Hugh Jackman has now been playing Wolverine for over two decades, and despite other actors being cast as younger takes on his fellow X-Men when the timeline was reset following First Class, he has stayed on as the fan-favorite mutant hero.
Jackman thought he had hung up the claws for good after James Mangold's Logan, but was convinced to reprise the role for this month's Deadpool and Wolverine, and there are rumors that he will remain in the MCU as Logan for at least one more movie.
During yesterday's Berlin fan-event, Ryan Reynolds offered high praise to his friend and co-star, explaining that the reason "there's only been one Wolverine" is that "no one can do it except [Hugh Jackman."
While it is difficult to imagine another actor doing as great a job as Jackman, recasting that particular character isn't quite as simple as the rest of the X-Men, since Logan's healing factor means that he hasn't really aged very much over the years.
During the Shanghai event, Jackman said that making Deadpool and Wolverine was "one of the greatest" experiences of his career.
"I feel in many ways fans of Wolverine — because of Deadpool, because of [Reynolds and Levy], are going to see a fuller, more different side to him than you've seen before. And that was thrilling for me, and I hope it is for you. The experience of making the movie was also one of the greatest of my career, and I've been playing Wolverine for 25 years. This experience exceeded anything I've done before as this character — and in many other movies, in anything. I loved it. And I think it shows on the screen. You can feel the warmth. The movie has a warmth to it, and it's funny, and it's irreverent, and the action is crazy. But I think you can feel the friendship."
Could Jackman stick around as Wolverine even when a new team is introduced for the planned Marvel Studios reboot? We know Kevin Feige is a big fan, so depending on the success of D&W - and box office estimates are very positive - it's certainly a possibility.
The MPAA recently gave the movie an official R-rating for: "Strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore, and sexual references."
“Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date - Deadpool & Wolverine," reads the new synopsis. "A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier... reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to - F*ck. Synopses are so f*cking stupid.”
In addition to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the title roles, Deadpool and Wolverine will see Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Rob Delaney (Peter), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) And Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio) return as their respective characters, and they'll be joined by franchise newcomers Emma Corrin (The Crown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), who will play a TV agent and Charles Xavier's evil counterpart, Cassandra Nova.
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool and Wolverine from a script by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells.
The movie is set to open in U.S. & Canadian theaters on July 26, and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD and premium screens everywhere.