Summary
Marvel Studios’Deadpool & Wolverineis the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first R-rated movie within the franchise thus far. The comedy, which is alove letter to the Fox X-Men Universe, is packed to the rim with jokes, most of which focus on the Merc with a Mouth’s co-star, Wolverine. However, there’s one joke that might’ve flown over the heads of general audiences that are not familiar with New Line’sBladefilms.
Deadpool & Wolverinefeatures a handful of co-stars from prior Marvel movies, including Jennifer Garner’s Elektra and Dafne Keen’s Laura/X-23, but two of the biggest surprises from the film are the inclusion of Channing Tatum as Gambit and Wesley Snipes as Blade. The latter, of course, headlined his own trilogy of films for New Line, before Fox even had the chance to kick off itsX-Menuniverse. More importantly, Snipes starred alongside Deadpool actor, Ryan Reynolds, in the most talked-about installment,Blade: Trinity. It’s this film that leads to one of the best jokes inDeadpool & Wolverine, one that was set up two decades ago.
Reynolds & Snipes' History on Blade: Trinity
While the firstBladefilm is still regarded as one of the most beloved comic book adaptations of all time, the franchise saw a continuous decline in quality with each new installment. The first book wasn’t a huge success among critics, earning 58% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it remains the best-reviewed title in the franchise. The second installment,Blade II, was seen as an uneven story with a focus on action sequences, but not much else. It earned a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a small decline compared to its predecessor.
However, bothBladeandBlade IIare masterpieces when compared toBlade: Trinity. Reynolds joined the production as Hannibal King, starring alongside Wesley’s Daywalker. The movie, which earned a disastrous 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, was plagued with behind-the-scenes issues during its production.David S. Goyer, who penned the first two films, stepped up as both the writer and director forBlade: Trinity. The film endured a slew of script issues, with Patton Oswalt, who starred as Hedges in the film, even saying the first script was ultimately thrown out for being considered too ‘grim,’ as it was meant to focus on the Daywalker questioning his humanity. Executives at New Line decided the movie needed to be lighter in tone, and this led to the focus shifting from Blade, and more toward the Nightstalkers - which included Reynolds' character.
Rumors suggested Snipes would only communicate via Post-It notes,which the actor later refuted, and that he felt the film was meant to set up a spinoff movie rather than truly serve as a Blade story. It was thought that Snipes and Reynolds didn’t care for one another, and the turbulent production was referenced inDeadpool & Wolverinetwenty years later. After meeting in the movie, Blade tells Deadpool that he doesn’t like him, which results in the Merc with a Mouth saying, “You never did.” As it turns out, though, the two actors are completely fine with one another and were simply poking fun at the bumpy production onBlade: Trinity.
Why the Joke Works so Well in the Movie
The joke between Snipes' Blade and Reynolds' Deadpool works because it’s in passing and is only briefly touched upon. It’s not meant to be a huge ordeal, but ratheran Easter eggthat fans of New Line’sBladefilms can appreciate, while also enjoying his return as the Daywalker inDeadpool & Wolverine. More importantly, Snipes and Reynolds seem to be having a blast in the threequel, with the Daywalker even stating that Snipes would be the only Blade - despite there beingaBladereboot in the works at Marvel Studioswith Mahershala Ali. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the legacy of Snipes' work as Blade, and how the trilogy laid the groundwork for the superhero genre as a whole. Reynolds wanted togive Snipes' Blade a proper ending, which he was able to achieve with Deadpool & Wolverine. His character gets to be redeemed - as does Snipes, who was the center of gossip followingBlade: Trinity. It makes audiences care about the Daywalker, and understand just how important Blade was to giving Marvel Comics fans an R-rated live-action trilogy withDeadpool. A feat that certainly wouldn’t have ever been considered ifBladehadn’t existed.
Following the release ofDeadpool & Wolverine, Snipes seems more appreciative of his time as Blade, even withBlade: Trinity. The actor has even expressed thankfulness over Reynolds' hope for Blade to receive aLogan-like treatmentto give his character the ultimate legacy and honor. The actor has even expressed his excitement over earning two world records following his appearance inDeadpool & Wolverine. It’s currently unknown if Marvel Studios has any further plans to bring Snipes' Daywalker back again, but even if it doesn’t,Deadpool & Wolverinedefinitely serves as an exciting ending for his character.
