Hugh Jackman Was Asked About His Wolverine Future, And Name-Dropped A Fan Favorite Possible Replacement

Hugh Jackman in The Wolverine
(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Actor Hugh Jackman has played countless roles on the stage and screen, but his name is perhaps most synonymous with his tenure as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise. While he hung up the claws after James Mangold’s Logan, he shocked fans when revealing that he’ll be back for a role in Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool 3. Jackman was recently asked about his future as the mutant, and name-dropped a fan favorite possible replacement.

Prior to the news that Hugh Jackman would be returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, there were countless fan theories about which actor might be able to replace him, and help bring the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the process. But it’s unclear if he’s going to stick around for the long haul. Jackman was recently asked by Empire Magazine (via ScreenRant) about his possible future as everyone’s favorite clawed hero, and he responded saying:

I imagine every movie is a one and done. Taron is one of the most talented actors out there. And you can see his range is incredible. But he's just got to cool his heels a little bit.

Well there you have it. It looks like Hugh Jackman takes every movie one at a time, rather than getting too wrapped up in what might happen in the future. And surprisingly, he referenced Rocketman actor Taron Egerton, who is one of the more popular choices by fans to play Wolverine. It looks like the OG Logan has been seeing the casting chatter online.

Hugh Jackman’s comments are sure to quickly go viral, as it shows how in touch he is with the various actors that fans think might be a good Wolverine. This chatter began when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties. This deal opened up the door for The Fantastic Four and X-Men to finally join the MCU, although it’s unclear when this might happen. Kevin Feige and company have been keeping their cards close to the chest regarding how mutants will factor into the overall shared universe, although they were referenced a few times throughout Phase Four.

Taron Egerton is just one name that’s been thrown around online to possibly play Wolverine, resulting in a never ending supply of fan art of him as the role. And he does seem qualified for a few reasons. He’s got plenty of action experience thanks to the King’s Man franchise, and received a ton of praise for his performance in Rocketman. Egerton is also a popular choice because he’s under 6 foot tall; Logan is quite short in the comics.

Taron Egerton as Eggsy in Kingsman: The Golden Circle

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Of course, Taron Egerton isn’t the only name that’s been thrown around to possibly be the next Wolverine. Harry Potter himself Daniel Radcliffe is another popular choice by fans, as well as The Boys’ Anthony Starr and Karl Urban. That is, unless Hugh Jackman decides to stick around for another slew of movies. Considering how long he’s already played the clawed hero that would be a surprise.

Fans are eager for any information about what the third Deadpool movie will contain, but everyone involved is guarding its contents. Hugh Jackman is still busy starring in The Music Man on Broadway, and is presumably doing some training to get swole in the process. One thing that is clear is that he and Ryan Reynolds are going to have a great time filming the upcoming threequel. 

Deadpool 3 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on November 8th, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. Hopefully this year also brings answers regarding the X-Men in the MCU. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.