Way back in the long, long ago of the year 2000, a schedule over-run in the shooting of Mission Impossible II meant that Dougray Scott would have to be replaced as Wolverine in the then-upcoming X-Men. A young, mostly unknown Australian named Hugh Jackman took his place. Jackman has appeared as Wolverine in every X-Men film ever since, surviving a trilogy, solo spin-off and reboot, thanks to his healing factor. Or because Hugh Jackman is pretty good at playing Wolverine. Longer than Sean Connery played James Bond, longer than the wait between either set of Star Wars trilogies, long enough to possibly (hopefully) see one Clinton out of the White House and another back in, Hugh Jackman has been the best in the world at what he does, and what he does isn’t very nice, bub.
But all things must come to an end, as demonstrated poignantly in the trailer for Logan, which will mark Jackman’s final appearance as Marvel’s most iconic mutant. With Johnny Cash’s ‘Hurt’ providing just-add-water gravitas, the trailer shows an older, wearier and considerably more beaten up Logan, as Professor X enlists his help one last time. With the X-Men no more and the mutant population in considerable decline, the two have to protect a young girl who has more than a little Wolverine in her herself. There are brief glances at Stephen Merchant looking considerably different as thr mutant Caliban, as well as Richard E. Grant and Narcos actor/hansy man Boyd Holbroock appearing. Give the trailer a watch and try to focus on Hugh Jackman’s grizzled Old Man Logan look, while jamming your fingers in your ears, shaking your head and insisting that Patrick Stewart will be with us forever, 2016 or no 2016.
Logan is set for release in March 2017.