After nearly twenty years of playing Wolverine, Hugh Jackman announced that he would be hanging up the claws after one final movie. Logan was one hell of a conclusion to the character’s arc, and Jackman seemed ready to move on from the role. However… it didn’t take him long to start regretting that choice. While speaking with Variety, Hugh Jackman said that he started to have second thoughts after watching Deadpool for the first time.
“I went to a screening of Deadpool,” Hugh Jackman said. “I was 20 minutes in, and I was like, ‘Ah, damn it!’ All I kept seeing in my head was ‘48 Hours’ with Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. So it’s been brewing for a long time. It just took me longer to get here.” Whatever misgivings Jackman may have had at the time, he didn’t let on, even with Ryan Reynolds constantly pestering him to appear in a Deadpool movie. By the time Hugh Jackman came around to reprising the role, Reynolds had almost given up hope it would happen. “I think, actually, he’d given up,” Jackman said. “I think it was a big shock to him. There was a massive pause, and then he said, ‘I can’t believe the timing of this.’” The timing was fortuitous because Reynolds was just about to meet with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige about the Deadpool sequel. Walking into the room knowing that you’ve got Hugh Jackman signing on must have been a massive boost.
“Oh my God, I’m thrilled,” Ryan Reynolds said of Hugh Jackman returning for Deadpool 3. “It’s like old home week. To get to be on set with one of my closest friends each and every day is a dream come true. But to do it with these two iconic characters side by side, that’s beyond our wildest dreams.” Jackman has said that he couldn’t be more excited about returning for Deadpool 3, but he told Variety that he can’t imagine it will be called that. “Well, not in my heart,” Jackman said. “I’m pretty sure Wolverine wouldn’t like that title.“
Deadpool 3, or The Wolverine Show featuring Deadpool, is set to hit theaters on November 8, 2024.