Hugh Jackman Reveals The Inside Story Of How He Told Ryan Reynolds He’s Playing Wolverine Again

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During a new profile interview with Variety, beloved actor Hugh Jackman detailed the story of how he made the decision to suit up as Wolverine one more time.

Back in September, in a casual video posted to both Ryan Reynolds’ and Jackman’s Twitter accounts, it was announced that Jackman would be donning the iconic Wolverine claws once more in Marvel Studios’ Deadpool 3.

As Jackman tells it, the decision to return as Wolverine wasn’t made until August — funnily enough, I spoke to the writers of Deadpool 3 in late June and they suggested that Marvel should cast someone “unknown” in the role — and that Reynolds didn’t have any idea until Jackman personally called him with the news.

Hugh Jackman details the story of how he told Ryan Reynolds that he was down to play Wolverine in Deadpool 3

At the end of August, during a road trip to the beach with his family, he finally made the decision. He called Reynolds, who’d been pleading “on the daily” for a Wolverine-Deadpool movie. “I think, actually, he’d given up,” Jackman says. “I think it was a big shock to him. There was a massive pause, and then he said, ‘I can’t believe the timing of this.’”

As Reynolds mentions in the interview, a crossover between Deadpool and Wolverine wasn’t possible when he originally pitched the idea to Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige back in 2019:

“Oh my God, I’m thrilled,” Reynolds says. “It’s like old home week. To get to be on set with one of my closest friends each and every day is a dream come true. But to do it with these two iconic characters side by side, that’s beyond our wildest dreams.” Reynolds adds that the first time he talked to Feige — three and a half years ago after Disney bought Fox — he’d pushed for bringing in Wolverine.

“It wasn’t possible then. For this to be happening now is pretty damn exciting.”

Jackson also said that he doesn’t necessarily think the film will be titled Deadpool 3, saying: “Well, not in my heart… I’m pretty sure Wolverine wouldn’t like that title.”

At this time, Deadpool 3 — which will be directed by frequent Reynolds collaborator Shawn Levy — is scheduled to hit theaters in the United States on November 8, 2024.