Bruce Campbell Trolled Deadpool 3 Leakers With A Fake Ash Williams Cameo Tease
"Deadpool 3" isn't out yet, but fans nonetheless know a surprising amount of information about the movie by way of official — and decidedly unofficial — sources. Leaked images from the film's set have continuously hit the internet over the course of the film's production, giving peeks at everything from a couple of odd Captain America and Moon Knight-related cameos to the return of a certain villain from the "X-Men" franchise. Now, it seems that horror icon and occasional Marvel collaborator Bruce Campbell is getting in on the "Deadpool 3" rumor mill with his own tongue-in-cheek "leak."
On Campbell's official X (formerly Twitter) account, the actor shared an edited version of a leaked image from the "Deadpool 3" set. It features Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, with himself dressed up as Ash Williams from the "Evil Dead" franchise photoshopped in next to them. "On-set security ain't what it used to be..." Campbell wrote, referencing the cavalcade of leaks from the filming of "Deadpool 3." The joke proved to be a hit with fans, amassing roughly 18,000 likes and 487,000 views within several days of its original posting.
Ryan Reynolds posted his own fake leak
Bruce Campbell isn't the only actor to have commented on the large amount of leaks related to "Deadpool 3" hitting the internet. In fact, "Deadpool 3" star Ryan Reynolds himself similarly crafted a fake leak to troll fans. In early December, the actor posted an image of him and his co-stars seemingly confronting a Predator from the "Predator" film series on-set. Suffice to say, it's unlikely that any Predators are actually appearing in "Deadpool 3."
Reynolds also used his post as an attempt to muddy the online waters for those attempting to see the real leaks that have come out from "Deadpool 3." "Deadpool began with a leak," he wrote. "So I'm joining in. But PLEASE don't overuse the phrase, 'Deadpool Leaks' because it might screw up search results if anyone is looking for Deadpool leaks or Deadpool spoilers or perhaps, Deadpool Scoops. #DeadpoolLeaks #DeadpoolSpoiler #DeadpoolScoop"
Why are these leaks happening?
Leaks are part of the territory when it comes to major media franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the amount of leaks surrounding "Deadpool 3" could be considered outside the norm. For some fans, it may feel like all of the film's secrets and surprises are getting spoiled before the movie even gets released, which isn't too common with the famously secretive Marvel Studios. So why exactly is so much information about "Deadpool 3" reaching the internet?
Based on what Ryan Reynolds has said, it seems that the massive amount of "Deadpool 3" leaks stems from the fact that the movie is doing a great deal of filming on location. "It is important for us to shoot the new 'Deadpool' film in real, natural environments, using practical effects as opposed to making the movie indoors and digitally," the actor wrote in a now-unavailable Instagram post (preserved by IGN). As such, leakers with telephoto lenses have been able to grab images of the set quite easily.
Despite the large amount of leaks, Reynolds hopes that insiders will hold back on revealing all of the movie's secrets. "The film is built for audience joy — and our highest hope is to preserve as much of that magic as possible for the finished film and the big screen," he explained. "Part of the reason people post spoilers is because they're excited. I realize these aren't real world issues and it's firmly in the 'good problems' bucket."
Could Bruce Campbell actually cameo in Deadpool 3?
Bruce Campbell's fake "Deadpool 3" leak may be little more than a lighthearted joke, but some are no doubt wondering what the odds are that the actor would actually pop up in the movie when all is said and done. It's certainly not out of the question, though it probably wouldn't have Campbell as his Ash Williams persona. However, the circumstances of a possible Campbell cameo could be even more wild than that.
To date, Campbell has shown up in four Marvel movies — the Tobey Maguire "Spider-Man" trilogy and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," all of which were directed by his frequent collaborator Sam Raimi. While some consider Campbell's repeated appearances to be little more than fun little nods, one interesting MCU theory suggests that he's secretly the Marvel multiverse's most powerful god. With "Deadpool 3" likely retaining the series' irreverent meta quality, an appearance from yet another multiverse variant of Campbell could be a surprisingly fitting part of the movie.
For what it's worth, Campbell has already worked closely with Ryan Reynolds. In 2023, the actor became the host of the series "Discontinued," which exclusively aired on Reynolds' Fubo channel, Maximum Effort. "Honestly, it's great to work with a guy like Ryan Reynolds because the guy has a plan," Campbell said of his fellow actor in an interview with TV Insider. Perhaps a Marvel-themed collaboration could be in the duo's future after all.