Sad news for fans of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine: The actor has just confirmed that Wolverine 3 will be his last stint as the immortal mutant.
"It just felt like it was the right time to do it. And let's be honest, 17 years. I never thought in a million years it would last, so I'm so grateful to the fans for the opportunity of playing it. I kind of have in my head what we're going to do in this last one. It just feels like this is the perfect way to go out," he revealed during an interview in the Dr. Oz Show.
The Australian actor has put on Wolverine's claws for several X-Men films already (including two solo films). He was first cast as Wolverine in Bryan Singer's 1999 movie called X-Men, and his co-stars included Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Ian McKellen.
He was so good playing the role that he reprised the character in the 2003 movie X2: X-Men United, the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand, its 2009 prequel X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the 2011 movie X-Men: First Class, the 2013 standalone film simply titled The Wolverine, then finally the 2014 sequel X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Production is currently underway for the next mutant film called X-Men: Apocalypse, which has been given a May 27, 2016 release date, but unfortunately, Jackman's involvement in the film remain uncertain, since he has not been seen in the production site as of date.
His third standalone movie as Wolverine, otherwise known as Logan James, has been given a 2017 release date.
The actor earlier revealed that he is pretty clumsy (though it does not show in his movies!) and that is why it's fortunate that nobody found out while he was auditioning for the role of Wolverine. Just to get used to having the mutant's claws on, he'd have them on every day and walk around in his living room. Because of that, Jackman got scars on one leg, as well as punctures on his cheek and forehead.
He is also exceptionally tall to be playing Wolverine (who is only 5 feet three inches. Jackman is 6 feet 2.5 inches), and that is why filmmakers had to shoot him in unusual angles to make him appear shorter than he really is. At the same time, his co-stars were made to wear platform soles to disguise his height.