Deadpool 3’s Shawn Levy Confirms Funny Easter Egg Poking Fun At Hugh Jackman

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, one constantly offering new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The latest movie release is Deadpool & Wolverine, which has been wildly successful in theaters. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's faux feud shines in the movie, with the pair of actors trading barbs and blows throughout its runtime. And director Shawn Levy just confirmed a funny easter egg poking fun at Jackman.

Deadpool 3 broke records at the box office, and more information and easter eggs are still being spotted weeks after its release. The franchise is known for its R-rated comedy, and concerns about the threequel ruining Logan's ending were addressed head-on when Deadpool used Wolverine's adamantium bones as weapons. It turns out that opening sequence also featured jokes about Jackman's role in Les Miserables. As Levy confirmed on Twitter:

I kinda love this. As both a musical theater nerd and comic book fan, this is really where my interests meet. it's always fun to see how Reynolds and Jackman poke fun at each other, and it turns out that they included some jokes that you could miss simply by blinking. Case in point: the number 24601.

In Les Miserables, 24601 is the prisoner number assigned to protagonist Jean Valjean, whom Hugh Jackman played in the 2012 movie adaptation of the stage show. And that number has already become a running joke in the Deadpool franchise, starting with a doodle in the sequel and etched into the skull of Wolverine in the latest entry. Someone cue the Les Miz soundtrack!

The way Reynolds and Jackman are able to constantly throw so much shade at each other is part of why their chemistry was electric in Deadpool & Wolverine. It made sense for their characters, who eventually realized their shared connection by the end of the movie. And it should be fascinating to see what jokes come next in upcoming Marvel movies.

Given just how well Deadpool 3 performed critically and financially, fans are expecting Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman to return for more appearances together in the MCU. The movie's success stands in stark juxtaposition to recent box office bombs like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels, as well as movies fans didn't connect with like Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder.

Exactly if/when Jackman and Reynolds return to the MCU remains a mystery for the time being, but some fans are keeping their fingers crossed for Avengers: Doomsday, which will be the next major crossover event for the shared universe. But with that blockbuster still in development, we'll have to wait and see how things shake out.

Deadpool & Wolverine is still in theaters now, and will be followed up by Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.