Few actors embody their characters quite like Hugh Jackman has with Wolverine. Already an iconic Marvel Comics character for years before he took on the role in 2000's X-Men, Jackman turned Wolverine into a household name for mainstream audiences too, delivering a performance to career-defining that it's impossible to imagine anyone else playing the character even 25 years later.
Of course, we don't have to imagine that, as the star has returned to the role - now as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2024's Deadpool and Wolverine may have thrived on nostalgia for the past, but it was actually about the future. Jackman's return after his retirement in 2017's Logan marked the beginning of a new era for the X-Men legend - and it has left fans all wondering the same thing: Will we see him next year's Avengers: Doomsday?
Hugh Jackman doesn't rule out a Wolverine return as new reports suggest Avengers: Doomsday comeback
We've all been asking if Hugh Jackman could appear in Avengers: Doomsday since last summer, but the answer has always been a little off. With conflicting reports about his involvement in the MCU franchise going forward and Marvel Studios' plans for the character, it's been hard to pin down any actual truth. And then the official Avengers 5 cast was announced, as Marvel unveiled a five-hour livestream, with each set chair confirming who would be involved in the juggernaut production. Jackman's name was not part of that announcement.
And yet fans held out hope. Hope for a surprise appearance in the movie itself, or hope for the fact that the vast majority of reports claimed that he would play a major role in 2027 sequel Avengers: Secret Wars. But hope nonetheless. And then, a number of recent updates have suggested that they might be right to do so.
The first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday - which just leaked online - revealed a major character return which had not previously been announced. Just like Jackman's rumored involvement, there had been reports that this particular actor would reprise their Marvel role in the upcoming MCU film, but through multiple denials from the star himself (and Marvel's exclusion of his name via the official cast announcement), it looked that wasn't happening. But it is happening, and the internet is in a meltdown because of it.
There's no reason to think that this also won't be the case with Wolverine. Jackman himself recently responded to the idea of a potential MCU return during an interview on The Graham Norton Show by saying that he was "never saying 'never' ever again". This naturally has fans convinced that Logan might show up in the upcoming film, particularly because it's the most logical place Logan could appear next.
Furthermore, a recent report from Forbes seemingly confirmed that Jackman and his Deadpool and Wolverine costar Ryan Reynolds could appear in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, stating: "Deadpool and Wolverine are also expected to star in the MCU’s next two kid-friendly Avengers movies."
Taking all of that into account, it sounds like Hugh Jackman's return in Avengers: Doomsday is a genuine possibility right now. If anything, the first teaser trailer for the film confirmed that anything is still on the table and that a mutltiude of even the most outlandish rumors could still be true. Even if Marvel Studios doesn't confirm his role beforehand, we should probably prepare ourselves for a Wolverine cameo. And hey, if it doesn't happen in Avengers: Doomsday, it sounds like it could in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Either way, there is more to come from Jackman's Wolverine.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on December 18, 2026.