The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to content releasing in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall that there’s been some peaks and valleys since Avengers: Endgame, including Deadpool & Wolverine‘s record-breaking success. The movie was a bloody and hilarious affair, and Ryan Reynolds recently revealed the comedy that inspired that wild car fight.
Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s faux feud was on full display in Shawn Levy‘s threequel, which saw these heroes bickering and coming to blows before developing a real friendship. Fans in particular loved their violent argument that happens in a car, and in an interview with Collider the movie’s star revealed that was actually inspired by Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
If you put the two movies together, you’ll go ‘Oh…my god.’ Like the beats are the same, they move the same, there’s even a scene in Deadpool & Wolverine where he rips me a new one in the van, in the Honda Odyssey, he has more lines in that scene than he’s ever had in a movie featuring Wolverine, and it is the same as Neal Page ripping Del Griffith apart in the motel room.
Honestly, this really tracks. Reynolds produced a documentary about John Candy, so it’s clear that the late comedian’s filmography means a lot to him. So Deadpool 3 being inspired by Planes, Trains and Automobiles probably shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Still, it’s fun to see this connection… especially since Shawn Levy’s blockbuster can be re-watched and dissected on Disney+.
Lots of things go wrong in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which is why it’s one of the best ’80s movies ever. And it sounds like the argument between John Candy’s Deal Griffith and Steve Martin‘s Neal Page was a big inspiration for Logan and Wade Wilson coming to blows midway through Deadpool & Wolverine. The trailer for the Candy documentary was recently released, and these comments from Reynolds are a result of him promoting the project.
While Candy and Martin didn’t have a fight sequence in this 1987 dramedy, they did exchange words in the aforementioned scene. That’s where things also began in Deadpool 3... before the two protagonists start chopping each other up. And given both of their healing abilities, the battle is long a hilariously gruesome.
Given Deadpool & Wolverine‘s wild success in theaters, fans are wondering if/when the title characters will return in upcoming Marvel movies. They haven’t been confirmed to appear in anything, but fans are hoping they might pop up as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast list… even if they aren’t currently on it.
As a reminder, you can see the sequence in question from the Deadpool threequel below. Just be warned; it’s not exactly suitable for work.
In both Deadpool & Wolverine and Planes, Trains and Automobiles , these unlikely pairs clash but ultimately form a sweet friendship. The latter project is a Thanksgiving tradition for some fans, who re-watch the comedy annually. As for Ryan Reynolds’ movie, it’s a beloved piece of MCU history that proved the shared universe could still attract crowds at the theater.
John Candy: I Like Me will get its wide release on October 10th as part of the 2025 movie release list. While we wait for news about Deadpool’s future in the MCU, the recent sequel can be re-watched on Disney+.
