Every Wolverine variant in Deadpool & Wolverine explained

❘ Published: 2024-07-25T09:35:13

Variants of Wolverine in Deadpool and Wolverine

Marvel Studios/Marvel Comics

Think you know your Wolverine comics? Think again. Here’s every Wolverine variant featured in this year’s Marvel humdinger, Deadpool & Wolverine.

We love Hugh Jackman as much as the next person, but it turns out that Marvel movies love him more. Across the entirety of Deadpool & Wolverine, there are 10 versions of his beloved X-Men character.

Eagle-eyed fans will notice that all of these cameos take place within the first half-hour of the new movie, collectively spanning across five decades of Marvel history.

It’s no surprise to see them turn up, but who do we see in the ultimate mutant role call? Here’s the full breakdown of every Wolverine variant in Deadpool & Wolverine. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Logan

Of course, it probably comes as little surprise that we see our very own version of Wolverine as the first variant touchpoint. If you’ve seen the 2017 film of the same name, you’ll remember that our original Jackman valiantly gave his life to protect X-23 (Dafne Keen).

Sadly, our Wolverine hasn’t suddenly sprung back to life in Deadpool & Wolverine – and aside from a few X-Men movie flashbacks, he’s very much dead. In fact, he’s so dead that when Deadpool finds him, he’s a skeleton.

While Deadpool always hoped for a collab between the two, he does, in a rather twisted way, get what he wants. When TVA agents arrive at Logan’s gravesite to apprehend Deadpool, the masked hero uses parts of said skeleton to take them out… and it’s an incredibly cool fight.

As an extra bonus, we get the N*SYNC classic ‘Bye Bye Bye’ soundtracking the entire thing.

Comic Accurate Wolverine

When the TVA tells Deadpool his universe is in danger of being wiped out after losing their Anchor Being (which we learn is a Wolverine variant), Deadpool tries to find another to take his place and hopefully save the day. Thus ensues an epic montage of Wolverines in multiple universes as Deadpool tries to find his X-Men version of Goldilocks.

First on his list is the comic-accurate Wolverine. He’s a short king and quickly gets ridiculed for his height – while Jackman’s version has always been around 6″2, the Wolverine comics version is more like 5″3.

That being said, the pair aren’t the best fit, with the remark getting Deadpool maimed and sent back to his starting point.

Patch

The cycle of maiming and failure continues on, and the next killer in the X-Men timeline is Patch. We knew this variant was coming, as we saw him featured in the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer.

While Patch was an alias used by Wolverine back in the 1980s, it wasn’t until 2022 that he got his first standalone comic. Operating on Madripoor, Patch is a bit of a lone ranger when it comes to carrying out vigilante justice, which probably explains why Deadpool’s intrusion isn’t welcome.

It was rumored that Daniel Radcliffe would be making a debut MCU cameo to play Patch, but alas, it’s Jackman’s bag.

Crucified Wolverine

Deadpool pays a (very brief) visit to Crucified Wolverine, who is a bit too busy on the cross to be able to help him carry out his master plan.

The exact scene is a reference to the cover of Uncanny X-Men #251. He’s been put there by Reavers, who are well-known for their hatred of mutants.

They’re led by Donald Pierce, also known as the White King, and Lady Deathstrike – though we don’t see anyone other than the Wolverine variant.

Age of Apocalypse Wolverine

Age of Apocalypse Wolverine – also known as the original 1980s version – probably has the most personality of the bunch. He meets Deadpool in a graffiti-ridden alley, standing moodily against a wall like a Prince album cover. After that, it’s every claw for himself.

We first saw Wolverine grace the comics back in 1982, marking Marvel’s second-ever limited series in its history.

This version feels more in line with the Wolverine we see from 1988 onwards. As you’d expect, our variant here is fitting of the times, sporting longer locks and dynamic black and white loose-fitting clothing.

Old Man Logan

Blink and you’ll miss him, but he’s there. For no more than a split second, Deadpool visits an old abandoned shack in the middle of a forest. On the porch sits Old Man Logan – again played by Jackman – who immediately shoots Deadpool with a shotgun.

This variant is an aged version of the Wolverine from Earth-807128, our main character in Logan. However, Old Man Logan from Earth-21923 is also brought in to join X-Men at a different point in time.

He appeared in Wolverine: Old Man Logan, an eight-issue comic series that ran from 2008-2009.

Weapon X

The most aesthetically pleasing Wolverine – Weapon X – is also in the montage lineup.

Instead of being a standalone series, this variant was part of a story arc in Marvel Comics Presents #72–84. Telling the story of Wolverine during his time as Weapon X, the story feels somewhat similar to a slasher horror movie.

He’s in a near-mindless state for most of this arc, so it’s Abraham Cornelius, Carol Hines, and ‘The Professor’ who actually serve as the main characters.

Wolverine vs. Hulk

Before Deadpool fights Wolverine, we briefly see the brown-suited variant from John Byrne’s Wolverine vs. Hulk comics (and a quick appearance from the Hulk himself).

Released around the time Marvel had its 25th anniversary in 1986, this was one of the first comics to capitalize on Wolverine’s growing popularity.

Incredibly, back in the day, you could have bought this singular standalone issue for $2.

Henry Cavill as Wolverine

Henry Cavill with his shirt off in Man of Steel.

Okay… so this isn’t what the variant actually looks like (no Cavil shirts are removed in the duration), but the rumors are true! Henry Cavill does indeed appear as a Wolverine variant.

He’s a brand new variant to Deadpool & Wolverine – and Marvel in general – and he doesn’t have much to say for himself. At this stage, it remains unknown if we’ll actually see him in more upcoming MCU projects further down the line.

Keep your eyes peeled in the end credits and you’ll see what the variant is officially called… The Cavillerine.

The worst Wolverine

And that brings us full circle to ‘The Worst Wolverine,’ the version of Jackman strapping on his yellow suit for the rest of Deadpool & Wolverine’s storyline.

When we meet him, he’s hit the bottle pretty hard, propping up bars after some nasty trauma (involving him leaving people in need behind) gets too much for him to bear.

But can he overcome his demons? You’ll have to watch Deadpool & Wolverine to find out.

Deadpool & Wolverine is in cinemas now. Find out more about its age rating, Deadpool’s origins, and who Lady Deadpool is. You can also check out new movies streaming this month.