Joe Russo just isn’t some guy in the CBM multiverse who likes to see characters pop out of the comic strips and into movie theaters. He’s more like one of the guys. He and his brother Tony are two of the most prolific sages to ever grace a director’s seat when it comes to a comic book movie.
Of course, they are the alchemists behind Avengers: Endgame, the most profitable movie in history at $2.8 billion. So, when they have an opinion on something that pertains to comic book movies, geckaphiles everywhere stop, drop, and roll.
And what Joe Russo had to say in an exclusive interview to ‘ComicBookMovie.com’ was revealing…
Let Wolverine Rest
In a world where prequels and sequels, reboots and remakes are the easiest way to break even and fill a coffer, some movies or characters just don’t need to be touched. Imagine a movie where someone else portrays Iron Man, Captain America, or Wonder Woman. Good luck with that.
(Of course, Superman and Batman should be in that iconic, character-set category, but they are so indecisive on their characters, they make politicians look streamlined.)
One such character who is cast in stone is Wolverine, who was championed by the great Hugh Jackman for 17 years. When someone typifies a role like that, he is not typecasted as only doing superheroes. In the midst of all the X-Men franchise, Hugh Jackman grew his superstardom. But that particular character is him. Period.
Even Joe Russo knows that, which is why he believes people need to tap the brakes before trying to recast him in the MCU.
I mean, Wolverine was always one of my favorite characters. Incredible Hulk #181 was one of the first comic books that I remember collecting, which was the first appearance of Wolverine. Hugh Jackman has done an incredible job with that character over the years, and I think they should take a break for a little while before someone else takes a crack at it.
Joe Russo, Comicbookmovie.com, July 2020
When Wolverine Rises Again
Regretfully, Wolverine will be recast. (In fact, our fancaster-in-chief had some stellar ideas about that too.) It is something all Hugh Jackman fans need to come to grips with, including Joe Russo.
When Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Company finally got their mitts on the properties that were rightfully theirs, the clock started ticking on Wolverine rising from his stone-laden coil and coming back to the big screen.
And while it definitely won’t be the same and will take some getting used to, it is possible for us to appreciate the second coming of Hugh Jackman’s role. Even Hugh Jackman knew that:
If seven years ago [Disney and Fox merging] had happened I’d be like, “Oh yeah!” but I knew it was the right time for me to leave the party—not just for me, but for the character. Somebody else will pick it up and run with it. It’s too good of a character not to.
It’s kind of like, you’re on your way home and your friend rings you and goes, Oh, dude, a new DJ just came on and the music is awesome, are you going to come back? And you say, Sounds good but… no. They’re fine with someone else.
Hugh Jackman, The Daily Beast, April 2020
Well, actually Hugh, no. No, we’re not “fine with someone else.” But, thanks to the triumph that was Logan, we’ll just have to work up the nerve to get that way. And even Joe Russo knows that.
But not yet.
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