Ryan Reynolds made a striking appearance in his full Deadpool costume at Marvel's Comic-Con panel in San Diego on Saturday, generating a divided response from fans. The actor, 49, surprised attendees at the presentation for "Avengers: Doomsday," which marked the introduction of X-Men characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Reynolds joined fellow "Avengers: Doomsday" cast members, including Robert Downey Jr. and Paul Rudd, on stage. His presence fueled speculation about a potential role for Deadpool in the upcoming film. During the panel, Reynolds humorously questioned the purpose of his elaborate entrance, asking, "This seems like an awfully expensive way to announce a film. When do you start filming?"
Robert Downey Jr., who portrays Doctor Doom, responded, "It’s in the can, bro. Look around you. Did you bump your head?" Reynolds then quipped, "I see. So there’s no additional photography, no overages, hot costs — maybe last minute additions? No further questions. Happy Hogan, fetch the Audi. We’re leaving," before dropping a microphone and exiting the stage.
Despite the star-studded turnout, social media platforms, particularly Reddit, saw some fans describe Reynolds' appearance as "a bit cringe." Online comments included remarks such as "Ryan “I need all the attention” Reynolds" and "Maybe I’m in the unpopular group but I find him annoying as hell."
This event occurred weeks after Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, were reportedly not invited to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding. Reports suggested a rift between Lively and Swift stemming from Lively's legal dispute with Justin Baldoni. The situation reportedly strained their decade-long friendship, with sources indicating Lively felt "sad and a little bit p***ed" about the perceived snub.
Lively had sued Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, alleging defamation and sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends With Us." Baldoni subsequently filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and The New York Times. All parties denied the allegations. In October 2025, a judge dismissed Baldoni's case. In May of this year, following the dismissal of most of Lively's claims, she agreed to a settlement that did not involve monetary payment but allowed her to seek legal fees related to Baldoni's unsuccessful suit against her.
Swift was reportedly drawn into the dispute when she was subpoenaed in Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni, though the subpoena was later withdrawn. Baldoni's countersuit accused Lively and Reynolds of defamation, a claim that was later dismissed. Text messages revealed in Baldoni's complaint showed Lively referring to Swift and Reynolds as "my dragons" in an alleged attempt to intimidate Baldoni. Sources indicated that Swift had been attempting to distance herself from the scandal and her friendship with Lively, with Travis Kelce unfollowing Reynolds on Instagram.