San Diego Comic-Con is always full of surprises for fans — and this year, in the famous Hall H at the San Diego Convention Center, fans were gifted with a special and unannounced screening of Deadpool & Wolverine! Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, director Shawn Levy, and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige shook up Comic-Con on Thursday when they revealed to the over 6,500 people in the Hall that the planned Deadpool & Wolverine panel discussion was also going to feature a special screening of the film itself.
“We’ve been all around the world with this movie,” Jackman told the excited audience, per The Hollywood Reporter, “but the icing on the cake is right here, right now!”
The event began as a normal, as-expected Comic-Con panel — where the cast and creators shared stories and reminisced about old Comic-Con memories. However, it was mid-way through this that the surprise was revealed, sending the audience into an elated meltdown.
After the screening, an emotionally moved Reynolds and Jackman shared messages of love and appreciation for one another, as well as Levy and Feige for making this unlikely pairing a reality on the big screen.
However, in an effort to make the surprises even more exciting, they welcomed some special friends on stage for some spoiler-heavy Comic-Con cameos.
The stars were joined by Dafne Keen, Jennifer Garner, Channing Tatum, Wesley Snipes, and Chris Evans — who are among the many celebs who make unexpected and highly rumored appearances in the epic action flick, which is currently poised to have the biggest-ever opening weekend for an R-rated film.
One special moment between Reynolds and Snipes was particularly remarkable. The pair famously had a contentious relationship when they starred together in Blade Trinity. It appears they’ve managed to patch up their working relationship and friendship in the 20 years that have since passed.
The surprise screening came just hours after Reynolds, Jackman, Corwin, Evans, and Levy were in Los Angeles with Feige for the Marvel Studio president’s star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ET spoke with Feige at the star-studded ceremony, and he reflected on his stewardship of the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“It’s always been a dream after dream for me at Marvel with the highest of highs and a little bit of lows and back to high of highs,” Feige, 51, shared. “It’s the journey! And it’s the journey with all these people who are here with me today.”
When asked about which of the many beloved Marvel characters stand out as his favorite, Feige reflected, “There are a lot!”
“I mean, even being here with Hugh today, going back from his first audition on X Men 1 25 years ago to him opening tonight in Deadpool & Wolverine, he’s had an amazing journey,” shared Feige. “I think Chris Evans, who’s here today, and what he has done with the Cap character from the First Avenger to Endgame, I love them all.”
“And Tony Stark, of course, and what Robert Downey Jr. did with John Favreau,” he added. “[They] helped us create and really start the whole MCU.”
The long-awaited Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters Friday, July 27.