Marvel star insists iconic song choice was unplanned despite the uncanny tie

In the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer, as in many Marvel movie trailers, fans can expect a plethora of Easter eggs and references. However, one of the trailer’s most bizarre Easter eggs was entirely accidental.

Among the surprises and nods to comic book lore in the trailer, there’s a cheeky reference to creator Rob Liefeld and glimpses of villains like Lady Deathstrike and Azazel. But one of the strangest Easter eggs isn’t about the superheroes themselves, but rather the song accompanying the trailer. It turns out that the release date of the official trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine coincides with a significant milestone for its accompanying song on the Billboard charts.

Set against the backdrop of Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds’ antics as Wolverine and Deadpool is Madonna’s hit song, “Like A Prayer.” Today’s date also marks the start of the pop album’s six-week run at the top of the Billboard album chart, as well as the single’s three-week reign at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts 35 years ago, according to the ’80s-centric X/Twitter account Old School 80s.

While it might seem like another well-planned marketing stunt by Marvel, possibly tying into Deadpool’s self-dubbed title of “Marvel Jesus” in the trailer, Reynolds took to Twitter to deny any intentional connection.

“I swear to Marvel Jesus, we did not plan this!” Reynolds tweeted.

Despite the bizarre coincidence, Marvel fans flooded Reynolds’ replies with predictions that “Like a Prayer” would skyrocket to the top of the Billboard charts once again, much like Celine Dion’s “Ashes” did with 2018’s Deadpool 2. Time will tell if the fans’ predictions come true.

Deadpool & Wolverine is set to hit theaters on July 26, 2024. Be sure to check out reactions to the nine-minute Cinemacon footage and the latest fan theories from the trailer