The producers of Deadpool 3 dropped a bombshell on fans after revealing that the film will feature Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine. Although the actor's masterful turn in 2017's Logan was widely regarded as his swan song, news of another appearance has been met with celebration. A Deadpool movie makes the ideal spot, too, being borderline satirical and able to do its job without diminishing Logan's brilliance.
The announcement has also generated rumors or at least hopes that Jackman could stay on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for an extended period. It's likely wishful thinking -- Jackman is now 54 and has largely indicated that Logan was his farewell to the role, shenanigans with Ryan Reynolds notwithstanding. More importantly, the MCU needs and deserves its own take on the character.
Hugh Jackman's Potential Role in Deadpool 3 and Beyond
Both Wolverine and Jackman have been easy targets for jokes in the first two Deadpool movies. The jabs stem largely from Wade Wilson's disastrous live-action debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where one of comics' most notorious motormouths had his mouth sealed shut. That also leaves the Deadpool movies an utter hash in terms of continuity, which matters very little since they deliberately play such minutia for laughs. Jackman's return will presumably play into that -- likely as a straight man in a manner similar to Josh Brolin's Cable in Deadpool 2.
Further appearances, however, risk Jackman's legacy with Logan, which famously covered the character's death and is considered an unquestioned masterpiece not just for the X-Men franchise but superhero movies in general. The actor's career continues to thrive away from the part, with a bevy of projects in various stages of production. While Deadpool 3 gives him room to play with Wolverine's comedic side, additional appearances feel superfluous for actor and character alike.
Why Hugh Jackman's MCU Appearance Should Be a One-Off
The MCU, on the other hand, comes with its own collection of expectations, as well as a tone and approach to the characters radically different from the X-Men movies. When Jackman first appeared as Wolverine in 2000's X-Men, superheroes were far from in vogue. The team's comic-book roots got toned down, and part of the excitement of the Deadpool 3 announcement entails the possibility of Jackman in a more comics-accurate uniform. That tone is largely incompatible with the MCU, which embraces the comics far more readily than the X-Men movies.
Furthermore, the extraordinary efforts taken to gain the rights to the X-Men -- Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox in 2019 -- suggests a long and elaborate arc for their MCU debut. Hints have been dropped about a slow build-up to the "mutant problem" that defines the saga, notably with a cryptic reference to Kamala Khan's "mutation" in Ms. Marvel Season 1. Regardless, Jackman comes with a number of previous expectations, turning what should be a look at the future into an exercise in nostalgia. The MCU can do better with a new take on Wolverine that it can build from the ground up.
That isn't to say it can't or won't bring Jackman back. Patrick Stewart's Professor X variant was well-received in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness, and with Namor's appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the opportunity exists for additional mutants. But a new actor, with a fresh take on Wolverine, would provide a charge of excitement that Jackman simply couldn't at this point. The actor is nothing if not a consummate showman, and while he may not be able to resist a curtain call with Deadpool 3, he knows when to take a final bow. Both he and the MCU will be better off.