Ryan Reynolds managed to pull off one of the biggest surprises of San Diego Comic-Con by spending hours walking the convention floor dressed as Deadpool without anybody realising who was behind the mask.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

While thousands of fans packed into the San Diego Convention Center surrounded by superheroes, villains and elaborate cosplay, Reynolds quietly blended into the crowd as Jeanpool – the grey-and-blue Deadpool variant from the Marvel comics.

The Hollywood star spent the day posing for photographs, chatting with fans and wandering the convention alongside hundreds of other cosplayers before eventually revealing his identity during Marvel Studios’ Hall H presentation.

Remarkably, despite stopping for countless selfies throughout the day, nobody appeared to recognise the actor beneath the full-face mask.

The day after his undercover appearance, Reynolds shared behind-the-scenes footage on social media showing just how easily he disappeared into the Comic-Con crowd.

“The fans got Deadpool off the ground so many years ago,” Reynolds wrote alongside the video.

“Yesterday, 10 years after the first film and exactly two years after Deadpool & Wolverine, I felt so lucky to be on the SDCC floor with everyone whose unapologetic devotion brings so much joy to this world,” he added.

He continued: “No handlers, no security, no ropes. What a gift. Thanks to everyone I met, who aren’t only cosplaying but world-building. And also… actual Sergeant Slaughter!”

The footage captures Reynolds fully embracing the experience, joking with families, greeting fellow Deadpool cosplayers and happily stopping for photos throughout the convention centre.

In one light-hearted moment he playfully crosses swords with another Deadpool cosplayer, while elsewhere he poses alongside a fan dressed as Olaf from Frozen.

It was only later in the day that Reynolds finally let everyone in on the joke.

During Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel, where the cast of Avengers: Doomsday had gathered to promote the upcoming blockbuster, Robert Downey Jr spotted the mysterious masked figure in the audience.

“Who’s this guy with the swords and stuff?” joked the actor.

Still dressed as Jeanpool, Reynolds stepped up to the microphone and immediately stayed in character.

“Long-time listener, first-time caller,” he said.

“So there’s no additional photography, overages, hot costs, maybe last-minute additions?” he asked, attempting to pitch Deadpool into the film.

In another version of the exchange shared in Reynolds’ behind-the-scenes video, he also joked: “This seems an awfully expensive way to announce a film. When do you start filming?”

Although Deadpool has not officially been announced as part of Avengers: Doomsday, Reynolds’ appearance has only fuelled ongoing speculation that the fan-favourite anti-hero could still find a place in the film.

The Comic-Con surprise came only days after Reynolds confirmed that another Deadpool movie is actively in development.

Speaking at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026, the actor revealed he is already looking at storylines pulled from some of the comics’ lesser-known material.

“There’s certainly some stuff that I love that [Deadpool co-creator] Fabian Nicieza wrote that is incredible. Gerry Duggan, another friend and incredible comic writer, that we can put in. But then there’s stuff upcoming. There’s eventually, you know, remotely another Deadpool film. So it’s going to be great,” he said.

He also explained: “There’s a few really deep cuts that I think are missing behind the movies. I think there’s a few deep cuts missing from some of the comics.”

“There’s certainly some stuff that I love that [Deadpool co-creator] Fabian Nicieza wrote that is incredible. Gerry Duggan, who was a friend, was an incredible comic writer. There’s stuff upcoming. There’s eventually, remotely another Deadpool film. It’s going to be great.”

The announcement marks another chapter in Reynolds’ long relationship with the character.

He first portrayed Deadpool in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, before spending years trying to convince 20th Century Fox to green-light a standalone R-rated film centred around the wisecracking mercenary.

Everything changed in July 2014 when CGI test footage featuring Reynolds in costume leaked online and quickly spread across the internet.

The overwhelming reaction from fans proved impossible to ignore, with Reynolds later revealing that Fox approved the project within 24 hours of the leak.

That decision transformed the franchise.

Deadpool arrived in cinemas in 2016, earning Reynolds a Golden Globe nomination and launching one of Marvel’s most successful modern film series.

He returned as Wade Wilson in Deadpool 2 in 2018 before teaming up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

According to Deadline, Deadpool & Wolverine grossed approximately $1.3 billion worldwide, pushing the franchise beyond the $2 billion mark at the global box office.

Now, with a fourth film officially in the works and Reynolds once again proving he can surprise fans both on and off screen, the Merc with a Mouth looks set to remain one of Marvel’s biggest attractions for years to come.

Featured image credit: Instagram/RyanReynolds (screenshots)