For years now, Aussie actor Hugh Jackman has been vowing to hang up his Wolverine claws and stop appearing in the “X-Men” franchise following the character’s third solo outing “Logan,” which is due to be released this March.
But now, it appears Jackman is having second thoughts and possibly about to change his mind, as Ryan Reynolds is suggesting a crossover Film with his “Deadpool” character, which Jackman agrees would be incredible.
It’s all Jerry Seinfeld’s fault
Jackman said he was inspired by Jerry Seinfeld, after the comedian told him at a party that he just knew when his iconic sitcom “Seinfeld” was about to become overkill and knew when to end it, which gave Jackman the idea that maybe it was time to call it quits on Wolverine.
The new film “Logan” is being geared up as his last appearance as the Wolverine character, what with its basis in the graphic novel “Old Man Logan,” which portrays an aging Wolverine, and the hashtag #OneLastTime being used to market it (conceived and then popularised by Jackman himself). But it might not be one last time if Ryan Reynolds has anything to say about it.
Now Jackman’s reconsidering it
Jackman said in an interview with Variety that since Ryan Reynolds’ recent campaigning for a crossover film featuring him as Deadpool teaming up with Jackman as Wolverine, he has been “reconsidering” his decision to give it up after “Logan.” So maybe he’s not quite done yet.
On the topic of the Deadpool/Wolverine crossover movie, Jackman said, “I could totally see how that’s the perfect fit. But the timing may be wrong.”
Jackman has been in every ‘X-Men’ film to date
While actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe get signed onto multi-film deals and get themselves locked in for a hundred films at a time, Hugh Jackman has always played the “X-Men” franchise by ear, ever since the first film in 2000.
He has always renewed or renegotiated his one-film deals with 20th Century Fox for each successive instalment in the franchise (even minor yet significant cameos in “X-Men: First Class” and “X-Men: Apocalypse”), so while he has no legal obligation to continue, he has no legal obligation not to, either.
According to James Mangold, who directed 2013’s “The Wolverine” and the upcoming “Logan,” Jackman has taken a pay cut in order to get Fox’s permission to make the film R-rated and therefore better and truer to the character, as his comics tend to be gut-wrenchingly violent.
Whether or not it will be Hugh Jackman's last portrayal of the self-healing mutant, “Logan” will be in cinemas on 3 March, while the “Deadpool” sequel is expected to be out sometime in 2018.