Hugh Jackman has revealed that he accepted his role in the forthcoming Marvel Studios film Deadpool & Wolverine without telling his agent.
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In a video interview with Fandango, Hugh Jackman – along with co-star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy – spoke about how the film’s central idea, which sees Reynolds reunite with Jackman after 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, came to him “like a bolt of lightning” while he was driving.
“[And then] came this knowing deep in my gut that I wanted to do this film with [Reynolds],” he said. “When I said I was done, I really thought I was done. But in the back of my head, ever since I saw Deadpool, I was like, ‘Those two characters together.’ I knew it, I knew the fans wanted it ever since I put on the claws, people [had] talked about these two.”
Jackman added that the moment he got out of the car, he rang up Reynolds to tell him about the film idea. “And I just said, ‘Let’s do it.’ Like, I hadn’t rung my agent, no one. I had to ring my agent and said, ‘Oh, by the way, I have just committed to a movie.’”
Even if Jackman was re-energised by the possibility of a comeback, his casting was not immediately given the thumbs up. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed to Empire earlier this month that he was unsure about the possibility.
“I said [to Jackman], ‘Let me give you a piece of advice, Hugh. Don’t come back’,” Feige recalled. “‘You had the greatest ending in history with Logan. That’s not something we should undo.’” He also told Empire that this version of Wolverine will not be the same one featured in previous Marvel films.
Reynolds resuscitated the comic book anti-hero with his own lead franchise starting with 2016’s Deadpool. After much fan anticipation, Deadpool & Wolverine will see both characters finally integrated into the continual Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While it’s expected by fans to see surprise appearances by other Marvel characters, Reynolds is keeping mum about any possible spoilers – including a heavily-rumoured Taylor Swift cameo.
Deadpool & Wolverine will be released in cinemas worldwide on July 26.
