I'll just tweak a famous conversation between Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Hector Barbossa so it fits the context: 'Marvel used to be a good place, it still is, there's just too much in it.' Branching paths are okay, but a linear story is what has gripped the interest of Marvel fans over these years.
There was a time when a Marvel movie was about to release and fans would just hop on the speculation bandwagon. They don't bother about it now. As the multiverse has begun laying its roots in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, creators can do anything. The problem is, now our superheroes are just flailing around.
We once had Captain Steve Rogers and Tony Stark who led the path, but Marvel now clearly has lost its way. Because, of course, there are too many of them now. The future now has infinite possibilities and equal chances of making things more messy.
Deadpool & Wolverine finally got together on screen, but at what cost?
The Merc with the Mouth didn't change a bit when he made his MCU debut in Deadpool and Wolverine, maintaining his personal 'decorum'. But Logan failed quite a bit at it. Hugh Jackman is sure lovable, but so was Logan in the movie (he shouldn't be). That is an example of poor character development, bub.
And the movie doesn't even need a villain. Instead of some mindful conflicts, the overdramatic acts of Mr. Paradox just killed the essence of being one. Mobius' presence could have been more fruitful.
All in all, Deadpool and Wolverine is one great MCU tale, but look closely, and you'll find many plot holes that owe us some serious explanation.
It's Deadpool, so it makes sense that a movie featuring him doesn't make sense. Nevertheless, it has to now, or it will be the MCU legacy at stake. Too many timelines will eventually kill it if things don't fit in. You can do anything; that doesn't necessarily mean you will do anything.
For what it's worth, at least Wade Wilson is now with Logan (he has got a lot of work to do to live up to that name), and of course, Vanessa (hopefully). Looking forward, Marvel needs to develop this version of Wolverine into something of a beast. Really, the fact that he went on a killing spree in his past doesn't align with the personality portrayed in the movie.
There is a lot to work with in Deadpool and Wolverine, but that does run the risk of the MCU being overwhelmed with more timelines to keep track of and more characters to get right - which is something that was already hindering the Marvel Studios franchise in the first place.
Let's hope we are not in the 'Endgame' now
It was going well for the MCU post-Avengers: Endgame. Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff were trying to cope with their lives; Winter Soldier and Falcon were on a global mission to stop a group of super soldiers called Flag-Smashers; and The Watcher kept his guarding eye on the universe.
Then Eternals happened. They laughed at the Avengers existence, and Time Variance Authority laughed at theirs. This chain goes on and hopefully will be revealed in the days to come. The Eternals are a link to MCU's cosmic collaborations with entities like Knull. However, there are seemingly no plans to bring them back right now. Sorry, Harry Styles.
There's a lot more stories to be revealed in the MCU when the source material is concerned, but justice needs to be served. Since the past few years, quantity has overtaken quality, with some heavily-anticipated titles disappointing fans and critics. Thor: Love and Thunder and Secret Invasion are a couple of good examples of it.
Going forward, there's a lot to be taken into account. There are multiple films and Disney Plus TV shows which will eventually be setting up the future Avengers sequels (which are set to bring the Multiverse Saga to its conclusion). Rather than churning out content at a rapid pace, creators should zero in on the projects in between creating a perfect bridge to reach Doomsday and Secret Wars so that the Multiverse Saga can bow out on a more coherent, positive note.
What do you think about the upcoming Marvel stories? We would like to hear them.