UPDATE 3/30: James Mangold now confirmed via Twitter that he will be directing Jackman in The Wolverine 2, and that that film, not X-Men: Apocalypse, would be his last time.
“@RealHughJackman: WOLVERINE …ONE LAST TIME. HJ https://t.co/vlqMyFchGx” Can’t wait to make this, HJ! Been toiling quietly a while now!
— Mangold (@mang0ld) March 29, 2015
There isn’t a single actor who has been playing a superhero as long and as well as Hugh Jackman as X-Men’s Wolverine. Across six films, seven if you count his blink and you’ll miss it cameo in X-Men First Class, he’s built himself up as a real movie star with character, charisma and a tough-guy, who gives a shit attitude that just about no one wearing superhero tights today can match. Robert Downey Jr. comes pretty close and will soon surpass Jackman, but Jackman is a great example that you can’t just stick some hunk like Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern or some meathead beefcake like Jason Momoa in the upcoming Aquaman and expect a hit. Sadly however, Jackman revealed this weekend that he’s gearing up to play Wolverine just one last time. He posted this photo to Instagram on Saturday:
Obviously losing him represents a big loss, but it’s obvious that Jackman will finally want to move on to doing bigger and better things. That hasn’t necessarily stopped him of late from playing roles where he can demonstrate his range as an actor. He currently is filming Eddie the Eagle (which he made clear in yet another Instagram photo this weekend), then he’ll be appearing in Pan as Blackbeard, and finally in The Greatest Showman on Earth he’ll portray P.T. Barnum, which is possibly perfect casting.
Collider‘s theory is that his last time playing Wolverine will be in The Wolverine sequel rumored to be directed by James Mangold and scheduled for 2017, and not for X-Men: Apocalypse next year. Even if Jackman is gone however, there’s not a doubt in my mind that Wolverine’s role would be recast and rebooted. But if his last go around was for Apocalypse, I sincerely doubt any new actor would be able to immediately headline a Wolverine sequel.
Still, between Jackman and Liam Neeson announcing his action movie retirement in the coming years, this has been a sad few weeks for movie badassery. So with that, here’s Hugh Jackman deadlifting 435 pounds.