Hugh Jackman sports his iconic Wolverine facial hair in a new image as Deadpool 3 prepares to restart filming ahead of a 2024 release in Phase 5.
Summary
Hugh Jackman has shared a new image with his iconic Wolverine facial hair as Marvel Studios’ Deadpool 3 prepares to resume filming. Principal photography began on Deadpool 3 in May 2023, ready to introduce Ryan Reynolds’ titular antihero Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s X-Men member Wolverine to the MCU’s Phase 5 with a May 2024 release date. However, Deadpool 3 became one of many projects to hit pause when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes brought Hollywood to a halt in 2023. After the conclusion of the strikes, Deadpool 3’s release date has been pushed back to July 26, 2024, and filming is due to resume shortly.
An image shared by Hugh Jackman seems to confirm how soon filming on Deadpool 3 will resume. Jackman was announced to be reprising his role of James “Logan” Howlett, a.k.a. Wolverine, from Fox’s X-Men Universe in August 2022, so will be making his official MCU debut in Deadpool 3 despite retiring from the role after the success of 2017’s Logan.
Hugh Jackman revealed in a new update that he has sculpted his facial hair into Wolverine’s iconic “mutton chops” in preparation for filming to resume on Deadpool 3, including the caption, “Sporting the chops can only mean one thing,” suggesting filming will be restarting very soon.
Deadpool 3 Is The Only MCU Movie Releasing In 2024
Prior to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, three MCU movies were planned to be released as part of Marvel Studios’ 2024 slate. These included Deadpool 3 in May, Captain America: Brave New World in July, and Thunderbolts in December. However, the strikes have disrupted the development of many upcoming MCU projects, meaning that Deadpool 3 is now the only MCU movie releasing in 2024, taking the slot previously occupied by Brave New World. This is the first time since 2012’s The Avengers that Marvel Studios has released only one movie in a single year, and mirrors DC Studios’ sole release of Joker: Folie á Deux in October 2024.
Marvel Studios’ Deadpool 3 is expected to be one of the most significant projects of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, bridging the gap between the MCU proper and Fox’s X-Men Universe. It being the only project to release in 2024 means the pressure will be high to pull off the multiversal adventure properly, but Deadpool 3 could help to rejuvenate the MCU, and earn back audiences. Marvel Studios has recently come under scrutiny for trying to produce too much content, so Deadpool 3 being 2024’s only theatrical release means that the MCU will take some time to slow down, and put more attention back on quality over quantity.
