Tech Talk

Full spoilers for Loki season 1, Avengers 3, and Avengers 4 follow. Potential spoilers for Loki season 2 are also discussed.

Ever since Deadpool 3 was officially announced as a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, fans have theorized as to how the wisecracking superhero will make the jump to the money-spinning franchise.

Well, wonder no more, because it sounds like a major character from Loki's TV show will play an integral role in how Deadpool (and Wolverine) will make their MCU debuts.

According to multiple Marvel leakers, including DanielRPK and CanWeGetSomeToast, Owen Wilson's Agent Mobius will have a big role in Deadpool 3. In fact, the whole Time Variance Authority (TVA) will have a major say in how The Merc With a Mouth's first proper MCU outing will play out, although nobody knows plot specifics at this time.

Still, it makes total sense why Agent Mobius and the TVA will play major roles – if the rumor is true – in the forthcoming superhero movie.

For starters, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has already explained that Loki season 2 will directly connect all three phases of the MCU's Multiverse Saga (per Marvel.com). That includes Deadpool 3, which will either bookend Marvel Phase 5 or begin Marvel's Phase 6 slate.

Kang the Conqueror – the MCU's next primary villain – was also first introduced in Loki episode 6, aka the last entry in the show's first season. So it's unsurprising that Loki's second season will play a significant part in shaping the Multiverse Saga's overarching narrative.

But there's far more to the connection between Deadpool 3 and Loki's TV show than simply Kang's MCU arrival. The TVA (and Agent Mobius) were the division that oversaw the MCU's Sacred Timeline, pruning any branching timelines that might have directly impacted it, and preventing any of the infinite number of universes from colliding with the MCU. These incidents are referred to as Nexus events and occur when an individual tampers with the Sacred Timeline via their actions. In Loki's case, this was stealing the Tessaract in 2012 during the Avengers' time heist, which took place in 2023 during Avengers: Endgame, thus changing his entire MCU arc, including his death in Avengers: Infinity War.

The death of He Who Remains, one of Kang's multiversal variants, in Loki's season 1 finale on Disney Plus, resulted in the breaking down of barriers between the Marvel multiverse's many timelines. Subsequently, the Sacred Timeline no longer exists and characters from across the Marvel multiverse are free to cross over into the MCU.

This is where Deadpool 3 factors in. If Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's original incarnations of Deadpool and Wolverine bleed over into the MCU – and the smart money says this will be the case – they'll present a major problem for the TVA. Why? Because they're time variants, i.e. individuals who aren't supposed to exist in the MCU, but who have crossed over from Fox's now defunct X-Men universe. Be sure to read our guide on how to watch the X-Men movies in order for more details on that obsolete film franchise.

While Sylvie, one of Loki's variants, is to blame for the Sacred Timeline's breakdown – remember, she killed He Who Remains in the MCU Phase 4 TV series – it's Mobius who is likely to be the culprit for Deadpool (and Wolverine) entering the MCU.

Based on what we know about Loki season 2, the god of mischief and Mobius will try to prevent time fully breaking down as a result of Sylvie's season 1 actions. Unfortunately for Loki, it seems he might not be completely useful in the battle to save the Sacred Timeline and stop Kang from conquering the multiverse. A first trailer for Loki season 2 was shown during Marvel's D23 Expo 2022 presentation, which confirmed the trickster god will be affected by a glitching illness. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse fans will already know why this is happening to him.

Anyway, if Loki struggles to (literally) hold himself together, it may fall to Mobius to save the multiverse. And you already know he'll want to do so, what with him being a big player in the TVA.

However, if he's unsuccessful in doing so, his actions could inadvertently pave the way for Deadpool and Wolverine to cross over into the MCU. That would be a fantastic way of setting Deadpool 3's story up, with the pair causing havoc across the MCU as Mobius and the TVA try to stop them. Hey, Deadpool already messed with his own timeline in Deadpool 2 – the film's mid-credits scene is proof of that – so he has form for tinkering with chronological events.

If we're right in our assumptions, Mobius will have a big say in how Deadpool 3's plot plays out. We don't have insider information on either project, so don't take any of this as gospel. But, if this ends up being correct, we'll accept any plaudits that come our way.

For more Marvel-based content, read our spoiler-free Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review. Alternatively, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order, or read about the best Disney Plus shows, which include a number of Marvel TV series.