“Don’t come back”: Kevin Feige Didn’t Want Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine for a Very Logical Reason Most Fans Will Agree With
When Hugh Jackman first revealed he would be reprising his iconic role as Wolverine for the upcoming Deadpool 3 movie titled Deadpool & Wolverine, fans understandably split up. On one hand, the chance to see Wolverine make his way through the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside Deadpool excited the world. On the other hand, it risked undermining the impactful conclusion of Jackman’s Logan arc in 2017.
And just like many of such fans, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige himself was afraid to bring back Logan to the MCU. Feige revealed he was so touched by Logan that he felt undoing such a poetically conclusive arc wouldn’t be wise from a storytelling perspective.
However, Feige’s fear was outweighed by the different variations of narrative potential that can be followed in the MCU’s new multiverse concept.
Kevin Feige’s Hesitation and Hugh Jackman’s Excitement for Deadpool & Wolverine
In a recent interview with Empire, Kevin Feige talked about his concerns and revealed his conversation with Hugh Jackman. The MCU president warned the Australian actor,
“I said, ‘Let me give you a piece of advice, Hugh. Don’t come back’. You had the greatest ending in history with Logan. That’s not something we should undo.’”
Feige’s stance made complete sense from a storytelling perspective. After nearly two decades of playing the role across multiple X-Men films, Logan allowed Jackman to bid an emotional farewell to the Wolverine persona. The film’s depressing, grounded atmosphere showed the inner anguish Wolverine had endured over the years, culminating in a heroic yet tragic demise protecting the franchise’s next generation of mutants. There was no ending better than this for the franchise.
While Feige had his concerns, Jackman couldn’t resist the temptation of one last dance with the claws. According to Empire, Jackman pondered the idea of the possibility of playing the role while he was on a drive. He said,
“I was about an hour into the drive, and that question came into my head: ‘What do I want to do?’ And as soon as I asked the question, I wanted to do Deadpool & Wolverine. I just knew it. I drove for another hour. Couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I got out of the car, called Ryan, and said, ‘Ryan, if you’ll have me, I’m in.’”
The chance to reunite with his longtime friend Ryan Reynolds and relive the iconic Wolverine proved too exciting for Jackman to let Feige’s warning have any impact on him.
How Will Logan Be Introduced in Deadpool & Wolverine?
Feige explained that the introduction of Marvel’s multiverse concept provides the perfect justification to have Jackman on board again. According to IGN, Feige says that the Wolverine we will see in this movie won’t be the Wolverine from any of the Fox’s X-Men movies fans have seen so far. Deadpool & Wolverine will simply be revisiting a parallel universe’s Wolverine who is still alive. It’s an elegant solution that preserves Logan‘s integrity.
Many fan theories and rumors hint at the potential cameos from the likes of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Halle Berry’s Storm, and more iconic X-Men stars of yesteryear. But the film will also introduce Emma Corrin as the villainous Cassandra Nova and Matthew Macfadyen in an undisclosed role.
The movie is set to release in theaters on July 26, 2024. If the movie can pull off such ambitious continuity, it’ll undoubtedly become one of the biggest blockbusters of the MCU. Not even Kevin Feige himself could deny the irresistible appeal of one last dance between Wolverine’s claws and Deadpool’s katanas.
