Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Wolverine

  • Debating Whether Hugh Jackman Could be the MCU’s Wolverine

    Debating Whether Hugh Jackman Could be the MCU’s Wolverine

    In what has been one of the largest blindsides of major Marvel Studios news, it’s been revealed that Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine for the upcoming Deadpool threequel. Naturally, fans are incredibly curious about what this may mean for the upcoming film and with Secret Wars looming, potentially beyond. Arguably the most notable talking point will be what this means for the character of Wolverine as a whole between the Hugh Jackman variant and the hypothetical future version in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the surface-level take would be to assume they’ll bring in a new actor down the road to portray some version of the character, the case can be made for Marvel Studios to actually keep Hugh Jackman in the role for a specific purpose. Let’s take a look at the cases for why and why wouldn’t Jackman become the Earth-616 version of Wolverine.

    Hugh Jackman in X-Men: Days of Future Past

    Why Hugh Jackman Wouldn’t be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Wolverine

    There are ample reasons why Hugh Jackman wouldn’t work as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s main timeline Wolverine. While the star has been synonymous with the character for over two decades, Marvel Studios would likely want to make room for a new interpretation of Wolverine. From the get-go, it would create the opportunity for the character of Wolverine to go in a different direction from the “Logan” moniker into predominately James Howlett. It’s certainly not the most important element but is emblematic of Kevin Feige’s potential desire to bring a more comic-inspired version of Wolverine to the big screen. In a world where the X-Men universe of characters will need to be distinct to stand apart from the original film adaptation, removing Wolverine’s “leading man” energy would be an easy place to start. Having Wolverine be the shortest and hairiest version possible would be a welcome change to a number of fans. 

    With that in mind, having a new actor in the role would provide significantly more creative freedom. Wolverine is someone with a rich history that hasn’t been fully told yet (even with Jackman’s many portrayals of the character) and going with a younger actor would ultimately bring more narrative opportunities for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wolverine is one of the most popular characters in the Marvel pantheon and having longevity for the role could be something paramount for Kevin Feige to consider.

    In addition, having Hugh Jackman as the mainline version of Wolverine might take away from what could be a compelling multiversal story with his character. Having an actor with the cache of Jackman returning would presumably necessitate a compelling story arc for his character. Returning for at least Deadpool III could open the door for this version of Wolverine to have a new satisfying concluding arc to him that would maybe be muddled by staying in the Marvel Cinematic Universe afterward.

    Hugh Jackman in Logan

    Why Hugh Jackman Would Work at the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Wolverine

    Alternativly, Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine could really work within the framework of the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. The main crux of this though would be the notion that the Logan version of the character is more of a supporting character to a different primary Wolverine: Laura Kinney. She has been distinctly popular with fans for a considerable amount of time, especially since Dafne Keen’s portrayal in Logan. In recent years has been seen as a marquee character in X-Men comics as an official Wolverine. Marvel Studios would be smart to at least consider striking while the iron is hot and bring in the currently-17-year-old actress to reprise her role for the long-term future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

    It would be a massive creative gamble by Marvel Studios to have Laura Kinney be the primary Wolverine of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (perhaps their largest creative risk), but it doesn’t feel like it would be completely out of the realm of possibility. It certainly guarantees an entirely new vibe from the X-Men that would be massively different from the original film adaptations by Fox. Jackman’s version of the character loomed large over essentially every project and moving him to a distinctly supporting role would allow different characters to shine on the silver screen. And if there remains a desire to see Logan in his prime, de-aging technology in film continues to advance and seeing what would appear to be a younger Hugh Jackman in action via CGI grows more possible, if it isn’t already.

    A second option for bringing in Hugh Jackman is a bit more niche, but would still drum up excitement with fans. A World War Hulk film adaptation has long been rumored to be in the offing, and it’s a film that would feel like a logical endpoint for the character of Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With that in mind, some of the most seminal stories for both Hulk and Wolverine that haven’t been adapted is their epic showdown in the comics. And unless there is a surprise casting of a new Wolverine in the relatively new future, Jackman would in theory be the best chance at seeing Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk fight against a Wolverine on the big screen.

    Conclusions

    With every point and counterpoint to consider, it would be very likely that Hugh Jackman wouldn’t return as Wolverine for any other projects besides Deadpool III (and potentially a cameo role in Avengers: Secret Wars). Jackman is currently 53 years old and presumably wouldn’t want to make that sort of long-term commitment, even if it was for more of a supporting role. In addition, Kevin Feige and company would likely be interested in creating their own take on the character that is distinct from what came before. Even still, it would not be entirely shocking if Marvel Studios decided to make other types of radical and unexpected differences to make their version of the X-Men stand out from the original cinematic versions.

  • BREAKING: Hugh Jackman Returns as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3’, Gets September 2024 Release

    BREAKING: Hugh Jackman Returns as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool 3’, Gets September 2024 Release

    No, you read that correctly but it looks like Hugh Jackman isn’t quite done yet with his role as Wolverine. Ryan Reynolds shared a new video on his official Twitter account and suddenly dropped the news that Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in the upcoming third Deadpool movie. Not only that but he also revealed that the film will premiere on September 6th, 2025.

    There’s a fun reference in regard to the film not being featured during D23 but this random drop is right up Reynold‘s usual marketing scheme for the character. Instead of being a part of the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe, they are still going to explore Deadpool as part of the original 20th Century Fox era of the X-Men. Perhaps this is meant to not only send off the character into the multiverse but also as a way to wrap up the trilogy, which has repeatedly mocked their relationship.

    We also got a new logo fitting for Wolverine’s return and includes the Marvel Studios logo.

    This is technically the first non-mainline MCU project to release throughout the Multiverse Saga and it seems fitting that they’d make use of some familiar elements. If they are still waiting for an opportunity to fully use some elements from the original before they start building their own. Who knows if this also opens up the possibility of Hugh Jackman reeturning in Avengers: Secret Wars. After him seemingly leaving the role behind, it’s crazy to think Wolverine is back in style and perhaps he hopefully gets to finally wear the iconic suit this time around.

    Source: Twitter

  • Taron Egerton in Talks with Marvel Studios, Interested in Playing MCU’s Wolverine

    Taron Egerton in Talks with Marvel Studios, Interested in Playing MCU’s Wolverine

    Kingsman: The Secret Service and Rocketman‘s Taron Egerton has actively talked about his hope of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe one day. Amid fans casting him as the MCU’s new Wolverine, Egerton expressed excitement in taking up the reigns from Hugh Jackman. Luckily, The New York Times had the chance to sit down with the actor during his press tour for the Apple TV+ series Black Bird, where he revealed that he has indeed met with Marvel Studio executives, including Kevin Feige himself. Egerton also explicitly mentions Jackman, adding to the rumors that the talks might’ve been for the role of Wolverine.

    I don’t think it would be wrong to say that. I’d be excited but I’d be apprehensive as well, because Hugh is so associated with the role that I’d wonder if it’d be very difficult for someone else to do it. But hopefully if it does come around, they’ll give me a shot.”

    Egerton has been a popular pick to take on the role of Wolverine, but it’s not 100% confirmed if these talks were for the role, or a different character in the MCU. However, with a film career as eclectic as his, Egerton has proven that he has the range to succeed Jackman as Wolverine. Not to mention that Egerton stands at a not-all-that-tall 5 feet 9 inches; a perfectly acceptable height for an actor playing Wolverine. Here’s hoping the conversations between Egerton and Marvel Studios come to fruition sooner rather than later.

    Source: New York Times

  • Sandra Bullock Tells Marvel to Cast Daniel Radcliffe as Wolverine

    Sandra Bullock Tells Marvel to Cast Daniel Radcliffe as Wolverine

    When it comes to Wolverine, it often feels like many actors have been rumored to take on the iconic character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One actor that is commonly mentioned, however, is none other than Harry Potter actor, Daniel Radcliffe. In the past, Radcliffe has suggested he’s never heard the rumors regarding him being in contention for the role. Still, the actor didn’t seem against the rumors. “I don’t see myself, I don’t see them going from Hugh Jackman to me. But who knows? Prove me wrong, Marvel.”

    Now, his The Lost City co-star Sandra Bullock is ready for Marvel to cast him in the role. In a recent interview with It’s Gone Viral to promote The Lost City, the duo talked about Radcliffe’s long-rumored past with the role. As Radcliffe explains he’s been dealing with the rumors for quite a few years now. “Mate, that’s been happening to me semi-annually for the last three years.”

    This led to Bullock asking why he simply didn’t just take on the role of Wolverine. Per the actor, however, he still hasn’t been approached by Marvel Studios or anyone associated with the studio regarding any Wolverine casting. Bullock then threw her support behind Radcliffe getting the role, urging Marvel to get on it already. “Wolverine people, can you please just f***ing cast him. Just do it. Stop tiptoeing around and having people ask at press junkets. Just cast the man.”

    As it stands, it is unknown when Wolverine will finally appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, until someone is cast, it seems likely Radcliffe will have to endure the Wolverine rumors for a bit longer.

    Source: It’s Gone Viral.

  • Original Wolverine Voice Actor Cal Dodd Started Recording for ‘X-Men ’97’

    Original Wolverine Voice Actor Cal Dodd Started Recording for ‘X-Men ’97’

    Marvel Studios had its first venture into animation last year with What If…? but that was just the beginning. During Disney+ Day, we got the announcement that they will revive the classic X-Men: Animated Series. It’ll continue the 90s nostalgia classic under the new title X-Men ’97. Of course, they went the extra step and will have the original cast return. We already learned that Le Zann started recording her lines for Rogue, but it looks like Cal Dodd, the original Wolverine voice actor, shared a picture of his work on the project.

    Dodd continued to voice the character in the Marvel vs Capcom game series and has been what everyone thought of when it came to the character before Jason Blum and Hugh Jackman reinvented the characters in other animated and live-action projects. It’s great to see him return and there’s a lot of hope for the animated live-action revival. It’ll also be Marvel Studios’ first time tackling the X-Men characters and Wolverine since they purchased 20th Century Fox. It’ll be interesting to see how they tackle the revival, as well as his eventual live-action return.

    Source: Twitter

  • Exclusive: Mighty Ducks Star Brady Noon Wants to Be the Next Wolverine

    Exclusive: Mighty Ducks Star Brady Noon Wants to Be the Next Wolverine

    Brady Noon is breaking out. Following his recurring role as Tommy Darmody in Boardwalk Empire, Noon co-starred in 2019’s Good Boys before landing the lead in the Disney Plus series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. Noon’s latest project is the Disney Plus original animated film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid where the 15-year old actor voiced Greg Heffley, the main character and the titular wimpy kid.

    Disney and Noon seem to have a good relationship. He’s set to return for Season 2 of The Mighty Ducks and is expected to reprise the role of Greg in the 2022 Diary of a Wimpy Kid sequel, Rodrick Rules. As we’ve seen before, when Disney likes an actor, the studio likes to continue to work with them across multiple of their platforms. With that in mind, our Arlyn Murphy had an interesting question for Noon when they spoke earlier this week. Given that Disney owns Marvel Studios, Murphy asked Noon what Marvel character he’d like to bring to life if given his choice. 

    If I were to have to play any Marvel character, I’d probably want to play Wolverine as a kid or, like, Wolverine as a teenager. Being a young Hugh Jackman! I feel like that’d be pretty cool.

    A younger Wolverine would certainly be one way for Marvel Studios to differentiate its version from the Fox version that Jackman played over two decades. We only briefly saw a young Logan in the Fox films, which rushed through the story told over six comic issues between 2001 and 2002 in Origin. A more direct adaptation of the comic might, in fact, make for a very good Disney Plus series, so Noon just might be onto something here. Could he be the first actor to go SNIKT in the MCU? With the direction his career is headed in now, it seems like anything is possible. 

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid hits Disney Plus on Dec. 3.

  • PS5’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Creative Director Confirms Mature Rating

    PS5’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Creative Director Confirms Mature Rating

    We’ve been left with many questions after the surprise reveal that Insomniac is working on a Wolverine game for PlayStation 5. The brief teaser trailer was filled to the brim with Easter eggs from the character’s long comic history but was mainly to announce it is currently in production. It did give us some small glimpses into the design of their version of Wolverine and that he’ll certainly rough up some people in his new journey.

    Shortly after, we got the confirmation that they are also going to release a sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man in 2023, which also made some concern it might just be a smaller project like the Miles Morales midquel. Well, luckily the game’s Creative Director Brian Horton took to Twitter to not only confirm it’s a full-size game but will also keep a mature tone.

    https://twitter.com/BrianHortonArt/status/1437066535839809544

    It’s great news for fans of the character. While his time in the 20th Century Fox franchise had him mainly in PG-13 projects, the character is known for his bloodier interactions. So, it’s great they aren’t dialing it back and PlayStation isn’t shy to include some mature projects in their line-up that still perform incredibly well. It’s also what made the X-Men Origins: Wolverine game stand out when it got released back in 2009. To this day, it might be one of the best tie-in games to a film and there’s a lot of inspiration Insomniac might take from it.

    Source: Twitter

  • Insomniac’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Adds ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Story Consultant Evan Narcisse

    Insomniac’s ‘WOLVERINE’ Adds ‘MARVEL’S AVENGERS’ Story Consultant Evan Narcisse

    It was quite a surprise when we got the reveal of Insomniac’s Wolverine game. The PlayStation 5 exclusive game is still quite a mystery, but it looks like a familiar face is joining the project as a story consultant. Evan Narcisse, who is famous for his work on the Rise of the Black Panther comic series, took to Twitter to announce that he’s working on the new Marvel game as a story consultant alongside Kim Belair. He also recently worked on developing the Black Panther DLC titled War for Wakanda, which added the iconic hero to the ever-expanding Marvel’s Avengers.

    https://twitter.com/EvNarc/status/1436346986765115406

    He helped developers Crystal Dynamics bring the world of Wakanda to life and has quite a bit of experience in the world of gaming and with Marvel. It’ll be interesting to see what he might bring to adapt to the popular X-Men family member. While the trailer includes various references, it’s uncertain which direction they might be taking with his character. We may explore the vast history he shares as far back as World War 2. It’s uncertain if this entry is also in the same universe as Spider-Man, which seems like a perfect opportunity to build up a connected universe.

    Narcisse addition is a great sign and hopefully, we might see other comic writers join these projects as consultants. Paul Dini famously joined the first Batman: Arkham Asylum game to help solidify the characters and its story. So, it’s great seeing the writers from these many iconic characters add some much-needed life to these projects. It’ll be interesting to see if Spider-Man 2 may also have some story consultants help bring the infamous Venom storyline to life.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: ‘Wolverine’ Anthology Series in Development for Disney+

    RUMOR: ‘Wolverine’ Anthology Series in Development for Disney+

    It’s been a few months since the Illuminerdi revealed that the X-Men are potentially making their return under the title, The Mutants. We haven’t heard anything about the franchise and Marvel Studios’ plans for them since. Well, the latest rumor may be hinting at the return of one icon, Wolverine. Hugh Jackman made Logan one of the central figures of 20th Century Fox’s franchise. It was uncertain if Kevin Feige would try to take a unique approach and leave him out since the character has become synonymous with the actor. Well, That Hashtag Show reports that Marvel Studios is in early development on a Wolverine-centric Disney+ show.

    Now, the thing that makes it rather interesting is that they claim that the series will be an anthology series. The first season aims to adapt the iconic Weapon X story and generally act as his origin within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The project is in the very early stages of development. So, there is no talent attached in any way. That Hashtag Show believe they might be aiming to reveal something during this year’s D23 event, which is interesting given that it has been cancelled.

    It is a rumor for now. So, we have to take it with a grain of salt. Still, it would be a creative approach. Wolverine has lived a long life, as teased in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. They could use this format to introduce the character and explore parts of his history that weren’t the spotlight of the X-Men franchise. We’ll see if Wolverine will continue to keep the spotlight in future ventures, or if he might take a backseat for some time.

    Source: That Hashtag Show

  • RUMOR: Alpha Flight Bound for the MCU

    RUMOR: Alpha Flight Bound for the MCU

    According to a Caleb Williams of Knight Edge Media, Marvel Studios is keen on introducing Alpha Flight to the MCU. Normally one tweet wouldn’t get me to turn on my laptop and type up a story, but this tweet resonates with some things I’ve heard and discussed on the podcast in the past.

    Created by John Byrne and first appearing in 1979’s Uncanny X-Men #120, Alpha Flight is a Canadian super team that plays a key role in the the long history of Wolverine; in fact, their first appearance saw their team leader, Vindicator, who first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #109 where he failed in his solo effort to bring the Canucklehead back into the fold, lead his team in to atone for his failure. The original team, which included Sasquatch, Shaman, twins Northstar and Aurora and Snowbird under the command of Vindicator-characters Byrne had developed long before his tenure at Marvel-were chosen to provide the X-Men with a real challenge. In 1983, Byrne wrote a solo Alpha Flight series that introduced one of the team’s most beloved members, Eugene Judd, aka Puck. Recently Puck lead a different version of Alpha Flight into space working alongside Carol Danvers before the original team returned just this past Fall.

    This rumor is incredibly interesting to me because, as Charles Villanueva and I have talked about on the podcast several times, it lines up with some information I heard quite some time ago, so while I am in no way confirming this, it’s definitely something I will keep an eye on because one of my most trusted sources told me that Alpha Flight was a property that Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, believed to have great potential. This information was from a time before Disney Plus was a factor, so I have no idea what the plans might be, but if we speculate a bit, you can see there are a lot of options.

    Obviously, everyone will eagerly focus on Wolverine’s past with the team as they eagerly anticipate the MCU version of Logan, but there are more options here than him. In Avengers: Endgame, Hulk mentions that part of the process of him merging his two personalities was spending some time in his “gamma lab” during the 5 year hiatus; I’m curious to see if Dr. Walter Langkowski, aka Sasquatch, might have been a part of his team or if, like in the comics, he was doing his own work on the Hulk’s experiment. Either way, Sasquatch, who played an interesting role in Al Ewing‘s The Immortal Hulk, brings another gamma related character into the mix in addition to She-Hulk.

    Sasquatch 'Dies' in Immortal Hulk #4 -- And Then Things Get ...

    Mutant twins Northstar and Aurora are more than just copies of the Maximoff twins. Jean-Paul Beaubier is the first major Marvel character to be openly gay and his sister, Jeanne-Marie, has struggled with dissociative identity disorder throughout her years in the comics. Michael Twoyoungmen, aka Shaman, is a powerful First Nations mystic who has taken some harrowing journeys throughout the years and aided in the birth of Snowbird, a demigod and daughter of the Inuit goddess Nelvanna. As Marvel Studios continues to make their films more representative of the world, you can see how Alpha Flight provides a great opportunity to diversify their character lineup.

    Again, this is all speculation based off a single tweet, so temper your expectations and be cautious and careful in how you spread the news. I am NOT confirming the rumor, only sharing that I heard 2 years or so ago that Feige saw great promise in the group and speculating on how they might fit in. For all we know, it might not even be the original team and, instead, the tweet is about the version that served with Captain Marvel. As always, time will tell.