X-Men: The Animated Series actor Cal Dodd seemingly hasn't been contacted regarding Insomnaic's upcoming Wolverine game, and he's not happy.
Not only will next year see Hugh Jackman return as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, but fans will also be treated to a PS5-exclusive game starring the adamantium mutant from Insomniac Games - the developers of Marvel's Spider-Man.
Reports have described Wolverine as having a "hard-R [rated]" tone and avoiding any connections to the recent Fox movie franchise. The same scoop from insider Jeff Grubb claimed the game is set to release in Fall 2024.
Wolverine Actor Hasn’t Been Called for PS5 Game
Voice actor Cal Dodd - who played Wolverine in X-Men: The Animated Series and will return for Disney+'s upcoming X-Men '97 revival - expressed his disappointment at not being asked to reprise his iconic mutant role in Insomniac's Wolverine PS5 game.
Dodd stated on Twitter he "[finds] it amazing" he has "not been contacted" to play Wolverine in the next-gen game given his long history with the Marvel hero:
"I find it amazing that having created the voice for Wolverine in 1992 for the Xmen animated series 92-97 and now reprising my role with Disney’s Xmen 97, I have not been contacted to play Logan in the new Wolverine game!"
Fans recently began speculating actor Steve Blum may be tackling the lead for Wolverine after a video he posted on Instagram several months ago resurfaced. The clip - labeled at the time as a "throwback" - saw him recording in full mo-cap gear for "a game for which [he] signed a non-disclosure agreement."
While this may be for Wolverine, which is rumored to release in 2024, it could equally be for the newly-revealed Mortal Kombat 12 and his popular fighter Sub-Zero. That being said, Blum has a history of playing Wolverine after tackling the role in Midnight Suns and most of the character's animated appearances.
Dodd responded to PlayStation LifeStyle's article covering speculation of Blum's casting on Twitter, thanking those suggesting him for the role and declaring, "[he is] him!:"
"Why not The Original??!! Bub!! Thank you all for suggesting me for The New Wolverine game. I am Him!"
Who Will Play Wolverine in Insomniac's PS5 Game
Steve Blum's video teasing a top-secret video game project was even labeled by him as a "throwback" at the time he posted it at the end of December 2022. As video game vocals tend to be recorded near the end of development, this may be too soon to be for Wolverine given its supposed Fall 2024 release date.
When Insomniac was casting Peter Parker for 2018's Spider-Man, the studio didn't go for a classic animated icon like Spectacular Spider-Man's Josh Keaton. Instead, they opted for an actor who had only played the part a handful of times before in Yuri Lowenthal, who most seem to agree knocked it out of the park.
Insomniac hasn't revealed whether Logan has been cast for Wolverine, but both Steve Blum and Cal Dodd may be contenders based on their extensive history. While other actors have played the mutant over the years, Blum and Dodd, along with Hugh Jackman, have made their voices synonymous with the character.
But whether Dodd lands the lead for Insomniac's Wolverine, the actor seems to have plenty to look forward to in the role. Marvel Studios reportedly has a four-season plan for Disney's X-Men '97 after its planned Fall 2023 premiere. The actor previously shared his massive excitement to be back as Wolverine for the series.
Fans will likely learn more about Wolverine in the coming year, particularly once Insomnaic's other upcoming Marvel game, Spider-Man 2, releases in the Fall.
