Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine for nearly a quarter of a century, redefining what a comic-book hero could look like on screen. For years, he insisted that 2017 would be his last adventure, the last goodbye. However, ‘Deadpool and Wolverine‘, a blockbuster that broke records, rekindled the fans’ affection with the character.
Now, as Marvel gears up to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, the biggest films of the Multiverse Saga, the question is bigger than ever: Will Hugh Jackman come back? And this time, Jackman is not refusing anything; on the contrary, he is keeping the door open.
Wolverine’s MCU Return Suddenly Looks Possible Again
For years, Jackman drew a firm line: The chapter had closed. However, in the true superhero style, all was different. Jackman responded to the increasing rumors of Wolverine appearing in the next crossover movies. And in a recent interview with Digital Spy, he opened up a lot of doors. “I’m never saying ‘never’ ever again,” he simply stated. These words have weight, coming from a man who once vowed that he was done.
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Jackman said that he actually thought he was leaving the role, until something changed creatively and personally, and eventually resulted in ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’, the most successful Wolverine film ever. He even joked that Marvel now has enough footage to “make an AI version of him,” but fans know that nothing replaces the real thing. What makes this tease more intriguing is Jackman’s playful refusal to address ‘Doomsday’ rumors directly.
When asked earlier if he was hiding a secret appearance, he laughed: “I really can’t say much… except when you say ‘appear,’ it’s more like dominate and destroy every other character. I’m kidding.” This is the way Wolverine fans think, and Jackman knows it. His answers are not straight-up denials, and that is enough for fans to dream of another comeback.
In the meantime, Kevin Feige has publicly admitted that Marvel is constantly contemplating where they can fit them in, and how quickly, ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’. In other words: Jackman’s future in the MCU is not a matter of if, but when. And ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which already has confirmed legacy X-Men actors, feels like the most natural stage for Wolverine to crash into.
‘Secret Wars’ Filming Update Reveals Marvel’s Endgame Plans For Its Multiverse
While Jackman’s comeback is not yet confirmed, Marvel is already setting up for its most ambitious ending since ‘Endgame’. And the studio has just nailed down the next crucial milestone: ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ starts shooting in the summer of 2026. THR reports that the Russo brothers are still in post-production on ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, with additional photography scheduled for spring 2026, right before leaping into ‘Secret Wars’.
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The two movies are tightly tied, just like ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’. Additionally, the chronology indicated that Marvel is setting up the multiverse battle. And that brings Wolverine back into the picture. In another sad twist, ‘Secret Wars’ could actually be Jackman’s last stop. Jackman and Reynolds are in another universe than the primary MCU timeline. However, with ‘Secret Wars’ adapting the most multiverse-laden storyline in the history of Marvel, that obstacle becomes irrelevant.
X-Men characters from Fox, Sony universes, alternate MCU branches, and others are likely to collide. This is precisely what Marvel would spare Wolverine for. Moreover, the evidence is piling up: Jackman is open to returning, and Feige would like ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ to be strategically positioned. Additionally, several original X-Men actors are confirmed in Doomsday. ‘Secret Wars’ is also heavily speculated to have legacy heroes playing significant parts. Everything indicates that Jackman will get one last multiversal farewell.
