Official concept art for the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings suggests that Deadpool was cut from the film.
The stunning image, created by artist and illustrator Andrew Kim, envisions the Golden Daggers Club playing host to two unexpected fighters. While the layout of the area is similar to the venue seen in Shang-Chi, both Deadpool and Proxima Midnight are seen battling it out in the dangling ring. It's currently unknown whether this particular piece of art was reflective of the film's initial roster of characters or whether it was simply meant to provide a tone and aesthetic for the scene in question. Many fans have pointed out that since Shang-Chi takes place after Avengers: Endgame, Proxima Midnight shouldn't be alive since they were killed when Tony Stark used the Infinity Stones.
While the cage fight scene does occur in Shang-Chi, Deadpool did not make his long-awaited MCU debut. The fight instead takes place between Abomination, who is set to next appear in She-Hulk, and Wong, who will play a crucial role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
While Wade Wilson may not feature in Shang-Chi, many fans expect Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth to appear in Multiverse of Madness. The next major MCU blockbuster will see Doctor Strange diving through various realities and universe, suggesting to many that Fox's X-Men franchise could be neatly folded into Disney's ever-growing cinematic superhero landscape. Speculation was also fueled by Patrick Stewart's brief audio cameo in the latest trailer for Multiverse of Madness.
When asked about whether Deadpool will appear in the Doctor Strange sequel, Reynolds vehemently denied his participation. "I'm really not in the movie. I’m promising, I’m not in the movie," said the actor.
Fans disappointed by Wade Wilson's absence in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness can still look forward to Deadpool 3, which is confirmed to exist within the MCU. Reynolds recently stated that news regarding the film will likely be revealed in the near future. "I'll say this about [Deadpool 3] is I'll have a batch of updates on that sooner rather than later, I hope," said Reynolds. " So I'll be able to get into stuff about Deadpool a little bit more clearly and definitively down the road."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings is now available on DVD, Blu-ray and to stream on Disney+. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6.