This Is What It Would’ve Taken For Hugh Jackman To Return To Wolverine

Today, March 3, is the anniversary of the release of Logan, the final Wolverine film to star the incomparable Hugh Jackman. As far as I’m concerned, Logan is probably the best superhero movie I’ve ever seen this side of The Dark Knight. It’s certainly one of my personal favorites, as the heartbreaking conclusion to Logan’s nearly two-decade-long odyssey serves as one of the genre’s most poignant moments yet.

As I usually (and nerdily) do when a film’s anniversary rolls around, I spend my morning doing some light research, diving into everything from the casting to the filming to the release, soaking up as much knowledge about the movie as I can, particularly when it’s one of my all-time favorites for Logan. For example, did you ever notice that the sword Logan is gifted in 2013’s The Wolverine can be seen hanging in his Mexican hideout?

Far more interestingly, though, are these quotes from Jackman that I stumbled upon, who suggested that the idea of a crossover with Deadpool could be enough to coax him back to the role.

“I’m hesitating, because I could totally see how that’s the perfect fit,” Jackman told Variety in 2017 when asked about a Wolverine/Deadpool crossover. “But the timing may be wrong. I’m at the point where I’m finishing up. In terms of a theory, it’s a great idea.”

While that may have seemed like a long-shot at the time — particularly considering how adamant Jackman seemed to be about retiring from the role — earlier this year, Reynolds himself came out of nowhere to reveal that the original plan for Deadpool 3, prior to Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, was to send Deadpool and Wolverine on a road trip.

Yes, while we know that Reynolds has a penchant for playing tricks, the context of this tweet — which was in support of mental health awareness — seems too serious of a topic to joke about, even for someone like Reynolds.

Ultimately, while Jackman returning to the role seems unlikely, the MCU’s impending expansion into the multiverse makes almost anything possible, including a potential Hugh Jackman cameo. Regardless, the fact remains that the Wolverine role is going to have to be recast for the Marvel Cinematic Universe eventually, which likely means Disney will take their time in making the decision. Not only will the character, and Mutants in general, feature heavily in the future of the MCU, but whoever does take on the role will have record-breaking shoes to fill, as Jackman’s storied tenure as Logan ranks as the longest that someone has played a singular superhero in the history of cinema. Good luck.

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