Marvel Announces New Wolverine Actor Amid Hugh Jackman Return Rumors

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Marvel has chosen a new actor to play Wolverine for a film slated for 2026, but rumors are also circulating about a possible return by Hugh Jackman. Jackman surprised fans in 2024 by reprising his role as the iconic, metal-clawed mutant in Deadpool & Wolverine, after last playing him in the 2017 film Logan, where his character seemingly died. In the new film, Jackman’s Logan couldn’t save the X-Men in his original universe and ended up joining forces with Wade Wilson (Deadpool) in another reality.

Following the success of Deadpool and Wolverine’s appearance in the 2024 Marvel Studios film, many fans predicted that Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman would quickly return in future Avengers movies, specifically *Avengers: Doomsday* and/or *Secret Wars*. While those films are still on the horizon, fans of Logan (Wolverine) won’t have to wait long for more content. Season 2 of *X-Men ’97* is coming to Disney+ in 2026, and Insomniac Games, the team behind the *Spider-Man* games, is developing a *Wolverine* game exclusively for PlayStation 5, scheduled for release next fall.

Aside from leaks caused by a data breach at Insomniac Games – which showed early gameplay footage – we hadn’t heard much about *Marvel’s Wolverine* since it was first announced in September 2021. That changed when the first gameplay trailer was revealed at a September 2025 State of Play event, and we finally learned who would be playing Logan in the game.

A new behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Wolverine game for PS5 revealed that Liam McIntyre will be the voice of James “Logan” Howlett. McIntyre, 43, is an Australian actor known for starring in Spartacus: Vengeance and his role as Weather Wizard on The CW’s The Flash.

McIntyre described landing his new part in a Marvel film as “a huge honor,” but also acknowledged the significant pressure that comes with playing the iconic character Wolverine.

I’m incredibly honored and humbled by this opportunity. It’s a huge responsibility, but also an amazing experience.

He hinted at the difficult challenges Wolverine will face in the game, but emphasized that he will “still fight for those who need his help.”

Everyone knows Wolverine – his name and reputation. My role is to really understand what makes him *him*, particularly for the story we’re telling. He’s constantly hurt, robbed, and betrayed, but despite everything, he keeps fighting for those who need help.

Creative director Marcus Smith highly commended Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine, noting that the team immediately knew he was the right choice and didn’t consider any other actors.

Honestly, the acting was just phenomenal. We at Insomniac all instantly knew he was perfect for the role – he delivered such a believable performance, truly nailing it across the board. There was no need to even consider anyone else; he *was* the character.

Okay, so it’s going to be a *busy* year for Wolverine fans! Hugh Jackman is coming back, obviously, but it’s not just him. Cal Dodd, who’s voiced Wolverine before, is returning for Season 2 of *X-Men ’97*, and they’re bringing back a ton of mutants – like 18 major ones – in 2026. Honestly, if Jackman shows up in *Avengers: Doomsday* too, we could end up with *three* different actors playing Wolverine! It’s wild!

Casting Wolverine Is No Easy Task, Thanks to Hugh Jackman’s Perfection

With the X-Men becoming a central focus for Marvel, it seems the studio is planning a big push for characters like Wolverine in the future. However, reports suggest Wolverine won’t be in the initial script for the next phase of movies, meaning we likely won’t see a new actor take on the role right away with the other X-Men.

Although it’s unlikely Wolverine will be in *Avengers: Doomsday*, Hugh Jackman is reportedly going to be in *Secret Wars*. Before *Deadpool & Wolverine* was announced, fans thought the famous character might return in *Avengers 6* because Marvel Studios is bringing together heroes from different universes.

Rumors suggest Hugh Jackman might continue playing Wolverine even after *Secret Wars* because he’s such an iconic and difficult character to replace. This could also be why he isn’t part of the new X-Men team being assembled.

I’ve always thought Wolverine would be incredibly difficult to bring to life in a live-action movie, but his voice has been wonderfully brought to life by so many talented actors over the years! Liam McIntyre is fantastic in the role, and it’s amazing to think of all the others who’ve voiced him before – names like Cal Dodd, Steve Blum, and Scott McNeil all helped build such a great legacy.

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2025-10-13 10:35