2020 (film)

This article is about the 2024 film. For the comic book series, see Wolverine and Deadpool.

2020
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Freddie Goodwin
Written by	Freddie Goodwin
Produced by	Freddie Goodwin
Starring	<!to be added-->
Music by	Rob Simonsen
Production company	Mob Productions
Distributed by	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date	June 29, 2025 (2025-06-29)
Running time	128 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$90 million

Deadpool & Wolverine is a 2024 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine. Produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the sequel to Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018). The film was directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay he wrote with Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells. Reynolds and Hugh Jackman respectively star as Wade Wilson / Deadpool and Logan / Wolverine, alongside Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Stanford, and Matthew Macfadyen. In the film, Deadpool works with a reluctant Wolverine from another universe to stop the Time Variance Authority (TVA) from destroying his own universe.

Development on a third Deadpool film began at 20th Century Fox by November 2016, but was moved to Marvel Studios when Fox was acquired by Disney in March 2019. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin joined in November 2020 as writers. Levy was hired to direct in March 2022, when Reese and Wernick returned from the previous films for rewrites. The creative team had difficulty settling on a story until Jackman decided to reprise his role as Wolverine from Fox's X-Men film series in August 2022. Several other actors from the X-Men films and other Marvel productions also returned as part of a multiverse story, which serves as a tribute to Fox's Marvel films. Filming began in May 2023, taking place at Pinewood Studios, Bovingdon Studios, and Norfolk in England as well as Los Angeles. Production was suspended in July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming resumed in November and wrapped in January 2024. The title was revealed a month later. The film's soundtrack features an original score by Rob Simonsen and numerous existing songs, including Madonna's "Like a Prayer" for key sequences. Deadpool & Wolverine is the first R-rated MCU film, retaining that rating from the prior Deadpool films.

Deadpool & Wolverine premiered on July 22, 2024, at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City, and was released in the United States on July 26 as part of Phase Five of the MCU. Critics praised the performances of Reynolds and Jackman as well as the humor, but were less positive about the film overall. It was a commercial success, grossing $1.338 billion worldwide and becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2024, the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, and the 20th-highest-grossing film ever at the time of its release. With a net production budget of $429 million, Deadpool & Wolverine is believed to be one of the most expensive films ever made. It received various accolades.

Plot

On New Year’s Eve, the world celebrates the beginning of a new decade as fireworks light up cities across the globe. Shortly after midnight, news alerts begin appearing on phones, reporting on a localized outbreak of a novel illness. The reports are initially treated as minor and distant, and daily life continues uninterrupted.

In January and February, early warnings escalate as the illness spreads internationally. The narrative follows several unconnected individuals, including a barista who notices a steady decline in customers, a hospital nurse whose workload rapidly increases, and a delivery driver who is classified as an essential worker. Public reaction shifts from humor and disbelief to concern as misinformation circulates and governments begin issuing guidelines and restrictions.

By March, widespread lockdowns are implemented. Businesses close, streets become deserted, and travel halts. Social interaction moves online as video calls replace in-person contact. Public displays of solidarity emerge, including coordinated applause for healthcare workers. As the weeks pass, time becomes disorienting, with routines dissolving and news cycles dominated by rising case numbers and death tolls.

During the middle of the year, restrictions ease in some areas, but social tensions intensify. Protests erupt across major cities, filling spaces that were recently empty. The film depicts fear giving way to anger and grief transforming into collective action. The characters briefly intersect in public spaces, divided by masks, political beliefs, and exhaustion, each struggling to navigate an uncertain and polarized environment.

In the autumn months, a series of natural disasters, including large-scale wildfires, further strain communities. Smoke-filled skies and environmental damage compound the ongoing crisis. Some characters experience personal breakdowns as relationships deteriorate and coping mechanisms fail, while others adjust to prolonged instability and continue forward with diminished expectations.

The final portion of the film takes place in December. Despite ongoing challenges, holiday decorations reappear and small gatherings resume. The year concludes with a subdued New Year’s Eve, marked by quieter celebrations and fewer fireworks. As the calendar turns to January 1, the film ends without resolution, emphasizing survival and persistence rather than closure.