Hugh Jackman Reveals: Not Marvel’s First Choice for Wolverine Role!

Flash back to 1999. At that time, the studios had a clear choice for the ferocious mutant in the first X-Men movie directed by Bryan Singer: Dougray Scott (Ever After: A Cinderella Story) was the chosen one, even officially announced by Variety. Fox was betting on him, convinced by his intensity and screen presence. However, a complication arose: Mission: Impossible 2.

Scott also landed the role of the villain in the film led by Tom Cruise. That’s when things started to unravel. Tom Cruise, who had significant influence on set, insisted on keeping his antagonist until the end of the shoot. Dougray Scott tried to manage both projects, but hit a wall. He later stated, “For some reason, [Tom Cruise] said I couldn’t do it. He was a very powerful guy, and everyone was doing their utmost to accommodate him.” As a result, he withdrew from the X-Men project.

Behind-the-Scenes Panic

Nevertheless, X-Men’s production had already started. The set was ready, actors like Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier) and Ian McKellen (Magneto) were prepared… but Wolverine was missing. They needed a replacement, and fast.

In a rush, the team restarted the casting process. Amidst this chaos, Hugh Jackman, still relatively unknown and previously rejected in the initial auditions, had a memorable second audition in a cramped dressing room with director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Tom DeSanto. The atmosphere wasn’t welcoming, as he recounted to EW last year.

“[DeSanto] kept saying, ‘Quiet… quieter… quieter.’ By the end, I couldn’t even hear myself. I could see he was thinking, ‘Why am I listening to this guy during my lunch break for a role that’s already been cast?’ He was annoyed.“

He left feeling demoralized, convinced he wouldn’t get the role.

A Dinner That Changed Everything

However, behind the scenes, opinions were shifting. Kevin Feige – then just a “production associate” – sensed something special about the Australian actor. Producer Lauren Shuler Donner also believed in him, despite reservations about his height (in the comics, Wolverine is supposed to be quite stocky).

Feige invited Jackman to dinner with him and Tom DeSanto before he left for Toronto. Jackman, resigned, responded, “Kevin, we all know I’m not getting the role. We don’t need to have dinner.“

But Feige persisted. They shared a meal, and Feige dropped him off at the airport. Jackman thought he would never see them again. Yet, a few days later, he received the pivotal call: he was chosen to portray Wolverine. What was meant to be a one-off role turned into a personal saga: Jackman would play Logan ten times, in main films, spin-offs, and cameos.

Last year, 24 years after first stepping into the shoes of the clawed mutant, the actor made a highly anticipated return in Deadpool & Wolverine. A role he very nearly missed out on. A twist of fate, a hurdle, a dinner: and the rest is cinematic history.

The X-Men saga, including the recent Deadpool & Wolverine, is available for streaming on Disney+.