Summary:
- Marvel’s CEO, Kevin Feige, was initially against the idea of bringing Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine into the MCU.
- Feige believed that the emotional ending in Logan (2017) was a perfect way to conclude Wolverine’s story arc, and dragging him into the MCU will only taint his legacy.
- Despite Feige’s warning, Jackman still determined to reprise the role, and even contacted Ryan Reynolds himself to talk about the movie.
Marvel fans have been buzzing with excitement over the prospect of Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine on the big screen ever since 2017. However, not everyone is thrilled with the return of the legendary actor. Kevin Feige is probably the biggest example of all.
Before Deadpool & Wolverine was confirmed as the year’s blockbuster, Feige had reservations about reintroducing Jackman’s Wolverine into the MCU. Despite the merger of Fox and Disney, which brought together the two biggest cinematic universes, Feige was cautious about bringing Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, a character whose arc has concluded beautifully, back to the battlefield alongside the Merc with a Mouth.
Fox’s X-Men was already struggling with their X-Men universe even before the merge happened, which starkly contrasted with the MCU’s imminent success with the Infinity Saga. This made the integration of X-Men into the MCU appealing yet problematic. Feige expressed his concerns in an Empire magazine interview. He believed that Jackman’s farewell performance in James Mangold‘s Logan was so poignant that any further appearances could diminish its impact.
Feige recounted a breakfast meeting with Jackman shortly after the Disney/Fox acquisition, where instead of encouraging a return, he advised Jackman to retire the claws for good.
“We were in the midst of Infinity War and Endgame. I said, Let me give you a piece of advice, Hugh. Don’t come back. You had the greatest ending in history with Logan. That’s not something we should undo,” Feige explained.
Feige’s stance showcases his commitment to narrative integrity over commercial success, a principle that has guided many of his decisions at Marvel Studios.
Despite Feige’s advice, Jackman felt compelled to return to his iconic role, drawn back by the allure of a fresh challenge and the opportunity to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine. The actor recalled how he was so intrigued with the project, he even called Ryan Reynolds directly to discuss about the movie.
“I was about an hour into the drive. And that question came into my head: ‘What do I want to do?’ And as soon as I asked the question, I wanted to do Deadpool & Wolverine. I just knew it. I drove for another hour. Couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I got out of the car, called Ryan, and said, ‘Ryan, if you’ll have me, I’m in,'” said the Aussie performer.
It was also reported that Ryan Reynolds tried to pitch multiple ideas for Deadpool & Wolverine to Kevin Feige, but only one of them got the nod from the Marvel president. Ultimately, Deadpool & Wolverine comes through, and is about to grace the theater this July 26.
