You knew they would be there. You were desperately hoping for them. And you got them. The third instalment of the Deadpool franchise, Deadpool and Wolverine, delivers a healthy bunch of them cameos. And they're from across the Marvel multiverse in ways that are both hilarious and sometimes meaningful to the plot.
If you want to read a no-spoiler review of the movie, check it out here.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Now that you've decided to scroll past the spoilers warning, LFG:
Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan
After SpiderMan: No Way Home, Jon is back playing Tony Stark's friend and security chief. In a scene set in 2018, when the events of Infinity War take place, we see Wade Wilson trying to land a job interview to become an Avenger. Spoiler alert: he gets rejected.
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Then there's Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Well, sort of. Chris did not actually shoot for the part. You can tell because there's some not-so-clever editing done to make it look like Thor is weeping over Deadpool's dying body. Rumor has it that Hemsworth himself wasn't even aware of this until later.
Henry Cavill as Wolverine
This was one of the most unexpected cameos: While bar-hopping the multiverse, Deadpool stumbles upon a variant of Wolverine portrayed by Henry Cavill. Some fans have long speculated actors like Henry Cavill and Daniel Radcliffe taking over the Wolverine role. Deadpool and Wolverine features the ex-Superman, but not the Harry Potter actor. The scene also takes a dig at DC and how Henry Cavill was treated by the studio.
Chris Evans as Johnny Storm
This is undoubtedly the film's biggest cameo and it was a masterclass in misdirection. When Chris Evans shows up, you completely assume that it's a variant of Captain America. There's also the iconic Avengers theme that plays for a few seconds as Deadpool braces for the classic "Avengers assemble!". But the tables turn when the figure instead shouts "Flame on!" and ignites into a human fireball. It's a shocking reveal to have Chris Evans reprises his role as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch from the 2005 Fantastic Four.
Chris has quite an extended cameo in the film. And if you patiently wait till all the credits have rolled, he shows up in the post-credits scene too.
Jennifer Garner as Elektra
Another actor reprising their role is Jennifer Garner playing Elektra Natchios, the sai-wielding superhero from Fox's critically panned "Daredevil" (2003) and "Elektra" (2005). Garner's portrayal of Elektra, which has since been taken over by Elodie Yung on Netflix.
Wesley Snipes as Blade
Wesley Snipes makes a triumphant return as Blade, the half-vampire, half-human warrior. He has a refreshed salt-and-pepper beard look. There is another surprise factor at play here because of the well-known tension between Snipes and Ryan Reynolds during the filming of "Blade: Trinity".
In a moment of meta-commentary, Snipes delivers a pointed line before heading into battle. He declares that there's only one Blade, and there will only ever be one Blade. This statement serves as a not-so-subtle dig at Marvel's upcoming reboot of the character, set to star Mahershala Ali.
Channing Tatum as Gambit
Channing Tatum's appearance as Gambit stands out as one of the most amusing cameos in the movie, though its significance might be lost on those who haven't followed Hollywood news closely over the past decade. Tatum was initially considered for the role in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" but couldn't commit due to scheduling conflicts. Later, in 2014, he signed on to star in a Gambit solo film for 20th Century Fox. But, the Gambit project became notorious for its prolonged stay in development limbo, facing numerous setbacks and delays and eventually getting scrapped.
Blake Lively, not Taylor Swift, as Lady Deadpool
Lady Deadpool, long rumored to be played by Taylor Swift, is voiced by Reynolds’s wife, Blake Lively. It's for a few seconds though and easily missed.
Dafne Keen as X-23
As hinted in a recent trailer, an adult Dafne Keen returns as Laura/X-23 from "Logan" (2017) to give Wolverine a motivational pep talk. Even though this version of Wolverine has never encountered her before, getting Dafne to reprise the role is a big deal.
Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15
Although it shouldn't have been, this cameo was also hinted in a recent teaser. Wunmi Mosaku briefly reprises her role as TVA agent Hunter B-15 from Loki.
Credits
As the credits roll, we get to see a star-studded tribute from the X-men movies, the 2005 Fantastic Four and Deadpool's first instalment. This showreel plays some of the behind-the-scenes snippets to Green Day's Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life). Almost every major star from these movies has a blink-and-miss appearance in the showreel.