Hugh Jackman's Role In Deadpool 3 Is Over A Decade In The Making

The cinematic pairing of Deadpool and Wolverine is something audiences have wanted to see (done properly) for years now. Following the release of 2017's "Logan," which gave Hugh Jackman's version of the fan-favorite mutant a proper send-off, it seemed like that day would never come. However, Ryan Reynolds managed to pull Jackman out of Wolverine retirement for the upcoming "Deadpool 3." It turns out, this is something they've been wanting to do for well over a decade — the timing just finally worked out.

Reynolds spoke with Variety several months after it was revealed that Jackman was putting the claws back on one more time. The actor behind the "Deadpool" films explained that he and Jackman had been trying to make this happen for a long, long time. And, ultimately, Reynolds' pestering got the job done.

"We've wanted to this for decades...it's weirdly the perfect time. I never stopped [trying to get him to come back as Wolverine]. I was just pestering him like a gnat over the last many years. I believe in timing, as much as hard work and luck and all those intersections that are supposed to meet. Timing's the big one. I think he was ready. I think he was excited. And what we pitched him was enough of a divergence from the character that he knows and the character that he's left behind, that it gives him something completely new to play and something that he's really excited to do."

"Logan," which took place in a future version of the "X-Men" timeline, was a very gritty, serious film. The "Deadpool" movies have been more irreverent, which suggests Jackman will get to explore a different side of the character. They've also promised that it won't mess with what was accomplished in "Logan," with director James Mangold giving Jackman his blessing.

As fans will surely recall, Reynolds and Jackman first teamed up on screen in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." The prequel cast Reynolds perfectly as Deadpool and, at the time, it seemed like an incredible idea. Unfortunately, the film absolutely botched the execution, ranking as arguably the worst "X-Men" film to date. Following that debacle, Reynolds had to fight tooth and nail with Fox to even get the first "Deadpool" made. By the time that movie came out and became a hit in its own right in 2016, Jackman was getting ready to move on to a different phase of his career, as "Logan" came out the following year.

But time managed to bring things back around. "Deadpool 3" languished in development limbo after Disney acquired most of Fox in 2019, which brought the rights to that franchise under the roof of Marvel Studios. The years that it took for the sequel to finally get moving provided enough time for Jackman to reconsider his retirement as Wolverine. Now, some six years later and with a chance to actually appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, everything lined up just right. These two finally have the chance to deliver the team-up film fans thought they were getting originally, 15 years later.

Shawn Levy ("Free Guy") is directing the upcoming sequel, with many of the cast members from the first two "Deadpool" films returning. It has also been promised that, despite being in the MCU, the movie will indeed be R-rated.

"Deadpool 3" is currently set to hit theaters on November 8, 2024.