Summary

Hugh Jackman , who has portrayedMarvel ’s characterWolverinethroughoutthe X - Men movies , has only been absent from one mainline X - Men movie , Dark Phoenix(2019 ) , and for good intellect . While Jackman has n’t come along in every X - Men twirl - off cinema , includingDeadpool 2(2018 ) andTheNew Mutants(2020 ) , the pick to not include Wolverine inDark Phoenixis more notable , as the character was originally integral to the plot . The motion picture sees Jean Grey become the Phoenix , but the character ’s well - known love interest was overlook .

Even outside the Jean Grey connection , though , Wolverine ’s appearance was likely highly anticipated and even expected inDark Phoenixbecause that character had come to represent such a monumental part ofthe X - Men picture show franchise . In fact , decade - Isle of Man had become one of 20th Century Fox ’s most prominent brands alongside manufacture heavy - hittersStar WarsandAvatarprior to Disney acquiring Fox in 2019 , with Wolverine as one of the most popular character stigma under that larger umbrella . That point of prestigiousness and popularity , which only raise with each new film , makes it all the more interesting that Wolverine was provide out ofDark Phoenix , suggest how significant those worry were .

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman link up the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine , which vaunt an impressive cast bear out the two Marvel leads .

The Resistance team with the Honda Odyssey in Deadpool & Wolverine

Why Dark Phoenix Is The Only Mainline X-Men Movie Without Wolverine

The decision to leave Jackman out had to do with a concern about the age gap between potential co - stars , Jackman and Sophie Turner . Jackman , now 55 , would have been some 50 years old duringDark Phoenix , and Sophie Turner , 27 years his Jnr , would have been in her former XX . give that , it ’s unsurprising that the love tale was scrapped ; it would belike have proved too jarring and become controversial .

In an audience withRolling Stone , Kinberg gave his rationale for this decision . He explained ,

" If you know the Dark Phoenix story , you ’d want to really service the love story between Logan and Jean . And I intend the notion of Hugh Jackman , as keen as he looks for his age , and Sophie Turner — it did n’t sit well with me . Or anyone else ! "

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

This change is just as well , becausethat love story may well have crowded out Jean Grey ’s origin story , in what was think to be Turner ’s breakout motion picture as the reference . Kinberg seemed as aware of this potential booby trap , and that also weigh into his decision . He went on to say ,

" There was an element of this being Jean ’s story . And I was pull so fully to it that I did n’t desire to break away the jeopardy of pull aside from Jean by going to the well of a buff - favourite role in these movies . I wanted this to be a very different experience of seeing an ' X - man ' flick . "

Why Dark Phoenix’s Wolverine Snub Was Right

Of course , that kind of long time break is not necessarily strange in the film industry , so it ’s interesting to see that Director Simon Kinberg elect not to fall out suit and be a bit more sore to the optic of a 50 - year - old man pursue a 23 - twelvemonth - former woman . This was plausibly for the best , although it ’s a pity thatDark Phoenixdidn’t let in Wolverine . The thoughtfulness over Wolverine undermining Sophie Turner ’s ahead role is , also , candidly admirable , particularly give that Marvel films , especially in the MCU , have n’t exactly offer up many female - lead picture in its last several Phases ; they make up about 12 % ofthe MCU ’s feature article films to particular date . It would be an excellent turn to see the MCU take banker’s bill of Kinberg ’s decision and apply the same interest in female heroes ' stories .

Wolverine did not appear in X - Men spin - offsDeadpool , Deadpool 2,orThe New Mutants , but he will be part of theDeadpool3 cast .

Of course , with the news thatWolverinewill appear in Deadpool 3 , and the confirmation thatDeadpool has officially become part of the MCU , those points of connexion are increasing . This is an exciting update to the MCU , as both the Deadpool film and the X - Men films have been massively democratic and introduced a number of active characters and exciting storylines .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

Source : Rolling Isidor Feinstein Stone

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in The Wolverine (2013) looking angry

Jessica Chastain and Sophie Turner fighting in X-Men Dark Phoenix

Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey using power in X-Men Dark Phoenix

Wolverine

Marvel Cinematic Universe