Hugh Jackman was so excited to star in Deadpool & Wolverine that he forgot to inform his agent.
The Australian actor is about to reprise his legendary X-Men character opposite Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool in the brand new Marvel superhero movie, despite appearing to bid farewell to Wolverine in 2017’s Logan.
Jackman said his decision was as much a surprise to him — and his agent — because it was to fans when the movie was announced in 2022.
“I used to be driving and literally, identical to a bolt of lightning, got here this knowing deep in my gut that I wanted to do that film with Ryan,” the star said in an interview with Fandango published on Monday, May 20.
Once Jackman, 55, arrived at his destination, he immediately called Reynolds, 47.
“I rang Ryan and I just said, ‘Let’s do it,’” the actor said. “I hadn’t rung my agent — nobody. I needed to ring my agent and said, ‘Oh, by the best way, I’ve just committed to a movie.’”
Jackman said he was clamoring to reunite Wolverine and Deadpool, who first shared the screen in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, after seeing 2016’s Deadpool, which acted as a reboot for Reynolds’ character.
“Behind my head, ever since I saw Deadpool 1, I used to be like, ‘Those two characters together…’ I knew it,” he said. “I knew the fans wanted it ever since I’d placed on the claws.”
Jackman previously retired as Wolverine after starring in Logan, which concluded his character’s story after several X-Men and solo movies.
“I swear to you, once I said I used to be done, I actually thought I used to be done,” he added to Fandango.
Deadpool & Wolverine marks the primary time the characters will appear in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie following Disney’s acquisition of twentieth Century Fox in 2019.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed in March that he tried to dissuade Jackman from putting on Wolverine’s claws again.
“I said, ‘Let me offer you a chunk of recommendation, Hugh. Don’t come back,’” Feige told Empire magazine. “‘You had the best ending in history with Logan. That’s not something we must always undo.’”
Deadpool & Wolverine is in theaters on July 26.