The Disney-Fox Deal Won't Bring Hugh Jackman Out Of Wolverine Retirement
Any day now, we're going to find out if the Disney-Fox deal will actually happen, possibly resulting in Disney buying a large chunk of Fox. When and if that deal goes through, there's going to be a lot of questions about all kinds of moving parts, but all anyone on the internet seems to really care about is the prospect of Fox's Marvel properties finally interacting with Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, there's one Fox/Marvel player who says to count him out of the whole thing: Hugh Jackman. Jackman recently revealed that even if the Disney-Fox deal goes through and creates the opportunity to see Wolverine in the MCU, his time as the character is still over.
Logan provided a cathartic end to Hugh Jackman's 17-year portrayal of Wolverine, but that doesn't mean fans don't want more. In the past, the possibility of bringing Jackman out of Wolverine retirement for a Deadpool sequel had been floated with no real traction. Now, as the seemingly inevitable Disney-Fox deal nears its finish, some are wondering: would Jackman break out the claws once again to be part of the MCU?
No. He would not.
Speaking with Collider, Jackman said that while the prospect of Wolverine in the MCU was tempting to him in the past, his days of weird pointy haircuts and simmering mutant rage are at an end:
"It's interesting because for the whole 17 years I kept thinking that would be so great, like I would love to see, particularly, Iron Man and the Hulk and Wolverine together. And every time I saw an 'Avengers' movie I could just see Wolverine in the middle of all of them like punching them all on the head. But it was like, 'Oh well, that's not gonna happen,' and it was interesting just when I first saw that headline — it was just the possibility of it and who knows what's gonna happen, obviously — I was like, 'Hang on!' But I think, unfortunately, the ship has sailed for me, but for someone else I would like to see Wolverine in there."
While it's potentially exciting to imagine Jackman's Wolverine showing up in an upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, it's also worth acknowledging that very few actors have played one specific part for nearly 20 years. Jackman has that distinction, and it's perfectly acceptable to hand the role over to a new actor. Plus, as mentioned above, Logan was as perfect an ending for Jackman's run as the character as one could hope for. It was an emotional, impactful conclusion, and to have Jackman return to pal around with Iron Man for a few scenes would tarnish that ever so slightly. Let's let Hugh Jackman's Wolverine rest in peace.