, they somehow survive and the Wolverine variant becomes the new Anchor Being of Deadpool’s universe (because he redeemed his mistakes by sacrificing himself). One of the leaders of the TVA, Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) shows up to apprehend Mr. Paradox and help the remaining heroes left in The Void.

The movie ends with Deadpool reunited with his friends and family, including Wolverine and X-23. Deadpool also seemingly gets back together with Vanessa. His Earth and universe continue to exist.

The end.

Deadpool & Wolverine Post-Credits

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

There’s only one post-credits scene in Deadpool & Wolverine and unfortunately, it’s a gag one. You know, a post-credits scene that’s meant to be a funny scene or joke rather than to set up something for future movies or TV series in the MCU.

In the Deadpool & Wolverine post-credits scene, Deadpool proves that he wasn’t the reason for the death of Johnny Storm AKA the Human Torch earlier in the movie (Johnny was murdered after Deadpool apparently said that Johnny insulted Cassandra Nova). It turns out that the whole interaction was recorded and Johnny really did say all those insults about Cassandra Nova, which means that Deadpool is not to blame for his death.

That’s all, folks. Nothing new or substantial for the MCU.

How Deadpool & Wolverine Sets Up The Future Of The MCU

Maybe The Sacred Timeline Has An Anchor Being Of Its Own

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

Deadpool & Wolverine doesn’t really do much to move the MCU forward but it does introduce one major new concept: Anchor Beings.

Anchor Beings are individuals of such vital importance that if they die, their universes will begin dying as well.

The question is: Does Earth-616 AKA the Sacred Timeline have its own Anchor Being? If so, who is it? Or maybe the Sacred Timeline is the only exception and the only universe without an Anchor Being?

Those questions have no answers yet.

The Events Of Deadpool & Wolverine Don’t Do Much To Change The MCU

Ultimately, there’s nothing much in Deadpool & Wolverine that indicates or teases anything coming in the future of the MCU. However, Marvel’s Kevin Feige said in a Deadline interview that this movie is “just the beginning” of “more mutants coming” to the MCU. The opposite of No More Mutants, basically.

“It’s just the beginning. I’ve said that mutants are coming, and it all starts with this movie. I can’t wait for people to see what [Deadpool & Wolverine] has in store and know that this is the beginning of mutants finally, finally arriving into the MCU.”

Since Wolverine, Deadpool, and some of the other characters like X-23 and Cassandra Nova are mutants, Feige’s words do not ring hollow.

Still, we’ll probably have to wait for Captain America Brave New World to see any major status quo change-ups. That film will premiere in February 2025.