By Zach Johnson
There’s one character who paws-itively steals the show in Deadpool & Wolverine.
In the latest movie from Marvel Studios, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) suits up as Deadpool and recruits a reluctant Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to save his home world. Along the way, they meet various variants—chief among them Dogpool, played by Peggy. (Click here to meet more powered-up pals across the MCU, from Goose to Alligator Loki.)
At the film’s global press conference, Reynolds called the mostly bald canine an “incredible” co-star. “Peggy really went from zero to hero on this movie. I’m not kidding! Peggy won the UK’s Ugliest Dog Competition—which, frankly, I think is a cruel contest,” the actor, writer, and producer said. “They’re very kind to the dogs, but Peggy is a real testament.” Like Wade, Dogpool is an “outcast” who “doesn’t look right,” he said. Behind the scenes, head animal trainer Jules Tottman “stepped up and took her from an absolute pain in the ass to the most wonderful actor in this entire film,” he said. “Genuinely, a treat!”
Reynolds shared a first look at Peggy in costume as Dogpool via his social media accounts in November 2023, joking, “Did Dogpool save the day? Not a chance in gremlin hell. But she IS currently causing the Disney plushy merch department nightmares.” With the highly anticipated film opening in theaters this Friday, writer, director, and producer Shawn Levy predicts fans will go mutts over Dogpool: “I think a lot of people are about to be obsessed.”
Whenever he was filming a scene that involved Peggy (aka Mary Puppins), Reynolds was all about that pug life. “My character, Wade Wilson, falls in love with Peggy—because Peggy is the sort of dog version of me,” he said. “There is a sequence in the film where Peggy and I, well… she explores my mouth using only her leathery, leathery tongue, which honestly looks like a Slim Jim commercial with Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage snapping off.”
Levy interjected, “People have asked me how we did the digital effect of her tongue.”
“Nope,” Reynolds said. “That is the real thing.”
“She has an Instagram account, if anyone’s curious: @dogpool,” he continued. “I’m sure [Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige] paid a lot of money for that. Hashtag ‘worth it!’”
Deadpool & Wolverine is teaming up with Best Friends Animal Society to raise awareness for pets in America’s shelters. There are dogs and cats looking for someone to be their hero. Visit bestfriends.org to adopt a pet near you and meet your “best bub.”