Daniel Radcliffe Confirms He Didn't Start Marvel's Wolverine Rumors

For years there have been plenty of rumors about actors portraying particular Marvel characters and one of the bigger ones has been that Daniel Radcliffe would take on the beloved character after Hugh Jackman. For years, the actor was asked about the possibility that he could play Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and while he's joked about it over the years — rumors in particular popped off when Radcliffe showed off a new, fitter physique for the Season 4 finale of Miracle Workers earlier this year. Now, however, the former Harry Potter star is setting the record straight, confirming that he didn't start the Wolverine rumors.

As part of a Vanity Fair lie detector interview with his Merrily We Roll Along costars Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, Radcliffe was asked if he started the rumors and why he got so physically fit.

"No," Radcliffe said about the Wolverine rumors. "Yes, I got buff because I am obsessive and I want to. You've seen my parents, they're like insane fitness people. So that's been passed on. But no, No Wolverine. Flattered, but no."

Radcliffe Has Previously Spoken About the Wolverine Rumors

While Radcliffe confirmed that he isn't behind the Wolverine rumors and that his physical fitness has nothing to do with them, the actor has previously spoken about the situation. In 2022, he told ComicBook.com that he couldn't see Marvel following up Jackman with him — though he was open to Marvel proving him wrong.

"So many times, people come to me like, 'hey man, heard the Wolverine news, that's pretty cool.' No, I don't know anything about it. Like, I appreciate that somebody is clearly going like 'Wolverine's actually short in the comic books, you should get like a short guy to do it!'" Radcliffe said. "But I don't see myself, I don't see them going from Hugh Jackman to me. But who knows? Prove me wrong, Marvel."

Hugh Jackman is Returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3

Last year, Ryan Reynolds just about broke the internet when he revealed that Jackman would be coming back as Wolverine for the film and more recently, while Deadpool 3's production is paused due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, the actor has been keeping up his workouts. He recently shared a video of himself in the gym, captioning it "Hurts so good."

What Is Deadpool 3 About?

Deadpool 3 will be directed by Shawn Levy, with a script written by Bob's Burgers' Wendy Molyneaux and Lizzie Molyneaux-Loeglin, with Deadpool and Deadpool 2 writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick reportedly also returning to contribute to the script. Not much is known about the script, but there has been a lot of speculation and exciting teases. 

In addition to Reynolds in the titular role, Deadpool 3 will also star Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, and Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen in currently unknown roles.

Stay tuned for more updates about Deadpool 3. Currently, the film is expected to be released on May 3, 2024.