We’ve been conditioned not to believe it when athletes announce their retirement. We should have the same skepticism when it comes to actors and their most iconic roles. I, for one, still think Harrison Ford will find his way back to Indiana Jones somehow. In the case of Hugh Jackman and his retirement from the role of Wolverine, well, NOBODY wanted to see that, which is why fans were so happy to learn that he’d be suiting up again for Deadpool 3.
A Hugh Jackman/Ryan Reynolds team-up has been on fan wishlists for years, but Jackman had been hesitant because he didn’t want to mess up 2017’s Logan, the film that effectively wrote-off the character heading into his retirement…
“If I’m honest, I announced ‘Logan’ was my last [‘X-Men’ film], and I went to see ‘Deadpool’ and 20 minutes in, I’m like, ‘Curses!’” Jackman explained on The Jess Cagle Show. “All I could see is Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in ‘48 Hrs.’ This is something we haven’t done with the character. That’s the kind of dynamic we haven’t had before. But then I just put it aside and was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m done.’ And then we made ‘Logan,’ and I was super happy with it. ”
Fortunately, Marvel’s been doing so much messing around with the timeline as part of their Multiverse Saga that Jackman realized he could join the MCU and not mess up Logan too much…
“All because of this device they have in the Marvel world of moving around timelines, now we can go back because, you know, it’s science. So, I don’t have to screw with the ‘Logan’ timeline, which was important to me. And I think probably to the fans too.”
Good on him for caring enough to try and give all of the fans what they want. He’s right, too; Logan is such a phenomenal film, a perfect mix of intense action and bittersweet drama that it’s a perfect finale to that character. Don’t fuck with it!
So we’ll get to see Jackman and Reynolds do their best 48 Hrs impression when Deadpool 3 opens on November 8th 2024.
