After months of Taron Egerton being fan-casted as the MCU's Wolverine, the man who brought the hero to life for more than 20 years, Hugh Jackman, shared his reaction to that idea.
After a couple of years away from the role, Jackman is getting set to don the claws once again, playing his iconic X-Men character in Deadpool 3.
However, as the Hollywood veteran prepares to unretire from his Marvel role, the search for the MCU's take on the character continues. Of the more than a dozen names fans have put forth for the role of Marvel Studios Wolverine, Rocketman star Taron Egerton has easily been the most prominent.
But what exactly would someone like Hugh Jackman think about Egerton taking over the character?
Hugh Jackman on the Next Wolverine
In a recent interview, Hugh Jackman 'shut down' the idea of Taron Egerton taking over the Wolverine role for the MCU.
Speaking with Empire Magazine (as reported by Screen Rant), Jackman joked that his Eddie the Eagle co-star should "cool his heels a little bit" when it comes to the highly sought-after Marvel role:
"Taron is one of the most talented actors out there. And you can see his range is incredible. But he’s just got to cool his heels a little bit."
While no actor has been confirmed to play Marvel Studios' Wolverine, Egerton is a popular pick among fans. The Kingsman star reacted last year to the idea of him joining the super-powered franchise, attributing the rumors to a "general meeting at Marvel around four years ago" that "got kind of spun and twisted into this thing:”
“I made the mistake of saying that I had had a general meeting at Marvel around four years ago, which is true. But it got kind of spun and twisted into this thing… So I’m now at a point where… ’Cause look, I’ve always said… I don’t know if I’m the right guy to play that part. I was with Hugh [Jackman] yesterday, briefly, who obviously played the role originally. We’re such different vibes. I don’t know if I would be the right person to follow him. But I’ve always said I would be open to it. But at the moment, there’s no truth, other than the fan-casting thing, which goes kind of crazy every time I mention it. But, you know, who knows.”
Who Will Be the MCU's Wolverine?
While Hugh Jackman 'shut down' the idea of Taron Egerton joining the MCU as his famous mutant, that does not mean the young actor will not ultimately get the X-Men role.
Also, Jackman is likely joking around in this quote. He directly referred to Egerton as "one of the most talented actors out there," so surely he would give the 33-year-old actor his blessing should he get the call from Marvel Studios.
Jackman has worked with the Rocketman star and sees the potential in him. This is simply a case of him joking about Egerton not putting the cart before the horse.
What will be interesting to see is if Jackman is brought in as a consultant on the casting process for the MCU. This is a unique case that Marvel Studios has never really dealt with: there has already been an actor that has been so invested in the character that will also appear in the franchise (Deadpool 3).
Jackman's opinion could hold some weight when it comes to who will succeed him as the clawed mutant. And if he were to be brought in, Egerton might have an even better shot with Jackman in his corner.
Hugh Jackman's Wolverine can be seen next when Deadpool 3 hits theaters on November 8, 2024.
