One of the more memorable moments from Deadpool & Wolverine was a montage in which Deadpool used one of the Time Variance Authority’s TemPads to hop around the Marvel multiverse in search of a Wolverine variant who could replace his own. This sequence was a treat for die-hard Marvel fans, as it referenced some iconic stories from Wolverine’s extensive comic book history, like “Age of Apocalypse,” Wolverine: Patch, Old Man Logan, and even “Fever Dream.” The final variant of Wolverine whom Deadpool met was wearing a brown and yellow suit based on John Bryne’s classic design for the character. Deadpool commented, “Now, you fought the Hulk in this outfit, no?” In response, Wolverine popped out his adamantium claws and revealed the reflection of a roaring Hulk, recreating Todd MacFarlane’s cover art for The Incredible Hulk #340.

The film teased a showdown between Wolverine and the Hulk, but Deadpool left before the battle could commence. The Hulk did not even appear in full; audiences only caught a glimpse of his back as he batted Deadpool away and the obscured reflection of his face in Wolverine’s claws. Though fans missed out on seeing Wolverine face off against the Hulk in Deadpool & Wolverine, a future film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could amend that. It is all but confirmed that Wolverine will return for Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, which are shaping up to somehow top the massive crossover that was Avengers: Endgame, so Wolverine may share the big screen with the Hulk once again. Given Wolverine and the Hulk’s long-standing rivalry in the comics, a confrontation between the two would be a perfect sendoff for Jackman’s version of the character before the MCU introduces its own X-Men lineup.

Wolverine and the Hulk Have Battled Countless Times Over the Years

The animosity between Wolverine and the Hulk goes all the way back to the former’s first appearance. Wolverine debuted as an antagonist in The Incredible Hulk #180 from 1974. When the Hulk got into a fight with the fearsome Wendigo in the Canadian wilderness, Canada’s military grew concerned about the destruction that the two monsters might cause, so they sent Wolverine to apprehend them both. At the time, Wolverine was quite a mysterious character. He was not identified as a Mutant, there were no signs of his signature healing factor, and it was not even clear that his claws were part of his body; many readers assumed they were simply blades attached to his gloves. Wolverine was able to defeat Wendigo with relative ease, but he and the Hulk had a more protracted brawl in which the emerald giant eventually came out on top.

Wolverine’s next appearance was as a member of the X-Men, alongside new characters Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, Colossus, and Storm, but he and the Hulk continued their rivalry for decades to come. Though both characters are heroes, they also have anger issues and violent streaks, so it comes as no surprise that they have butted heads on several occasions. Their first rematch was in the aforementioned The Incredible Hulk #340, though this bout was inconclusive, as it was interrupted by Clay Quartermain. Some of their other famous fights include The Incredible Hulk #454 from 1997, Hulk #8 from 1999, Wolverine Vol. 2 #145 from the same year, and World War Hulk: X-Men #2 from 2007. This is to say nothing of their fights in other continuities, like the original Ultimate universe or the Old Man Logan timeline, the latter of which featured a villainous version of the Hulk as its main antagonist. For as long as Wolverine has existed, he has been at odds with the strongest Avenger.

The MCU Has Struggled to Tell Stories About the Hulk

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A face-off between Wolverine and the Hulk in Doomsday or Secret Wars would help alleviate a recurring MCU problem. Despite being one of Marvel’s most popular heroes and a founding member of the MCU’s Avengers, the Hulk has rarely had a chance to shine. Due to legal complications involving Universal Pictures, Marvel has not produced any live-action project starring the Hulk since The Incredible Hulk in 2008; Mark Ruffalo’s version of the character has only appeared as part of team-up films, like The Avengers, or as a supporting character in other heroes’ stories, like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. As such, many of his most famous villains and storylines have been given to other characters. Thor: Ragnarok borrowed heavily from the “Planet Hulk” comics, but it gave the Hulk a much smaller role. Likewise, he was completely absent from Captain America: Brave New World despite the film’s villains being the Hulk’s nemeses in the comics.

Marvel can make up for its negligence of the Hulk by showcasing his iconic rivalry with Wolverine for the first time in live action, and the upcoming Avengers films would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Assuming Secret Wars roughly follows the plot of the comics for which it was named, it will see Doctor Doom forcing various Marvel characters to fight each other on Battleworld, a chaotic planet created by fusing pieces of several universes into one. The Hulk from the main Marvel universe and Wolverine from Deadpool & Wolverine could easily cross paths on Battleworld. This would be even more exciting than their teased clash from Deadpool & Wolverine since both characters would be versions with which fans are already familiar rather than newly-introduced variants. Perhaps the film could even include a cameo from Wendigo as an homage to Wolverine and the Hulk’s first comic encounter.

Wolverine and the Hulk Could Create a Memorable MCU Moment

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A fight between these Marvel powerhouses could also showcase a live-action Hulk — or, more accurately, bring back an old side. In Endgame, Bruce Banner found a way to merge his mild-mannered human identity with the monstrous Hulk, creating a persona dubbed Smart Hulk. As he explained to his friends at the diner,

For years, I’ve been treating the Hulk like he’s some kind of disease, something to get rid of. But then I started looking at him as the cure. Eighteen months in a gamma lab, I put the brains and the brawn together, and now look at me: the best of both worlds.

Though Smart Hulk resembled the Hulk and possessed the Hulk’s super strength, his personality was solely Bruce’s. Even when he was angry, such as after learning about Black Widow’s death, the temper one might expect from a fusion between Bruce and the Hulk was absent. Though he claimed otherwise, it seemed as if he had gotten rid of the Hulk. A ferocious opponent like Wolverine could be just what it takes for Smart Hulk to tap into his rage and remind audiences that he is a synthesis of both personalities, especially since the heroes’ respective healing factors would mean that neither needs to hold back.

Of course, the dynamic between Wolverine and the Hulk in the MCU would not have to be purely antagonistic. Despite their frequent feuds, they are ultimately on the same side, and they have worked together just as often as they have clashed. After their brawl in an Avengers film, they could set aside their differences to team up against a greater foe. Perhaps Wolverine could even perform his signature Fastball Special, in which a hero with superstrength — most famously Colossus, but also the Hulk, She-Hulk, or the Thing — picks him up and throws him at the enemy. Though Deadpool & Wolverine officially brought Jackman’s version of Wolverine into the MCU, he did not interact with any established MCU characters. Most of the film took place in the Void and revolved around characters from other continuities, like Fox’s X-Men universe. Jackman has been playing Wolverine for 25 years, and he will likely hang up the mantle before long, so Marvel should take full advantage of his presence in the MCU by following up on the highly anticipated battle to which Deadpool & Wolverine only alluded.