Hugh Jackman offers a humorous response while teasing Wolverine’s potential return in Avengers: Doomsday. Jackman’s portrayal as the X-Men character rocketed him to stardom, with his visage becoming synonymous with the character. The Les Misérables star has played Wolverine since 2000’s X-Men, with him returning in several sequels, his own trilogy of films, including the lauded Logan, which was meant to be Jackman’s final turn as the mutant. However, he was lured out of his superhero retirement thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy, who convinced the Real Steel star to take up his grizzled mantle one more time in the smash-hit Deadpool & Wolverine.
With Avengers: Doomsday said to have wrapped principal photography, the movie is shifting into post-production in hopes of hitting its holiday 2026 release date, which has already been pushed back several times. The forthcoming Avengers sequel is set to feature numerous MCU characters, many of whom have already been announced through a chair reveal marketing ploy that drew millions of views online. However, fans hold out hope that Jackman could return as Wolverine. While recently appearing on The Graham Norton Show, the X-Men star was asked if he would be reprising his role in Avengers: Doomsday. Jackman didn’t give a direct answer, teasing the possibility with a joke.
“Maybe. I’m never saying ‘never’ ever again! I have done ten films now, so I think they have enough for an AI version of me.”
Jackman’s quip regarding AI, while a joke, does hit on a growing problem in the film industry, as it continues to spark controversy. Still, given his astute sense of humor, he is clearly leaving the door open for his possible return in the flesh, keeping AI away from a role he’s had trouble letting go of. Even without Jackman being part of the currently announced cast, Marvel is known to keep cameos and actor returns a secret until the film’s release, with the Wolverine star set to shock audiences when he pops on screen.
Which Marvel stars are returning for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
Avengers: Doomsday is setting itself up to feature one of the MCU’s biggest casts, following the epic battle from the final of Avengers: Endgame, which saw the entirety of their roster appearing. Doomsday’s cast is lengthy, featuring the stars of the Thunderbolts*, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, and Tom Hiddleston. It is also set to feature the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in their first MCU crossover following their solo outing over the summer. However, one of the most shocking pieces of casting is the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Downey’s involvement would have already sent shockwaves through fans, but the subversive casting that sees him in a new role has many excited to see what it all means.
Jackman has not officially joined the cast, though his appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine has put him into the MCU. A slew of his other X-Men costars are confirmed to appear in Doomsday, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, and Alan Cumming, making it all the more likely that Jackman may return for another outing as the clawed hero. Further rumors also point to the actor’s potential involvement in Avengers: Secret Wars, which will directly continue the story that is meant to kick off in Doomsday. Whether Jackman reprises Wolverine for the MCU again remains to be seen, but the superhero franchise poses exciting possibilities.
