Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Future Makes the MCU’s X-Men Problem Even Worse

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It’s surprising to learn that Hugh Jackman wasn’t the original pick to play Wolverine, the role he’s now famous for. He stepped in when Dougray Scott had to drop out due to filming commitments for *Mission: Impossible 2*, and the rest is history. Though Jackman has had a successful career with many awards, he’s become strongly associated with Wolverine, especially since he keeps returning to the character. Even after appearing to retire from the *X-Men* series with the highly praised *Logan*, he recently reprised the role in the blockbuster *Deadpool & Wolverine*. While his future with Marvel isn’t certain, it seems likely he’ll play Wolverine again.

It’s no surprise fans have been guessing Hugh Jackman might appear in *Avengers: Secret Wars*. The movie, which will wrap up the Multiverse Saga, is expected to feature cameos from many Marvel heroes – potentially including different Spider-Men and even Ghost Rider. The story of *Secret Wars* makes it possible to bring in heroes from alternate universes to battle Doctor Doom. However, what’s more surprising is the talk that Marvel Studios wants to continue using Jackman after *Secret Wars*, as they launch the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If this happens, it could worsen an existing problem the MCU is already facing.

Marvel Needs to Figure Out Its X-Men Problem

Since Disney bought 20th Century Fox—and with it, the rights to characters like the X-Men and Fantastic Four—fans have been anticipating the X-Men’s official introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While it’s still a few years off, it increasingly looks like the X-Men will be central to the next major storyline in the MCU, following *Avengers: Secret Wars*. There’s talk that Marvel’s Kevin Feige has a ten-year plan for these characters, potentially leading to this next phase being known as the ‘Mutant Saga.’ Given some recent movies haven’t performed as well as expected, Marvel might prioritize well-known characters in future films, and the X-Men are definitely a good fit.

Finding a new cast for the X-Men is a major challenge for Marvel, and it won’t be simple. The actors from the original Fox films are still incredibly popular – and Marvel continues to bring them back for new appearances. For example, Patrick Stewart played a version of Charles Xavier in *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness*, and several actors from the *X-Men* movies are returning for *Avengers: Doomsday* (and likely *Secret Wars* too). While it’s great to see favorites like Stewart, Ian McKellen, and James Marsden reprise their roles, their continued presence will only highlight how difficult it will be for Marvel to find actors who can fill their shoes when the time comes.

Ideally, Marvel would have already replaced the X-Men actors from the Fox films with new versions, possibly using the multiverse idea to bring in characters who could become important in future MCU stories – similar to how the *Fantastic Four: First Steps* comic introduced its team. However, Marvel seems to be delaying this, and several of the original actors will likely still be recognizable when the current Multiverse Saga finishes. There’s even a chance other familiar faces from the *X-Men* films, like Famke Janssen, might show up. This could make a full *X-Men* reboot less impactful, as it might not feel like a long-awaited return if X-Men characters have recently appeared elsewhere in the MCU.

Marvel has always been excellent at choosing actors, and there’s no reason to think they won’t find fantastic new talent for their upcoming mutant characters. They’ve reportedly already started looking for young, lesser-known actors – partly to save money – and the search will likely be thorough. However, even with perfect casting, it will be difficult for Marvel to move forward with this new direction as long as Hugh Jackman remains associated with the role.

Marvel’s X-Men Reboot Should Be a Fresh Start

As a huge Marvel fan, I’ve been hearing a lot about *Avengers: Secret Wars*, and Kevin Feige has hinted it’ll be a kind of ‘reset’ for the MCU. Now, it’s not a full-on reboot – apparently, Marvel’s aiming for more of a ‘soft reset,’ tweaking things they want to move away from. Basically, after the ups and downs of the Multiverse Saga, they want to give the franchise a fresh start and make it easier for new fans to jump in. It sounds like a clean slate is the way to go, but word is Marvel is finding it tough to completely leave the past behind.

Hugh Jackman was fantastic as Wolverine, and he earned a great finale with *Deadpool & Wolverine*. Bringing him back after the perfect ending in *Logan* was a gamble, but it paid off, and it will be hard to achieve that level of success again. *Deadpool & Wolverine* felt like a unique event, and it’s best to remember Jackman’s return as something special and not overdone. Repeatedly bringing him back could lead to declining quality, which would be detrimental to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it tries to improve after a challenging period.

While Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine could potentially guide a new generation of X-Men, it’s time to cast a younger actor in the role. Someone new can carry the franchise forward for years, just as Jackman did. It’s difficult to imagine anyone else playing Wolverine, but other iconic roles like James Bond, Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man have been successfully recast. There’s no reason a new actor couldn’t deliver a fantastic performance. And realistically, Jackman can’t play the role indefinitely, so it’s best to introduce a new Wolverine now.

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2025-10-20 15:40