Hugh Jackman Returns as the MCU’s Wolverine in DEADPOOL 3, Coming 2024

Disney and Deadpool are an interesting match. And many people have been eagerly following Deadpool 3 news to better understand how the Disney-owned Marvel Studios and the previously Fox Entertainment Group’s Deadpool might come together. In previous, Kevin Feige promised that Deadpool 3 would be an MCU movie and that it would remain R-rated, a first for the franchise. And now, we get our first look at this odd-couple pairing. But it comes with an even odder, more exciting couple. Welcome, Deadpool, to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And in the same breath, welcome, Wolverine, to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And surprise, welcome Hugh Jackman as Wolverine to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Deadpool 3.

If you’re wondering what this means for Logan and Wolverine’s big screen continuity, though, don’t worry, they have answers. Sort of.

Yep, that’s right. What starts as just a casual video from Ryan Reynolds becomes so much more. Because we are getting our MCU Wolverine, baby. And that MCU Wolverine is going to be Hugh Jackman in Deadpool 3. For so long, everyone has been asking, who will play the MCU’s Wolverine? So, of course, the MCU had to answer with the most obvious answer that no one expected to hear. We don’t know if Jackman intends to continue to be the MCU’s Wolverine, but we’ll get him for at least for one more movie. Everyone’s heads are exploding right now in a way that will surely please Deadpool.

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman Address the Logan/Deadpool 3 Question

Wolverine in his dying moments from Logan.
20th Century Studios

We thought we saw the end of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in Logan. ( As did director James Mangold.) But this is a comic book character we’re talking about, after all, which means a surprise return is not only possible, it’s expected.

We still have questions, though, about what the Greatest Adamantium Showman’s return in Deadpool 3 means for the “end” of his story. Fortunately, Reynolds and Jackman are here to help address them…in exactly the way you’d expect.

Ah, yes, that clears everything up. Logan takes place years after Deadpool 3, and they both really like Wham! (Who doesn’t!) Jackman also recently noted to Sirius XM’s Radio Andy program:

Because of this device they have in the Marvel world of moving around timelines, now we can go back, because…it’s science. And so I don’t have to screw with the Logan timeline, which was important to me, and I think probably to the fans, too.

Sounds like potential time travel is in the works. And what’s that about a device? For that answer and for answers to questions about the multiverse, the existence of mutants in Earth-616, and the million other queries we have, we’ll just have to wait.

R-Rated Deadpool and Wolverine in the MCU

In previous, Feige noted he felt excited to bring a “very different type of character [to] the MCU.” And Deadpool certainly is that, but also, he isn’t. In many ways, Wade Wilson and Ryan Reynolds both make a lot of sense in the world of the MCU. The franchise has already been pushing the envelope with entries such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This is the logical next step. There are, after all, plenty of kid-friendly options to choose from among the MCU’s many, many movies. And with High Jackman and Wolverine in the mix for Deadpool 3, we can’t wait for what’s certainly in store for us. This will no doubt also be a Wolverine like we’ve never seen him before.

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman sitting on a couch acting out a fight between Deadpool and Wolverine
Ryan Reynolds

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine has appeared in an R-rated movie before. But we have a feeling Jackman’s Wolverine rendition in Logan and Deadpool 3 may feel a little different. Recently, Jackman shared more about what we could expect from the new MCU Wolverine. Will we see an angrier Logan or a gentler version of the character? Jackman responded with the obvious, saying:

“He’s definitely angrier, acerbic, grumpy, and he’s gonna take a lot of free shots at Ryan Reynolds, let me tell you… Physically, that is.” It definitely sounds like we’ll see a Wolverine that’s totally new. And that Deadpool better watch out. Reynolds recently confirmed this news, sharing with Variety, “What we pitched him was enough of a divergence from the character that he knows and the character that he’s left behind, that it gives him something completely new to play and something that he’s really excited to do.”

Additionally, Jackman recently offered more insight about the relationship between Deadpool and Wolverine in the MCU. He described the pair’s relationship to The Empire Film Podcast saying:

“10 being really close, zero being — that’s what we are, we are zero. We are opposites. Hate each other. He’s annoyed by him. Wants to be a million miles away from him or punch him in the head. So, unfortunately, he can’t be a million miles away from him in the movie, so I’m probably going to punch him in the head a lot… [They are] Polar opposites. He’s my vinegar to his sugar. He’s the fast-talking, quick-word loudmouth and my character just wants to punch him in the head.”

That’s a lot of punching, for sure.

Deadpool 3 and Phase 6 of the MCU

Jackman has said in previous that he won’t play Wolverine again and was retired from the role. But we guess the siren song of Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool, and the MCU called him back. He notes to Variety that he actually thought about it for a long time, but it took him longer to get onboard. In fact, Reynolds asked Jackman to come back as Wolverine for Deadpool 3 “on the daily” for approximately three years. And had nearly given up when Jackman finally agreed to return to the character.

As for Deadpool himself, we still don’t yet know if Deadpool will hail from a different multiverse in Deadpool 3 or if the move will explain he’s been kicking around the MCU all along, just out of sight. Either way, we are very happy to have him. And with Ryan Reynolds overseeing his long-time character, we’re confident he’s going to turn out just right. Not to mention, we can’t wait to see which of our MCU favs he (and now maybe Wolverine) eventually interact get to meet.

Deadpool 3‘s R-rated nature really does open the door to many new possibilities in the MCU. We wonder if Deadpool will remain a stand-alone R-rated arm, or whether other heroes will get to fight a little dirtier. We guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Deadpool 3, now with more Hugh Jackman Wolverine-fun, was slated to release on September 6, 2024. But now it will release on November 8, 2024. Although the MCU hasn’t said for sure, it could be that Deadpool 3 will kick off Phase 6 of the MCU, which begins with a “Fall 2024” release.

Originally published on September 27, 2022.

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