It’s hard to believe, but Hugh Jackman’s run as the live-action Wolverine is coming to an end. The actor’s next turn as the feral mutant in 2017’s untitled Wolverine sequel will also be his last. And while Jackman’s accomplished much in his seven outings as Wolverine, there are still a few fundamental notes he needs to hit before sheathing the claws for good.
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As Jackman gets ready to slash his way through cinemas one last time, here’s our bucket list of Wolverine tent-poles that he must check-off.
Wear The Brown and Yellow Suit
Black Leather jump suits areย so 2001. While Jackman’s original X-Men suit made sense during its time, when audiences still weren’t capable of digesting brightly colored comic book costumes, his wardrobe needs to evolve with the times. As Marvel Studios and shows like the Flash have made it okโnayโpreferrable for comic book adaptations to lean into their source material, now is the perfect time for Jackman to suit up in his iconic yellow duds. We’re not saying he has to go full yellow-and-blue with shoulder pads, but the classic brown and tan suit from the eighties would be perfect.
20th Century Fox has toyed with the idea before, as evidenced in the above photo of the unused Wolverine costume. Now they just need to commit and get Jackmanย behind that mask.ย
Regain His Memories
Become A True Leader And Teacher
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While Jackman’s Wolverine has played the father figure to Rogue, he’s never stepped up as a real leader ofย the X-Men. True, he’s always had the big moments, but they always came through reluctance, or at the direction of others. So instead of seeing Jackman veer even deeper into solo territory during his last film, what if he went the opposite direction and became a leader, like he recently has in the comics? (Before that whole death thing.) Seeing Jackman as a teacher and leader, like he was in Jason Aaron’s terrific “Wolverine and the X-Men” series, would be a refreshing change of pace for Jackman’s character. He’d have to be, you know, patient and caring for once. It would also provide a fresh starting point for whoever dawns the claws next.ย
Fight Some Aliens In Outer-Space
A defining trait of Chris Claremont and John Bryne’s acclaimed Uncanny X-Men run was how frequently Marvel’s mutants combated extra-terrestrials. Stories like “The Brood Saga” and “The Dark Phoenix Saga” put Wolverine in some very exoticย locales, placing him outside of his comfort zone while also letting him go buck-wild in a fight, becauseโheyโthey’re just aliens. While Jackman wouldn’t have the X-team at his back in his last film, an outer-space odyssey would be an unexpected, yet enjoyable, way to close out his Wolverine career. He’s done about all there is to one Earth, so why not head to the cosmos and see what ruckus he can stir on a foreign planet? If the movie did indeed adapt the Brood saga, we could have one creepy comic book-meets-Aliens style movie. And that’s just plain awesome.
Really Explore The Lose Of His Healing Factor
Yes, we know Wolverine lost his healing factor in the Wolverine, but the movie barely scratched such a move’sย storytelling potential. A vulnerable Wolverine movies is rife with storytelling potential, as Jackman would have to explore new territory like vulnerability, mortality, and more. He’d actually have to question his decisions, while also confronting his flagging confidence, which would make for a far more introspective adventure. Fox should look to Marvel’s latest Wolverine series, and it’s storyline, “Killable,” where Logan really contemplates and explores the idea of what it means to suddenly lose immortality.ย
Plus, we could finally see him get drunk. And who doesn’t want that?
Bonus: Fight The Hulk
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It’s never going to happen, but we can dream can’t we?
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What do you want to see Jackman tackle in his final Wolveirneย film? Let us know in the comments!
The Wolverine Sequel hits theaters on March 3, 2017.ย