Will Hugh Jackman Have A Say In Casting The Next Wolverine? Here's What Simon Kinberg Thinks

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Recast

Warning: spoilers ahead for Logan. Don't read any further if you have not seen the latest Wolverine solo movie yet.

We have officially reached the end of an era. Hugh Jackman has stepped down as Wolverine, ending arguably the most iconic live-action run of any modern superhero. To say that Jackman embodied everything that we love about Wolverine would be a massive understatement, and whoever replaces him will have enormous boots to fill. However, according to Logan producer Simon Kinberg, 20th Century Fox will likely enlist Jackman's help if (and when) the studio ultimately decides to recast Wolverine. Kinberg said:

We haven't even thought of the next iteration of Wolverine. For all of us, we were keeping our fingers crossed that the audiences would respond to Logan the way they have. I can't visualize in my head another Wolverine but if that day ever comes, we would talk to Hugh about it.

Saying goodbye to Hugh Jackman has apparently become an incredibly arduous task for fans of the X-Men films, but Simon Kinberg's recent comments to Deadline soften the blow. There seem to be no concrete plans for how to proceed with recasting Wolverine (and rightfully so, as Logan only just premiered) but 20th Century Fox will likely bring Hugh Jackman on board to consult when they finally get around to bringing someone in to succeed him. Considering how perfectly he nailed the character early on in his tenure as Wolverine, his input on the process will undoubtedly prove useful.

This creative choice isn't up for debate at this point. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine died like a hero at the end of Logan (in a truly badass ending), and it would feel cheap for the studio to bring Jackman back after that. Logan is a perfect conclusion to a 17-year story, so if Jackman is committing to quitting, he needs to hand off the claws properly, or at the very least make sure Wolverine stays dead.

Of course, it's entirely plausible that 20th Century Fox may have already cast the new Wolverine. It's just not a new Logan. Dafne Keen has arguably become the breakout star of the recent R-rated X-Men adventure, and it does not feel outside the realm of possibility that she could potentially take over for Hugh Jackman on a full-time basis now that he has officially hung up his claws.

Dafne Keen X23 Logan Wolverine

There's already ample precedent for this the comics. X-23 recently took over as Wolverine for the X-Men in the Marvel source material, and the transition worked perfectly for most fans.

Whether or not the X-Men franchise will completely replace Hugh Jackman as Wolverine or simply let X-23 take over remains to be seen. That's a conversation for another day, and now we should take the time to enjoy Hugh Jackman's Weapon X while we still can.

Logan is currently in theaters, so make sure to check it out and bid Hugh Jackman's Wolverine a proper farewell.

Conner Schwerdtfeger

Originally from Connecticut, Conner grew up in San Diego and graduated from Chapman University in 2014. He now lives in Los Angeles working in and around the entertainment industry and can mostly be found binging horror movies and chugging coffee.