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Hugh Jackman has fans buzzing again after dropping his clearest hint yet that Wolverine may not be done slicing his way through the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Appearing on The Graham Norton Show over the weekend, the longtime X-Men star was asked the question Marvel diehards never stop asking: will he return for another MCU adventure? Instead of shutting the door, Jackman swung it halfway open.
Norton pointed out that Jackman has repeatedly declared his Wolverine days over, only to return for another blockbuster, most recently the record-shattering Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. "Are you gonna have to do it again?" Norton teased. Jackman, smirking at the audience, replied, "Maybe," before adding, "I am never saying 'never' ever again."
Jackman clarified that when he previously announced his retirement from the role, he meant it. But the surprise urge to team up with Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool changed everything. "I really did think I was done," he said. "Until the day I changed my mind."
He joked that Marvel already has enough footage to build an AI Wolverine if they want. "I've done your show five or six times, I could be in the dressing room right now," he told Norton, poking fun at his own digital replaceability.
His coyness arrives as speculation intensifies around Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, two films expected to unleash enormous multiverse cameos. Marvel has already confirmed that several original X-Men actors will appear in Doomsday, fueling theories that Jackman's Wolverine could be among them, even if just for a moment of fan-service chaos. Though he insists he has "nothing to add," his refusal to deny involvement is enough to keep the rumors wildfire-hot.
Jackman has long admitted that the Deadpool/Wolverine pairing tempted him for years. In earlier interviews, he recalled a "bolt of lightning" moment where he suddenly knew he wanted to return. Fans agreed, the film became the most profitable Wolverine appearance of his 24-year tenure.
Marvel chief Kevin Feige hasn't confirmed anything, but he has repeatedly said the studio is "always wondering where [Deadpool and Wolverine] can fit in." With the MCU's multiverse in constant motion, a surprise Jackman return feels more possible than ever.
For now, Jackman remains playfully evasive, but definitely not retired. After all, in his own words: "Never say never."
