Warning! This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.

Summary

  • Deadpool & Wolverine surprises fans with multiple unexpected Fox Marvel cameos.
  • Chris Evans returns to the MCU as the Human Torch, not Captain America, showcasing a different kind of performance.
  • Evans' Human Torch may have died in the movie, but the multiverse opens doors for potential returns.

Deadpool & Wolverine's cast, such as the return of Logan star Dafne Keen as X-23, the movie's most shocking cast were kept a surprise until Deadpool & Wolverine hit theaters. And they were all different levels of great.

Deadpool & Wolverine's multiversal plot allowed the film to have a lot of fun with what characters it could use. As Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine tie back to the Fox Marvel films, the MCU entry basically was a love letter to that era of Marvel releases, down to a poignant behind-the-scenes sequence as the credits rolled. The Fox Marvel actors who came back for the movie visibly had a lot of fun reprising their roles, which varied from popular characters to underrated performances and more. In the end, the best return was of an MCU and Fox fan-favorite.

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Chris Evans Returns To The MCU, But As Human Torch

Captain America Also Appeared In A Way

Chris Evans is one of the most popular actors in the superhero medium ever. Evans is a huge part of the MCU becoming the most successful franchise in movie history, as the star's role as Captain America stood alongside Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man as the faces of the MCU during the Infinity Saga. Evans had bowed out of the franchise in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which saw Steve Rogers on the Captain America mantle to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson and go live in the past with Peggy Carter. Now, Evans has returned to the MCU, but with a twist.

Before playing Captain America, Evans gave life to Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, in two Fantastic Four movies in the 2000s. In a genius move, Deadpool & Wolverine brought back Evans to the MCU as his version of the Human Torch, not Captain America. The character was the first member of the Resistance fighting the villain Cassandra Nova in the Void that Deadpool and Wolverine encounter. After Deadpool ran his mouth to Cassandra, exposing all the nasty things Johnny had said about her, the villain gruesomely killed Evans' Human Torch by removing all his skin in one swoop.

Evans' Captain America had been teased earlier in the movie, with Reynolds' Deadpool being shocked to see the hero on the TVA's s, saluting Cap. So, when Evans first appeared in the Void, Deadpool and the audience were led to believe that Captain America was back. However, Evans screams "Flame On," Johnny Storm's catchphrase, bursting into flames and revealing that he was actually back as the Human Torch. That was something fans had long requested to see during the Multiverse Saga, with Evans saying he was open to playing Johnny Storm again, and Deadpool & Wolverine handled it perfectly.

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Is Chris Evans' Human Torch The Same As From The 2000s Fantastic Four Movies?

He Mentioned Another Fantastic Four Character

Deadpool & Wolverine did not give a definitive answer as to whether Evans was playing the same Johnny Storm from the 2000s Fantastic Four movies or not. However, given that Dafne Keen's X-23 was clearly revealed to be the same version of the character seen in Logan, the movie implied that Evans' Human Torch and other returning players like Wesley Snipes' Blade and Jennifer Garner's Elektra were the same as the ones the actors played before. Any differences to the characters could be chalked down to these being older versions of the heroes, with the audience missing years of development.

Evans' Johnny Storm also mentioned his Reed Richards, who called the Void a "metaphysical junkyard" and said he and others are sent there by the TVA if they do not play nice with the rest of the multiverse. It seems like the rest of the Fantastic Four from the 2000s movies, or at least Ioan Gruffudd's Mr. Fantastic died in the Void. However, there is also a case to be made that Evans could be playing a different Johnny Storm, as his Fantastic Four costume and logo are very different from that of the 2000s Fantastic Four movies.

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Why Chris Evans' Human Torch Might Seem Out Of Character

The Actor Went For A Different Direction With The Hero

While Johnny Storm was quite sarcastic in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies, those Marvel entries were PG-13. Deadpool & Wolverine made MCU history by being the first R-rated entry in the franchise since the MCU started back in 2008 with Iron Man. The film has a lot of fun with the violence and swearing that the R rating allows, and that informed how Evans played Johnny Storm. The actor went all out on his rants about the Void and Cassandra Nova, seen earlier in the movie and again in Deadpool & Wolverine's post-credits scene.

The R-rated language definitely made Evans' return as the Human Torch feel very different from his past appearances as the character, and the change of pace might also have shocked those who were only familiar with the actor as Captain America in the MCU. Another aspect of Evans' performance that seemed a little off for his Human Torch was his accent. In his two Fantastic Four movies, Evans' Boston accent did not make itself very present. However, the accent is definitely strong in Deadpool & Wolverine, and mixed with the R-rated dialogue, makes Johnny Storm feel quite different from before.

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8

Is Chris Evans' Human Torch Dead For Good?

The Actor Could Still Come Back To The MCU

Evans is fantastic as the Human Torch, and so him coming back as the character in future multiverse adventures, perhaps even meeting Joseph Quinn's MCU Johnny Storm, would be exciting. However, Deadpool & Wolverine makes it very clear that this version of the hero is dead. Cassandra Nova completely removes Johnny Storm's skin, and he just crumbles to the floor, turning into a pile of bone and blood. However, the multiverse allows several different ways for Evans to reprise the Johnny Storm character.

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The Fantastic Four, Marvel Studios' reboot movie for the team, is rumored to take place in a different universe. That could lead to the team traveling to the MCU at some point in the film. On their way, the Fantastic Four could travel through other universes, with Evans playing a Human Torch variant or more and interacting with them. Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars could also use the multiverse to have a hilarious meeting between Evans as a Human Torch variant and his Captain America, going deeper into Deadpool & Wolverine's joke setup.

  • Deadpool and Wolverine Poster Showing Wade Wilson's Swords Showing Hugh Jackman's Reflection

    Your Rating

    Deadpool & Wolverine
    Release Date
    July 26, 2024
    Runtime
    127 Minutes
    Director
    Shawn Levy

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

    Writers
    Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Shawn Levy, Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza
  • 01129895_poster_w780.jpg

    Your Rating

    Fantastic Four
    Release Date
    June 29, 2005
    Runtime
    106 minutes
    Director
    Tim Story

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    Fantastic Four follows four astronauts who gain extraordinary abilities after a space mission goes awry. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm transform into superheroes tasked with combating Dr. Doom’s malevolent schemes, marking their debut in facing global threats with newly acquired powers.

    Writers
    Mark Frost, Michael
  • 01129883_poster_w780.jpg

    Your Rating

    Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
    Release Date
    June 15, 2007
    Runtime
    92 Minutes
    Director
    Tim Story

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer follows the superhero team as they confront the enigmatic Silver Surfer, whose arrival on Earth heralds impending global danger. While grappling with new and old adversaries, the Fantastic Four must unravel the mystery behind the Silver Surfer's true intentions.

    Writers
    Mark Frost, Stan Lee, Don Payne

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