Marvel’sDeadpool & Wolverineisa fantastic comic book superhero extravaganza. For longtime Marvel fans and comic book readers, the film is a cornucopia of delights with its amazing style and repeatedly pays homage to its titular Marvel characters. The film finally features Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) on the big screen wearing a costume faithful to his comic book roots. Not to mention, Wolverine teaming up with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) for the first time paid off in dividends.One of the best sequences in the movie features Deadpool traveling through the Multiverse, visitinga variety of alternate Wolverine variantssince Deadpool needs a replacement to save his universe. The montage showcases many of Wolverine’s iconic looks throughouthis illustrious 50-year historyand references to some classic Marvel storylines. However, one variant of Wolverine was conceptualized for the film but did not make the final cut.
Phil Saunders Designed a Weapon X Variant of Wolverine for the Movie
During a September 2024 post on his Instagram (shown below), feature film concept artistPhil Saundersrevealed some artwork he created for a Wolverine variant meant to be depicted inDeadpool & Wolverine. He created the concept art at the direction of Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development,Andy Park.The artwork features Wolverine decked out in his iconic “Weapon X” look from the comics, as first drawn by the legendary artistBarry Windsor-Smith, including the classic Weapon X helmet, wires, and technology. This equipment is meant to monitor Wolverine’s vital stats, and it also mentally conditions and brainwashes him under the overseers of the Weapon X program.
The “Weapon X” storyline debuted inMarvel Comics Presents#72, revealing how Wolverine gainedhis adamantium-bonded skeleton and claws. Scientists of the Weapon X program kidnap and experiment on Wolverine, aka Logan. His skeleton is bonded with adamantium, and he is brainwashed into becoming a living weapon and tool for killing. Eventually, Wolverine fights back against his captors and escapes into the wilderness, where he lived for several years.This huge, groundbreaking storylineoffered crucial insight into Wolverine’s backstory.Windsor-Smith also became the first artist to design and draw the famous Weapon X attire for Wolverine, which typically depicts Wolverine covered with nothing except for his skivvies (if not outright nude), covered in various wires and tech designed to control and transform him into the perfect weapon and killing machine.
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The storyline influenced Saunders as an artist in a big way. As he wrote on Instagram, “This iconic image of Weapon X is likely my most indelible memory of Wolverine from that period,” adding, “I knew I had to translate this image to live action.” Saunders’s artwork looks likea more faithful rendition of Windsor-Smith’s Weapon X designthan the attire that appeared onscreen in a previous live-actionX-Menmovie.
Hugh Jackman Sports the Weapon X Look in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’
Interestingly, Jackman appeared in Weapon X attire in the 2016 movie,X-Men: Apocalypse. For his cameo scene, the captured X-Men encounter “Weapon X” at Colonel William Stryker’s (Josh Helman) military compound. However, Wolverine is wearing a less elaborate headset compared to the iconic helmet featured in the original Marvel Comics storyline. Saunders' concept art seems like an attempt to more faithfully adapt the classic Windsor-Smith design, but it was not meant to be, asthe Weapon X variant did not get translated into the epic montage sequence.
Many Other Wolverine Variants Were Conceptualized and Designed for the Film
SinceDeadpool & Wolverine’s initial release, many other pieces of concept art have emerged from the film, showing some fascinating ideas that were conceptualized and designed for the film, but never made it into production, similar to Phil Saunders' Weapon X design.David Masson, who worked as a senior concept artist for the film, also shared another interesting variant for the film inthe form of a hybrid of both Deadpool and Wolverine. This Wolverinepool, or perhaps Deadverine, was another variant designed for the film that didn’t make the final cut.
Some of the concept art that didn’t make it into the final production is also featured in the Marvel Studios art book,Deadpool & Wolverine: The Art of the Movie. Some of the concept art featured in the book includes some interesting designs, such as Ultimate Wolverine, based on the Ultimate X-Men comic series, Kid Wolverine, a Hulk-Wolverine hybrid, Wolverine wearing his World War II era spy gear, and another take on Wolverine in his civilian clothes inspired byThe Uncanny X-Men Issue#268 by such comic luminaries asChris Claremont,Jim Lee, andScott Williams. While these ideas didn’t make it into the final cut, they all look fantastic, and it would be great if some of the unused concept art could be revisited later.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Features Plenty of Variants
Saunders' concept art of Weapon X looks exceptional,but it would have been a bit redundant to portray Jackman as Weapon X again. Not to mention,the Wolverine variant montage sequencefeaturesEaster eggs and references to multiple classic costumes and storylines for Wolverine,including Old Man Logan, Wolverine as his Patch alter-ego,Henry Cavill’s Wolverine, andWolverine’s harrowing crucifixionfrom the cover ofThe Uncanny X-Men#251. It would have been cool to see an extra variant of Weapon X, but fans were treated to some awesome alternate iterations of the character in the film. Nevertheless, Saunders' artwork looks fantastic, like it was ripped straight from the comics. The other unused concept art, specifically the pieces inspired by classic comic storylines, are also incredibly impressive.
Additionally, some of the aforementioned unused concepts could berevisited in later Marvel Studios productions, including animation, such as a future season ofWhat If…?or perhapslater Multiverse MCU installments. That Deadpool and Wolverine hybrid would make for a greatWhat If…?episode. The scenario could play out as, “What If Deadpool became Weapon X?” The film still features a satisfying number of Wolverine variants in the final cut, and it was a joy to see some of those alternative looks on the big screen for the character’s epic team-up with Deadpool. That said, the concept designs look great, and much like the Weapon X concept designed by Saunders,it’s fun to imagine what could’ve been. Also, it’s great to see the artists sharing their amazing work and concept designs, even if they didn’t make the final cut.
Deadpool & Wolverineis available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S.
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Deadpool & Wolverine
Wolverine joins the “merc with a mouth” in the third installment of the Deadpool film franchise.
