Hugh Jackman Can’t Wait for Marvel Studios’ X-Men

Hugh Jackman may be done playing Wolverine, but that doesn’t mean he’s not confident in the future of the franchise, especially now that Fox has finally merged with Disney. It’s unclear how and when or if we’ll get to see the X-Men interact with the Avengers, but with Kevin Feige at the helm, Jackman has few doubts.

During a lengthy and fun interview with MTV News, Josh Horowitz asked Jackman his thoughts on the merger. “Are you curious now as a fan to see what X-Men will be like in the hands of Kevin Feige?” Horowitz asked. (Feige, of course, is the president of Marvel Studios and the main person you have to thank for the success of the MCU.)

Jackman was quick to respond with a resounding “100%.” He explained that Feige was there at the very beginning of his Wolverine career. In fact, Feige offered to drive Jackman to the airport for his first audition, despite the fact that Hugh didn’t actually think he was getting the part. Jackman actually considered his audition to be nothing more than a push for Dougray Scott to confirm he’d be the one to portray Wolverine.

Feige became the head of Marvel Studios in 2007, but his career as a Marvel producer came about after Lauren Shuler Donner, whom he had previously worked for as an assistant, hired him as an associate producer on X-Men (2000). His comic book knowledge proved to be unmatched, and he quickly climbed the Marvel ranks.

Jackman went on to praise Feige, describing his office as a Marvel fan’s paradise, featuring “wall-to-wall comic books.” It also included posters and about “600 figurines of different characters.”

Jackman also went to Feige for advice on which X-Men comics he should read to learn about Wolverine, so we have a lot to thank the producer for.

“We’ve stayed friends ever since,” Jackman shared, “and nothing makes me happier to know that someone who is purely creative, purely a lover of the legacy of those comic books is this successful.”

“You know, you hear all the time ‘Hollywood’s run by suits’ and I go, ‘Kevin Feige.’ If it’s a suit, it’s got a cape,” Jackman joked.

Hugh Jackman is currently starring in The Front Runner, which is in theaters now.