Few comic book characters have enjoyed the pop culture permanence of the X-Men’s Wolverine. In addition to being one of the most popular X-Men since the character’s creation in 1974, Jimmy “Logan” Howlett/Wolverine has appeared in nine X-Men films over the past 20 years, each time played by Australian actor Hugh Jackman. The role made Jackman a star, and gave fans the most enduring depiction of the beloved antihero. And while Jackman hung up his claws in 2017 with the phenomenal final chapter Logan, it has long been rumored that he would reprise his signature role, possibly in a cameo in an upcoming Deadpool movie.
And thanks to the multiverse, we may be seeing Wolverine sooner rather than later. Fans are already speculating that Wolverine may pop up in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. The second trailer for the film hinted at an appearance from Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, with the actor’s voice and silhouette appearing briefly. Stewart has since denied any knowledge of the film, but we’ve already played this game with the various Spider-Men, sir.
And if there’s any film to integrate Fox’s X-Men into the Marvel cinematic universe, it would be MOM. Spider-Man: No Way Home has already set the stage for multiverse shenanigans, and eagle-eyed fans have already speculated on various cameos based on shadowy figures in the trailers. Now that Disney and Fox have merged, it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing X-Men in the MCU. We already had a tease of it with Evan Peters reprising his role as Quicksilver in WandaVision, in a sense.
There are also rumors that Disney+ is developing a Wolverine series. Both rumors saw Wolverine trending on social media. But would Jackman reprise his role or will Disney cast a new actor as Wolverine? Given Jackman’s long tenure as the character, it’s no surprise that he would want to move on and play different roles. But who would replace him? Jackman was an unknown theater actor when he was first cast in 2000’s X-Men, taking over for the previously cast Dougray Scott, who had to bow out due to scheduling issues with Mission: Impossible 2. One frontrunner for the role is fan-favorite Taron Egerton (The Kingsman films), who has already expressed interest in the role. In an interview on The One Show, Egerton said, “Yeah, of course. That’s like playing Bond, … It would be exciting to play a role where you play to by such a huge audience. Those movies are the most watched movies in the world. It’s a great thrill and it’s a great part. But there’s no truth in it. Very flattering, though.” And while Egerton may be interested, he said, “There’s no truth in it at all. There’s no truth in it. It would, be, obviously, really exciting, but I don’t know.”
It’s no surprise that fans are thirsting for more Wolverine onscreen. But after nine films, many fans would like to see an X-Men project that focuses on a different superhero. There are so many X-Men and women who haven’t gotten their due: Jubilee, Storm, Gambit, Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost! I would love to see more characters explored beyond Wolverine. Hell, why not build a show around Laura Kinney/X-23 and her Wolverine journey?
Where to watch Wolverine: Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Hulu
What do you think of a new Wolverine series? Who would you like to see take on the Adamantium claws?
(image: 20th Century Fox)
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Published: Feb 26, 2022 03:31 pm