If there’s one character Marvel fans dream of seeing in the MCU, it would have to be Wolverine.
Now, Joe Russo, who with brother Anthony, wrote and directed Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, has discussed how the popular X-Men character could appear in the MCU.
Finding the right time
Talking to the Lights, Camera, Barstool podcast, Russo acknowledged the major challenge is having anyone but Hugh Jackman taking on the role.
While many superhero characters from Batman to Spider-Man have been played by multiple actors, Wolverine has had only one actor bringing him to life to the point fans can’t imagine anyone else in the part.
“To realize him on screen, it’s very hard because Hugh Jackman’s performance is definitive. It’s like Batman; you have to really think of a way to, you have to really find the right actor to come in and give a really different take to that character. But I would really love to see him on screen. I think the best thing is to take a break, without question. “You need a [palate cleanser], you need to rinse the towel a little bit, let everyone enjoy what was, and then come up with something new. But I’d love to take a crack at Wolverine at some point.”
Russo’s words echo how daunting it would be for another actor to play Wolverine. Hugh Jackman became a star with his performance in 2000’s X-Men and would reprise the role for eight other films.
His 17-year stint places Jackman in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest time playing a single superhero role.
Would Jackman return?
2017’s Logan appeared to be the swan song for Jackman as Wolverine. Given his age, it would be harder for Jackman to portray the near-immortal Wolverine today.
Jackman has indicated he is done with the part, stating in interviews that “somebody else will pick it up and run with it. It’s too good of a character not to.”
Rumors abounded that Jackman might make a cameo as Wolverine in the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but the actor remains coy about his plans.
Yet the idea of Wolverine working with some of the MCU characters might entice Jackman to reprise the role one more time.
If Jackman decides not to return, there are several actors openly vying for the part from Scott Eastwood to Tom Hardy. Or, as Fox did with Jackman in 1999, Disney could pick an unknown for the role.
MCU adding mutants
Fueling the Wolverine talk was the latest episode of WandaVision and its shock ending.
Wanda opened the door to reveal her long-dead brother Quicksilver. But instead of Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who played the role in Age of Ultron), Pietro was portrayed by Evan Peters, who put a different spin on the character in X-Men Days of Future Past and Apocalypse.
In the original comics, Wanda and Pietro were mutants. As Disney owns Marvel but 20th Century Fox owned the X-Men in 2014, they were changed to “enhanced humans.”
Since Disney acquired Fox and thus the X-Men, fans have been hopeful this means mutants join the MCU. The Quicksilver cameo may be laying the groundwork for this and set up an X-Men project.
Even if Jackman does not return in the role, leaving out a Marvel character as popular as Wolverine doesn’t seem right for the MCU. Just as they were able to integrate Spider-Man, Russo’s words indicate it’s possible the claw-wielding X-Man might end up clashing with the Avengers one day.