Deadpool & Wolverine was Marvel Studios' first R-Rated movie and grossed over $1.3 billion last summer. The threequel proved that not every MCU title needs to be PG-13 and served as a stark reminder of what a huge box office draw Hugh Jackman is when he unsheathes Logan's claws.
That takes nothing away from Ryan Reynolds or Deadpool; however, Wolverine, like Spider-Man, remains one of Marvel's most popular characters, and when you combine that with Jackman's iconic take on the X-Man, interest only increases.
It's no great surprise, then, that the Australian actor is expected to return as Logan in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, his name was absent from Marvel Studios' massive cast reveal, leading to concerns that a deal hasn't been reached.
While it remains to be seen whether Wolverine's return is being saved as a surprise or part of a future casting announcement, Jackman has sparked a fresh wave of speculation with a new Instagram post.
Presented without context, the actor shared a training video which appears to show him getting back into Wolverine-ready shape. That's not necessarily what he's up to here, but the comments on his post are flooded with mentions of the clawed mutant as fans express their excitement.
Avengers: Doomsday is currently shooting in the UK, with the X-Men expected to be a big part of the story that's being told. Jackman is bound to be part of that, even if he's given more to do in the next movie.
Much has been said about what Marvel Studios will do post-Avengers: Secret Wars. Should the role then be recast or does Wolverine get put on the shelf for most (if not all) of the Mutant Saga? Few fans would complain about Henry Cavill taking over the role following his Deadpool & Wolverine cameo...even he’s not Jackman, though!
Either way, The Cavillrine might be out of luck because back in January, scooper @MyTimeToShineH, claimed that the Australian actor is "not even close to being done" and intends to play Wolverine for at least another 10 years. We'll see.
As always, stay tuned for updates as we have them.
Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make the Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
The Russo Brothers direct the movie from a script by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Captain America and Avengers franchises.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.