Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman has made a stunning confession about his return as Wolverine, revealing that he will never again say "never" to playing the iconic X-Men character. The actor, who famously retired from the role after 2017's emotional finale in 'Logan', has now opened up about what prompted his unexpected comeback in the 2024 Marvel blockbuster 'Deadpool and Wolverine'.
The 'Never Say Never' Philosophy
During a recent appearance on 'The Graham Norton Show', Jackman reflected on his previous declarations about leaving the Wolverine character behind. "Every time you're on (a talk show), you gotta go, 'Nope, I'm not doing that again'," the actor admitted with a laugh. "But then you keep making another one. And it's a big big hit. So are you gonna have to do it again? Maybe."
Jackman emphasized that he's learned his lesson about making absolute statements. "I am never saying 'never' ever again," he declared. "But I did mean it when I said 'never' (the first time), until the day when I changed my mind. But I really did for quite a few years, I meant it." This honest admission comes seven years after he originally announced he was done playing the clawed superhero.
The Game-Changing Moment
What exactly caused Jackman to reconsider his retirement from the iconic role? The actor revealed during last year's 'Deadpool and Wolverine' press tour that watching the first 'Deadpool' movie completely changed his perspective.
"I was like, 'Those two characters together'. I knew it," Jackman told Fandango. "I knew the fans wanted it ever since I put on the claws, people talked about these two. So, that had always been there, but I just knew."
The realization was so powerful that Jackman immediately reached out to his friend and co-star Ryan Reynolds without consulting anyone else. "I rang Ryan. And I just said, 'Let's do it'. Like, I hadn't rung my agent, no one," he recalled. "I had to ring my agent and said, 'Oh, by the way, I have just committed to a movie'."
Marvel's Initial Resistance
Interestingly, not everyone in the Marvel universe was immediately enthusiastic about Jackman's return as Wolverine. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed to Empire that he originally advised the actor against resurrecting the character.
"I said, 'Let me give you a piece of advice, Hugh. Don't come back'," Feige revealed. "'You had the greatest ending in history with 'Logan'. That's not something we should undo'."
However, Marvel fans eventually discovered the clever solution that allowed Jackman to return without undermining the emotional conclusion of 'Logan'. Thanks to the Marvel multiverse, the actor portrays a new variant of Wolverine rather than the same version he played for decades and whose story concluded in the 2017 film.
Jackman's return has generated massive excitement among Marvel fans worldwide, proving that sometimes the most definitive endings can have surprising new beginnings in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.
