Wolverine No More? Will Hugh Jackman Quit Playing X-Men Character?

Social media accounts have always been considered as one of the most reliable sources of information when it comes to the personal and professional decisions of celebrities. In what could only be described as potentially heartbreaking news for the fans and followers of the X-Men franchise, an Instagram post from none other than Hugh Jackman himself may have confirmed their biggest fear - a new Wolverine actor might be needed soon, according to Variety.

"WOLVERINE ... ONE LAST TIME. HJ," captioned the actor in an Instagram photo he posted which showed a single pair of claws that could presumably be his hand and the prop for the upcoming film. As expected, Jackman's post was immediately questioned by fans who were mostly distraught and disappointed on the possible implications of the news.

Jackman has held on to the role for nearly 15 years since the franchise hit the big screen in 2000. He played the character seven times, which included two stand-alone movies revolving solely on the adventures of Wolverine. He was also featured in X-Men: First Class when he appeared for a cameo, while the last time he was showcased as part of the franchise was in 2014 when he once again joined the team in X:Men: Days of Future Past.

Earlier interviews revealed Jackman's appreciation for his role as Logan, otherwise known as Wolverine. "I love the character, I love the series, I would never take it for granted or do it for the hell of it," he shared.

However, the actor was realistic when it comes to his age and the requirements needed to properly play the character. "I love Old Man Logan," Jackman said, referring to a future version of his role. "I'd like to think I'm a few years off that, but perhaps I'm approaching that faster than I'd like to think," he admitted.

In another interview last year, Jackman shared that he is "enjoying it [the role] more than ever" which added to the shock felt by fans as no indication was shown that he intended to quit. Despite the speculations, the actor has yet to confirm whether he is truly leaving the franchise.