Op-Ed: Fans Should Be Upset About ‘Deadpool 3’ Set Photos, Here’s Why

This article will contain spoilers for Deadpool 3, though it has already been spoiled.

I have been a fan of pop culture my entire life, but the rise of the internet gave birth to a rather annoying trend within this space: spoilers. Though most of us cannot see every movie or show when it first comes out, the internet will always be here to throw out crucial plot points that I wish I had not learned from a passing headline. As an entertainment writer with nearly five years of experience, I always try not to spoil things in my stories without giving proper warnings. However, the ramping up of people circling production shoots like vultures has become annoying. The newest offering of extreme spoilers is the Deadpool 3 set photos, showing Hugh Jackman in his comic-accurate costume.

First look at Wolverine and Deadpool in ‘DEADPOOL 3’. pic.twitter.com/VH8p17WqMP

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 10, 2023

These photos flooded the web, and for some odd reason, everyone remained silent. I don’t mean that people were quiet about how they felt about Jackman’s comic-accurate look. I mean, a host of people seemed not to care that the surprise of this costume was ruined. What made matters worse is that the set photos were also accompanied by what appears to be a fight between Deadpool and Wolverine. Though the images have no context, it seems true for the film’s protagonists.

Why aren’t people outraged about these set photos in the same way they are when they read plot points in articles? It is essentially accomplishing the same thing.

I know what you are thinking: a photo with no context is not the same as mentioning that a central character has died in said property. I understand that logic, and I sympathize with it. Plenty of times, I have been scrolling the internet and see some random person I know completely ruin the ending of a show I have been working my way through for weeks. It stings. It hurts. It’s downright disrespectful.

However, aren’t these Deadpool 3 photos the same thing? Wouldn’t you instead have been surprised in the theaters when the movie comes out and you hear the crescendo of the classic X-Men animated song play as Hugh Jackman emerges in his epic yellow costume from the show? That would have been amazing!

Deadpool and Wolverine — Credit: 20th Century Studios

But sadly, we won’t be experiencing that, as everyone who works in this field blasted the same images on the internet for the world to see. I understand the excitement. Fans have been clamoring to see Jackman in his yellow Wolverine duds since the X-Men movies graced the big screen in 2000. Though he sort of had the costume in X2 (2003), it was an overproduced version of the costume that many thought looked ridiculous.

I also understand that studios want to ramp up the thrill of their properties, so they allow set photos to be shared without trying to shut them down. Does this happen every time? No. Sometimes there are surprises that internet sleuths find and share with the world, only for that image, trailer, or more to be taken down by the studio or PR department that works for the studio.

The sharing of these pictures could likely never have been stopped. Some people make a living by snapping photos behind the scenes and selling them to the highest bidder. That does not make it right, but it’s something that happens. Marvel might not have been able to catch those initial Deadpool 3 set photos before they went viral. Still, it also appears they might be taking the rightful route to hit those who share these photos with legal action.

However, I think there should be many people wanting to question why image spoilers are the accepted medium and text in an article is far more blasphemous. We live in a highly involved society that consumes the internet like never before. That does not mean selective outrage should be practiced when given spoilers.

Spoilers are terrible, no matter how they are delivered. I think people should be aware that set photos and videos are the same as reading a headline that reveals the fate of a character. I also understand that just because we saw Hugh Jackman in a comic-accurate costume does not mean the story for Deadpool 3 has been ruined. Still, it would have been a welcomed surprise that fans would have loved.

I am just saying when it comes to articles you stumble upon that are chock-full of spoiler warnings, if you get upset at the writer for delivering that story, keep the same energy for set photos being shared online.

Deadpool 3 does look exciting already, but I would have loved the shock of seeing see a classic Wolverine while shoving popcorn in my mouth.

Do you think the Deadpool 3 set photos are spoilers? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!