Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were abuzz about the very brief teaser that Ryan Reynolds posted on his social media accounts. While it did not give out much, the cameo at the end with Hugh Jackman confirming that he is going to return as X-Men’s Wolverine spawned a media frenzy on the internet. But it begged the question: where does that fall in the timeline since the berserker mutant died in Logan (2017). What did Reynolds and Jackman have to say about this? Will we see Wolverine in his famous costume? Check out the details below.
Reynolds and Jackman follow up
Earlier, Ryan Reynolds shared a video that humorously provided the status of the third Deadpool film, which will be the first within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But beyond scenes of Reynolds contemplating and stating he has not done anything, there was only one tidbit at the end. It was a zinger with Reynolds nonchalantly asking Hugh Jackman if he’d like to play Wolverine one more time. And Jackman answered “sure, Ryan.” That confirmation sent the internet buzzing. Most fans had given up hoping that Jackman would return to his role as the X-Men’s resident berserker who is the best he is at what he does. After the critically and commercially successful Logan in 2017, it seemed the actor was done and has moved on to other roles. However, it seems Reynolds and Jackman weren’t quite done with the surprises. Barely a day had passed after the bombshell announcement and a new video dropped from the pair. This time, the two stars apparently expected the many fan questions. These questions included when and where would the team-up fall within the X-Men films’ timeline? Another question is how would this affect the casting of a new Wolverine for the MCU? The two actors were enthusiastic about addressing these concerns. But while it seemed they were going to give definitive answers, another swerve was in store for the audience. As the two talked, the song Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! played, drowning out their voices. Reynolds and Jackman did pantomime what the action will be like between Deadpool and Wolverine. They then ended the video by thanking Kevin Feige. Hugh Jackman played Logan/Wolverine since 2000’s first X-Men movie. He did express a desire to return to the role as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also talked with Marvel Studios president and head creative officer Kevin Feige of that possibility, but no clear results surfaced afterward. That is, until Reynolds released the update. Insiders have also mentioned that the reason this development did not get included in D23 announcements is that Jackman’s contract was still under negotiations at the time.
Fans want Jackman in the suit
One specific call that fans are making regarding Hugh Jackman’s return and introduction to the MCU is for Wolverine to wear the famous costume. Through the years that Hugh Jackman played Wolverine, he did not wear any of the superhero suits from the comics, the animated series, and other media. Instead, Jackman’s Wolverine wore the black uniforms that the rest of the X-Men sported or civilian clothes, most often a leather jacket with a tank top and jeans. The closest that the actor came to wearing Logan’s costume is a deleted scene from The Wolverine. With Wolverine confirmed to return in Deadpool 3, fans of the character are rallying to have a comic book accurate costume. If this will be the true swan song for Jackman to bid goodbye and pass on the role to a new actor, closing it out with finally donning the character’s signature mask and suit would be a nice denouement.
James Mangold is ok with it
One reaction to the news that Jackman was returning to the Wolverine role that received negative fallout from fans was from James Mangold.
— Mangold (@mang0ld) September 28, 2022 James Mangold directed The Wolverine (2013) and Logan. He has also been a frequent collaborator of Jackman on other projects such as The Greatest Showman. But right after the news broke that Wolverine would be back in Deadpool 3, Mangold posted a gif of a scene from Logan, where the clone Wolverine/X-24 impaled the original with a fatal injury. Fans took this to mean that Mangold was not pleased with the return of the mutant hero. However, Mangold has responded that he is completely in support of Hugh Jackman returning, reasoning that the Logan movie happened in an alternate timeline from the X-Men movies. Furthermore, Ryan Reynolds confirmed in the new video with Jackman that they will not ruin the legacy of the Logan film. Reynolds and Jackman stated that the events of Logan occurred in 2029 and is a completely different reality. This is not surprising, as the main timeline of the X-Men films ended with X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), with later films including X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Dark Phoenix (2019), Logan, and The New Mutants (2020) branching off and occurring in separate timelines. In all likelihood, the version of Wolverine that Hugh Jackman will play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to be a variant. This would be similar to how Patrick Stewart reprised his role as Professor X, but from a different reality, as seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Leslie Uggams, Deadpool 3 is currently targeted for release on September 6, 2024.
