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The Jokes On 'Hugh': Hugh Jackman Apologizes To Original Wolverine Actor For Taking The Part

Everyone knows about that convoluted X-Men timeline, but can anyone really imagine a reality where Hugh Jackman didn't pop out a pair of claws to go on a berserker rage for the past 17 years?

By Tom ChapmanPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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'X-Men' [Credit: 20th Century Fox]

Everyone knows about that convoluted X-Men timeline, but can anyone really imagine a reality where Hugh Jackman didn't pop out a pair of claws to go on a berserker rage for the past 17 years? Well, out there in the depths of "What If?," it was actually Hemlock Grove star #DougrayScott who was supposed to slip on the PVC for Bryan Singer's first entry into the world of Charles' gifted youngsters.

The superhero fates intervened and it wasn't meant to be. With Jackman nabbing the role from underneath Scott, #Wolverine went on to become one of the best-cast roles of the comic book cinema boom. So, what do you say to the guy you stole the job off when you come face-to-face with them?

Claws For Thought

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, #HughJackman revealed that it wasn't simply a case of "Hey bub, what're you looking at?" and that he was actually very apologetic for what happened:

"I said to him, ‘Man, I am sorry.’ And he said, ‘It’s just business but you have just gotten one of the greatest roles out there so go crush it.’ I just remember being so impressed by that.”

For those who don't know, Russell Crowe was actually Singer's first choice for the clawed Canadian, but decided that dancing round the Statue of Liberty as a mutant just wasn't for him. The role then went to Scott until principal photography ran long on Mission: Impossible 2 and he was forced to drop out. As the third choice, Jackman eventually got the role, and the rest they say, is history.

With James Mangold's Logan getting some major Oscar buzz right now, you can't blame Jackman for feeling a little guilty for taking the part, but as Scott rightly said, it's just business. Scott's roles since those days have included the likes of Desperate Housewives, Taken 3, and more recently Fear the Walking Dead, but you can only imagine his CV if he had stayed on as Wolverine. However, with Jackman turning the part of James Howlett from that skinny guy with the bad hair in 2000's X-Men, right the way through to the shredded silver fox of Logan, it is hard to argue he wasn't the right choice for the job.

While Scott is sadly probably now too old to put on some yellow and black lycra and coif his hair these days, all of Hollywood is looking at who could replace Jackman as the iconic muscular mutant. With talks of a Laura Kinney spin-off and Jackman more than accepting of someone else taking over the mantle of Wolverine, it could be claws to the wall before we know it.

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About the Creator

Tom Chapman

Tom is a Manchester-based writer with square eyes and the love of a good pun. Raised on a diet of Jurassic Park, this ’90s boy has VHS flowing in his blood. No topic is too big for this freelancer by day, crime-fighting vigilante by night.

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