The talk of Hugh Jackman making a comeback as Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t going to go away until the moment a new actor is announced to be inheriting the role whenever the next X-Men reboot plunges headfirst into active development, if that’s even the direction things are planning to head.
There’s every chance Kevin Feige could leave the mutton-chopped mutant out entirely to put some distance between Jackman’s iconic portrayal and his potential successor, because following in such massive footsteps is a daunting and arguably unwinnable proposition. Of course, if the 52 year-old were to dust off the claws one more time, then Deadpool 3 feels like the most likely option given his long-running rivalry with Ryan Reynolds and the plans to have them team up in Fox’s version of the project, but it’s entirely speculative for now.
However, Jackman recently took to social media and posted a pair of cryptic images. One of them was a piece of minimalistic fan art showcasing Wolverine’s adamantium appendages, with the other showing him arm-in-arm with Marvel Studios boss Feige, which you can check out below.
Naturally, this has sent the internet into a tizzy, with tons of folks believing that he’s teasing an MCU return, but it may just be a tribute of sorts to the late Richard Donner, who passed away yesterday. The legendary filmmaker behind The Omen, Superman, The Goonies and Lethal Weapon was an executive producer on Bryan Singer’s X-Men, which marked Feige’s first-ever feature film credit.
Jackman has even revealed in the past that when he flew in to join the cast having signed on as Wolverine two weeks after filming had started, it was young associate producer Feige who picked him up from the airport, so the shared Donner connection could very well be the reason behind his post. Or, you know, perhaps there’s more to it than that…
