Hugh Jackman has been synonymous with the character Wolverine. He is the only actor to have portrayed the role in live-action and has appeared in most of the X-Men films in the franchise. The actor received a fitting farewell from the character in James Mangold’s acclaimed film Logan.
While fans were still hoping for the actor to return, the Disney-Fox merger seemed like those dreams would not turn into reality. However, in September 2022, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds announced that Jackman would be returning to play the iconic character in Deadpool 3. Fans were thrilled about the news and also hoped his companion in Logan, Dafne Keen’s X-23 would also return. However, that does not seem to be the case.
Hugh Jackman’s Tenure As Wolverine
Actor Hugh Jackman was cast as Logan in Bryan Singer’s X-Men in 2000. The role went to Jackman after the director considered actors such as Russel Crowe, Keanu Reaves, and Edward Norton. Jackman’s casting was initially met with criticism by the fandom as he was much taller than the comic book character. However, opinions quickly changed upon release and his portrayal was considered one of the best in the superhero genre.
Hugh Jackman went on to appear in the next two films of the original trilogy, X2, and X-Men: The Last Stand. He appeared in a cameo role in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse. He also appeared as the character in X-Men: Days of Future Past, with a more prominent role.
Hugh Jackman received three solo films as the character. The first was the spin-off origins film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. While the film grossed $370 million at the box office, the film received a lot of criticism, especially over its portrayal of Wade Wilson a.k.a Deadpool. The next film in his trilogy was The Wolverine. Director James Mangold took over the reins and explored the character with Japan as the setting. The Wolverine received more favorable reviews while grossing over $400 million. The last film in his trilogy was Logan.
Logan was again directed by James Mangold and was billed as the final outing of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The film was set in the future when Mutants were no longer born but were bred. It followed the survival story of Logan and X-23, a mutant bred through Wolverine’s DNA. X-23 was portrayed by Dafne Keen, who was 12 at the time.
Hugh Jackman’s Return As Wolverine
While Logan was supposed to be the final film for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The story arc was complete and his legacy was passed on to Laura Kinney or X-23. A solo spin-off on X-23 was also planned, with James Mangold returning as the writer and director. However, the Disney-Fox merger put an end to those plans.
After Deadpool 3 was announced as part of the MCU, Hugh Jackman entertained the possibility of returning as Wolverine and joining hands with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Reynolds had teased a team-up multiple times, with references to the Deadpool films as well. In September 2022, it was announced that Hugh Jackman would be returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3. Earlier this year, set photos revealed Jackman wearing the iconic Wolverine costume from the comics, which was never portrayed in any of the films.
Will Dafne Keen Return As X-23 In Deadpool 3?
Dafne Keen’s portrayal of Laura Kinney was lauded upon the release of Logan. Fans were excited for the character’s return as the baton was passed to her from Wolverine. Keene also expressed her desire for the role in 2020 and after the announcement of Deadpool 3, she was even more excited. Talking about the film, she said,
“I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high in case it doesn’t happen, but I really do hope it does because I loved playing Laura.”
She also mentioned that she was worried about the character during the Disney-Fox merger as Logan was R-rated and Disney was not going to make R-rated films. But she said she felt hopeful after Deadpool 3 was announced.
However, Keen’s hope could be in vain as Hugh Jackman revealed that Deadpool 3 would not affect the events of Logan and would be set before the film. He made sure that the film does not impact the legacy of the ending of Logan. Insider reports also indicated that Deadpool 3 would be set during the events of the original X-Men trilogy. Logan takes place in the year 2029 and the timeline would not accommodate Keene’s X-23 in Deadpool 3 as X-23 would not be born yet.
Source: Den of Geek
