Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine one more time in Deadpool 3 with Ryan Reynolds and joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the process. As the star of the 20th Century Fox's original X-Men franchise, Jackman played Wolverine for nearly two decades before hanging up his adamantium claws with 2017's Logan. The end of his time with the franchise came right as Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool looked like he was becoming the face of the X-Men movies. His popularity is one of the reasons why Marvel Studios moved forward with plans for Deadpool 3 starring Reynolds, which will be R-rated and officially take place in the MCU.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
Rumors have long swirled that Jackman could one day return to the role of Wolverine after Logan. Reynolds has wanted to share the screen with Jackman's Wolverine again, which ignited an ongoing online "feud" between the actors. While they previously starred together in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the movie was a big disappointment and famously kept Wade Wilson's mouth sewn shut. That created the hope that Wolverine and Deadpool could cross paths again, with Reynolds even previously confirming that was the plan for Deadpool 3 before Disney bought Fox.
Now, Reynolds has officially announced that Jackman's Wolverine is returning in Deadpool 3, which officially hits theaters on September 6, 2024. The confirmation came in a video where Reynolds joked about not having any ideas for what Deadpool 3 could be about and doing tasks around his house wearing the black and gray Deadpool suit. The video ends with Reynolds saying he did have one idea, and Jackman agreeing to return as Wolverine in Deadpool 3.
What Jackman's Wolverine Return Means For Deadpool 3
Now that it is confirmed that Jackman's Wolverine returns in Deadpool 3, he becomes the first confirmed co-star for Reynolds. It also means that Jackman finally gets his opportunity to join the MCU. He has previously said that he would have loved to join the shared universe as Wolverine and interact with Iron Man. Jackman's role in Deadpool 3 likely will not mean a crossover with Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, but it does open the possibility of him finally interacting with other characters in the MCU.
In any case, Jackman playing Wolverine again in Deadpool 3 is one of the best pieces of news many could have hoped for. However, it does not mean that Jackman is going to be the MCU's main version of Wolverine. The multiverse is likely going to be involved in some capacity, allowing Logan's emotional ending to remain canon for Fox's X-Men franchise and Jackman to return similarly to Patrick Stewart's Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So even though his run as a Marvel superhero was thought to be over five years ago, Jackman's Wolverine return in Deadpool 3 is now less than two years away.