Logan director James Mangold clarifies his initial reactions to Hugh Jackman reprising the role of Wolverine in Deadpool 3. While Marvel Studios haven't been short on announcing huge news for the MCU in 2022, Ryan Reynolds' upcoming Deadpool sequel officially became one of the hottest headlines of the year. Without any build-up, Reynolds shared a video on social media announcing that he and Jackman will officially reunite on the big screen as Wade Wilson and Wolverine in Deadpool 3, respectively.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
The news was a massive shock because Jackman ended his time as the iconic Marvel mutant in 2017's Logan. Before Walt Disney Studios acquired 20th Century Fox, Logan saw Wolverine on his final adventure as the film ended with Jackman's hero passing away. While the MCU will officially introduce the X-Men in future Phases, Marvel Studios is starting fresh and not continuing 20th Century Fox's original franchise. While plot details are being kept under wraps, Reynolds' Deadpool is the only character from the X-Men films that will get integrated into the MCU in some fashion. Not long after Reynolds and Jackman made their announcement, Mangold tweeted a GIF from the film in which X-23 brutally injures Wolverine, which many interpreted as his silent reaction to the Deadpool 3 news.
While Mangold's tweet may have been seen as him throwing shade at Deadpool 3 bringing Wolverine back despite what happened in Logan, the filmmaker has clarified his initial reactions. Mangold made a follow-up tweet and stressed that he was only kidding, reminding everyone that Logan's ending will always remain intact no matter what. The director couldn't be more thrilled to see Jackman joining forces with Reynolds, sharing the following:
There Are Multiple Ways For Hugh Jackman To Appear As Wolverine
Even though it's significant for Jackman to return as Wolverine after the way things ended in Logan, Deadpool 3 has multiple options for bringing back the beloved mutant. Since the movie will mark Wade's proper introduction to the MCU, Jackman may play the Earth-616 Variant of Wolverine, who was recently teased in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. If Deadpool 3 takes advantage of She-Hulk's Wolverine Easter egg, it allows the film to start fresh with this version of Logan. The Wolverine Variant doesn't necessarily have to be from Earth-616, as the Deadpool sequel could explore versions from other alternative universes. It could be similar to how Patrick Stewart played a different Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Another option that Deadpool 3 may utilize is traveling back in time to meet up with Wolverine long before his tragic death in the 2017 film.
The only way Deadpool 3 might reference Logan in any capacity is Wade making a quip about how Wolverine died in his final movie. Logan became one of the most successful X-Men films of all time, with Wolverine's ending being recognized as a solid conclusion to Jackman's legacy. As exciting as it will be to see Jackman and Reynolds together in Deadpool 3, it's hard to imagine they would go through with this if it meant that they would mess with Logan's climax. While Deadpool 3 has many questions to answer about Wolverine's presence, it's encouraging to know that it won't tamper with Logan.