Hugh Jackman deciding to play Wolverine one more time was something that the actor didn’t think he’d do. “For five years, I was really honest when I said, ‘I’m never playing that part again, I promise you,'” he explained to Empire. Apparently, he’d rejected several pleas from Ryan Reynolds for him to return before he finally agreed. “It was August 14, [2022],” he recalled. “I remember driving and it just came to me like that. I just thought this would be so much fun.”
It’s easy to see the appeal, especially considering Jackman has always played Wolverine in a fairly serious context. While those “X-Men” films of his weren’t exactly humorless, the writers and actors did take them seriously most of the time. The closest thing to a meta-joke was the throwaway line about yellow spandex in the first film, which really only served to showcase just how grounded the movie was trying to be. Getting to play Wolverine in a movie where the rules are far more flexible, where the characters get to be a little more aware of their fictional status, has got to be a breath of fresh air.
And although the script for “Deadpool 3” isn’t finished yet, Jackman also told Empire that he was very on board with the general plan for Wolverine and Deadpool’s dynamic:
“They hate each other. [Logan] is annoyed by him. Frustrated by him. Wants to be a million miles away from him. Unfortunately, he can’t be a million miles away from him in this movie. He’s the fast-talking, quick-witted loudmouth and my character just wants to punch him in the head.”
“Deadpool 3” is currently scheduled to make its way into theaters on November 8, 2024.