What’s hairy, has sharp claws, and is about to crash into Deadpool’s life and change it forever? No, it’s not Wolverine. Get ready to meet Dogpool, Wade Wilson’s new four-legged friend, set to be the breakout of this summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine. Like her human counterpart, she has an… unconventional look. And a taste for chaos. And, most importantly, that iconic red and black outfit. Needless to say, they instantly find a kinship. “It’s love at first sight,” Ryan Reynolds tells Empire in the new issue. “He loves Dogpool.”
Since Deadpool & Wolverine shot in London, the dog behind the ‘pool is a bit of homegrown talent – a pup with a particular reputation. “Her real name is Peggy, and she won the award for Britain’s Ugliest Dog,” says Reynolds. “The reason why I was a huge proponent for her was because she feels like the animal manifestation of Wade Wilson.” While the film’s focus might be on the team-up between the Merc With A Mouth and Logan, the arrival of Dogpool simply couldn’t be ignored. “It was, just like many things during the writing process, a tiny little afterthought, and it grew,” Reynolds explains. “It was one of those things where you just keep listening to the movie, and Dogpool became a staple.”
Whatever kind of canine carnage Dogpool brings to the equation, get ready for a version of Deadpool less likely to break the fourth wall, exactly, than cock a leg up against it. “Dogpool’s a Pool, so probably has some moral flexibility about where she wees and poops,” Reynolds confirms. Strap in: it’s gonna get ruff.
Read Empire’s full Deadpool & Wolverine cover feature – speaking to Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, director Shawn Levy, Marvel boss Kevin Feige and more – in the Summer 2024 issue, on sale Thursday 9 May. Pre-order a copy online here. Deadpool & Wolverine comes to UK cinemas from 25 July.