Kevin Feige warned Hugh Jackman not to return as Wolverine: "Don't come back"

It doesn't seem like it was so long ago that Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman shocked the world when they casually revealed that they would unite for the third Deadpool movie. There was so much to digest; Deadpool 3 was happening, Wade Wilson was coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the X-Men Origins: Wolverine costars would finally get an adventure worthy of their partnership.

The most exciting aspect in all of it though had to be Jackman's return as Wolverine. He's widely regarded as one of the very best to grace the superhero genre and his performance as Logan is timeless; to have him back one more time, and in the MCU no less, was the stuff that dreams were made of. Especially since it meant he would be wearing his iconic comic-accurate suit for the first time ever.

It was a win-win for everyone involved, especially Marvel Studios. But it turns out that its own president Kevin Feige initially warned Jackman against coming back in Deadpool and Wolverine.

Speaking with Empire Magazine, Feige revealed that he didn't think the star should return to the role of Wolverine due to the fact that he had "the greatest ending in history" with 2017's Logan, saying:

"I said, ‘Let me give you a piece of advice, Hugh. Don’t come back. You had the greatest ending in history with ‘Logan.’ That’s not something we should undo.’"

It's hard to argue with that sentiment. Logan was critically-acclaimed for its mature storytelling and emotional farewell to the character, adapting the Old Man Logan arc from Marvel Comics while also acting as a fitting finale to the X-Men movie franchise. It saw Wolverine protect a young mutant like him named X-23, ultimately sacrificing himself to do that as he battled a relentless, emotionless version of himself to keep her safe. It was a bittersweet conclusion to his arc, but one that felt loyal to both him and the source material.

It's hard to get a truly satisfying ending for a character that you have portrayed for almost two decades, but Jackman found it. He first played the character in 2000's X-Men and over the course of the next 17 years, he would appear in seven more films before Logan brought it to a close. The star knew it was time to end that chapter of his career, and he found a fitting way to do that.

With that in mind, you can see why Feige might have a point. As fun as Deadpool and Wolverine looks, it's a risk to return after such a perfect ending. But there are plenty of reasons why it's one worth taking, particularly the fact that longtime fans will finally get to see him don the classic yellow-and-blue Wolverine suit. If Marvel Studios decides to introduce its own comic-accurate Wolverine at some point, it wouldn't have felt right that we didn't get to see the definitive version of the character wear the suit too.

Moreover, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have worked hard to ensure that the upcoming movie is loyal to both characters and that should definitely reassure fans. Reynolds has been vocal about his disappointment over the way his character was handled in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and it's because of that that he has been so committed to making the Deadpool movies a treat for fans of the character. There is no doubt that they are taking the same approach with the third one.

What's also reassuring is that this isn't the same version of Wolverine that Jackman retired in 2017's Logan. The X-Men version of the character died in the film and he isn't coming back to life. Instead, the veteran actor will be playing a different version from an alternate earth. The beauty of the MCU's Multiverse Saga, right?

While Feige's concerns about undoing the ending of Logan are extremely understandable given how perfect for the character it was, it's looking like Jackman's return to the role was a risk worth taking. Wolverine is back (and more comic-accurate than ever!) and we can't wait to see him in action.

Deadpool and Wolverine arrives in theaters on Friday, July 26.