Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman Take Over Comic-Con’s Hall H with a Star-Studded Cameo Lineup for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

 Though “Deadpool & Wolverine” has finally hit theaters, stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman saved their most exciting press tour stop for last.

The duo arrived at San Diego Comic-Con with co-star Emma Corrin, director Shawn Levy, and Marvel chief Kevin Feige to deliver a surprise screening of the film to the Hall H audience on its global release day. (Note: spoilers ahead.)

The special event, titled “The Ultimate Deadpool & Wolverine Celebration of Life,” wrapped up a hectic day for Reynolds, Jackman, and Levy, who traveled from Los Angeles to San Diego after attending Feige’s Walk of Fame Ceremony earlier in the day.

The guests took the stage one by one, as if it were a typical Comic-Con panel, with Reynolds reflecting on his first Comic-Con experience with the original “Deadpool” movie.

“I was the most nervous person you could ever imagine,” Reynolds recalled. “It felt like stepping into a dream come true. I made that movie for you all, and it was incredibly rewarding to see that everyone else enjoyed it too.”

He continued, “I felt like I finally connected with you in a way I’d been longing for. I’ll always remember this moment because, backstage, this guy…” he said, nodding toward Jackman, who jumped in to complete the story.

“I was standing just over there,” Jackman began. “I saw the footage and heard the chant: ‘One more time, one more time.’ I ran backstage, found the stage manager, and said, ‘Play the footage again. If you don’t, they’re going to tear Hall H apart.’”

Recalling those memorable moments, Reynolds then played a clip featuring co-star Leslie Uggams (as Blind Al), who humorously said, “Can we skip the bullshit and just show the damn movie?”

The crowd of 6,500 erupted at the announcement, and suddenly the souvenir Wolverine-head popcorn buckets—both highly coveted and hilariously suggestive—made perfect sense. As the lights dimmed in the auditorium-turned-makeshift movie theater, ushers distributed popcorn, and Reynolds, Jackman, Feige, and the rest of the team took their seats among the audience.

Throughout the 2-hour runtime, the crowd reacted with enthusiastic cheers, especially to the Easter eggs and inside jokes. However, nothing sparked more excitement than the film's surprise cameos. Each reveal sent the audience into a frenzy, leaving Feige with a broad grin as he soaked it all in.

When the credits rolled, the cast returned to the stage. Reynolds, visibly moved by the experience, called it an “emotional honor and privilege” to stand next to the X-Man, Jackman.

Jackman described watching the film with the Hall H audience as one of the most extraordinary moments of his life. “It’s been 24 years since I first played Wolverine,” he said, extending his heartfelt thanks to Levy and Reynolds for making it possible to return.

Not wanting to celebrate alone, the duo invited the entire cameo cast on stage, including Dafne Keen, Jennifer Garner, Channing Tatum, Wesley Snipes, and Chris Evans, whom Reynolds made sure to introduce as the Human Torch.

The "Deadpool & Wolverine" celebration marked the first of two Hall H events hosted by Marvel Studios. After the screening, the studio presented a 10-minute drone and fireworks display over Petco Park, featuring formations of Deadpool and Wolverine. The show also hinted at what’s in store when Feige returns to the stage on Saturday. (If you pay close attention to the flashing lights, expect significant updates on "The Fantastic Four.")

For now, Marvel is focused on “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which features Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen. Early projections suggest the superhero threequel could break box office records, with estimates ranging from $160 million to $170 million across 4,200 North American theaters. This would surpass the $132 million opening of 2016’s “Deadpool,” setting a new benchmark. However, the film’s buzz, particularly surrounding surprise cameos, might boost its three-day total to $190 million to $200 million. (Disney invested about $200 million in production and another $100 million in promotion.)

The film is produced by Feige, Reynolds, Levy, and Lauren Shuler Donner, with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, George Dewey, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. “Deadpool & Wolverine” is written by Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, and Levy.