Hugh Jackman says James Mangold is 'actually really cool' with Wolverine return in 'Deadpool 3'

In early March of 2017, Hugh Jackman's big screen tenure as Wolverine came to an end when the character perished in the closing minutes of James Mangold's Logan. The R-rated X-Men film was hailed by audiences and critics as an emotionally satisfying swan song for the hero with the healing factor and Adamantium skeleton. It rustled up more than $600 million at the global box office and even scored a history-making Oscar nod for Best Adapted Screenplay.

After more than a century of pain and heartache, James Howlett could finally rest in peace ... that is until Ryan Reynolds proverbially exhumed his rotting corpse for Deadpool 3. Ok, so maybe it wasn't that dramatic, but Reynolds did what most thought was impossible: he coaxed Jackman out of Marvel retirement for one last adventure that will introduce Wade Wilson into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

So what did Mangold think about this potentially blasphemous resurrection? "He was actually really cool about it," Jackman revealed to Empire during an interview for the magazine's March 2023 issue (now on sale). "I did tell him it takes place before our movie, so I wasn't going to screw it up with my claws coming out of the grave. He was relieved by that."

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With the MCU currently in the thick of its "Multiverse Saga," Wade's next adventure can have its pick of the inter-dimensional litter, so long as it doesn't undo the impactful events of Logan. With that said, Wolverine will probably wish for death when he finally meets the Merc With a Mouth. "They hate each other," Jackman teased. "[Logan] is annoyed by him. Frustrated by him. Wants to be a million miles away from him in this movie. He's the fast-talking, quick-witted loudmouth and my character just wants to punch him in the head."

Shawn Levy — who has existing professional relationships with both Jackman (Real Steel) and Reynolds (Free Guy, The Adam Project) — is on board to direct a team-up between "the ultimate Marvel icon and the ultimate Marvel iconoclast," the filmmaker told SYFY WIRE.

Mangold's penchant for telling stories about iconic heroes in their twilight years will continue this June with the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Deadpool 3, meanwhile, won't hit the big screen until Nov. 4, 2024.

Looking for more sci-fi content? Check out shows like Resident Alien, Brave New World, Project Blue Book, Eureka, Heroes, Intergalactic, and more streaming now on Peacock. Looking ahead, SYFY has the new series — The Ark — from original Stargate film producer Dean Devlin, as well as Stargate SG-1 producer Jonathan Glassner.

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