'Deadpool & Wolverine' is a blast, but it doesn't mean the MCU is back

Antiheroes Deadpool and Wolverine might have set out to save the world, but did they also save a universe?

With a $211 million opening weekend and a mostly positive response from audiences and critics (79% "fresh" reviews on Rotten Tomatoes), it's fair to say that "Deadpool & Wolverine" has been quite the success for Marvel Studios and Disney.

However, is it too soon to say it clearly indicates a triumphant turnabout for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? I think so.

"Deadpool & Wolverine," is part love letter to Marvel lore and part farewell to the 20th Century Fox Marvel films, which were acquired by Disney − to the tune of NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye," no less. Given the movie's largely contained story and separate timeline, though, it doesn't actually indicate anything about the future direction of the MCU.

I knew what to expect with a "Deadpool" sequel, and I wasn't disappointed. The reunion with Hugh Jackman's deeply missed Wolverine was a soothing balm, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool brought his usual maximum effort and meta barbs and it was a nice surprise seeing other familiar faces. Yet, while it felt like home, there was no real end and no real beginning.

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Between the laughs and the many fourth-wall breaks, I wondered if this was a movie or a stand-up routine, a playful roast sprinkled liberally with cameos.

The film is the first R rating for the MCU − and the one and only theatrical release in 2024 for Marvel Studios.

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In May, Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke in an earnings call about slowing the pace of MCU releases and focusing on quality, saying that the strategy was "to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three."

And the break from the Marvel machine has been … rather nice. Breaks are a good thing. They encourage rejuvenation, and that's what the audience and the franchise has needed − a rest, and perhaps a little restoration.

Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Since the conclusion of the Infinity Saga with "Avengers: Endgame," the response to Marvel TV shows and movies has been uneven, from high highs ("WandaVision," "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," "Loki," "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3") to low lows ("Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," "Eternals," "Secret Invasion"), with some going so far as to call it Marvel's "flop era."

Many seemed perhaps a little too eager for the studio to make a misstep, with exaggerated proclamations of the franchise's supposed death. But it's fair to say that Marvel's past few years have been both overwhelming and underwhelming. Overwhelming with so much content to consume to stay informed between the various movies and TV series, but underwhelming because some of the new releases didn't seem to have the same care in story, visuals, character and structure as previous entries.

It was starting to feel more like the audience was being hurtled from one piece of intellectual property to the next, with increased emphasis on setting up for whatever was coming after. It was hard to feel excited with so many of the same notes being played and so little time for anticipation to be built.

"Deadpool & Wolverine" may be a refreshing break, but it still remains unclear how the success or story of this movie sets up Marvel's future. Maybe it doesn't, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. The timeline could start to branch again.

Don't misunderstand, I liked the movie, as did USA TODAY's movie critic, you can read his full review here. It was a fun couple of hours that are somehow both a dunk on studios and nerds while also being a wink and a hug for the studios and fans, too.

Instead, I think the tidbits shared over the weekend at San Diego Comic-Con say more about what Marvel Studios may have in store for the next few releases and how they may be fine-tuning their approach.

The Doctor Doom reveal and more details on "Thunderbolts" and "Fantastic Four" provided an enticing peek at what could be an exciting shift in the cinematic universe. And I look forward to seeing what's next.

I still believe in heroes, after all. The takeaway here is to savor the successes as they come.