Top 10 Actors Who Could Replace Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

Last Updated on August 3, 2021

A week before release, LOGAN is already one of the most critically acclaimed comic book adaptations of all time. But, it is a bittersweet reminder that this is also the last time we will see Hugh Jackman play Wolverine on the big screen. With the X-Men universe still plugging along, it will only be a matter of time before the character is played by a new actor. With the future in mind, here is a ranking of the top ten candidates who could take over the mantle of Weapon X from Jackman and carry the franchise forward. If you disagree with our picks or think we missed the perfect actor, let us know in the talk backs below.

#1 – Karl Urban

Who doesn’t love Karl Urban? The actor who embodied the ideal version of Judge Dredd has long been a favorite of JoBlo.com readers and has done everything on screen from THE LORD OF THE RINGS to STAR TREK. No stranger to genre fare, Urban can do any type of film and play hero or villain with gusto. Long deserving of his own franchise, Urban would easily be able to pick up Wolverine from where Hugh Jackman has left off without any need for a reboot or change in direction. I would pick Karl Urban, hands down, as my favorite pick to take over this character.

#2 – Joel Edgerton

Edgerton seems content to work with a range of directors with different ambitions that comic book fare but is not afraid to jump into films with studio backing. Having played heroes (KING ARTHUR) and villains (THE GREAT GATSBY, EXODUS), Edgerton is also a talented writer and director who knows his way around all aspects a big production. While he may look the least like Hugh Jackman of anyone on this list, he certainly could pull off the role thanks to his acting talent. Plus, he went toe to toe versus Tom Hardy in WARRIOR which makes both actors worthy of this list.

#3 – Luke Evans

Evans has appeared in franchises ranging from THE HOBBIT to THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS and failed to get his own going with the bomb DRACULA UNTOLD. Still, Evans has a charisma that cannot be denied and showed that he has the chops for a meaty role like Wolverine with turns in HIGH-RISE and THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN. There is no question he looks the part but he clearly is an actor who could do what Jackman did and elevate the character to dramatic proportions.

#4 – Scott Eastwood

Eastwood had a minor role in SUICIDE SQUAD last year that failed to capitalize on his talents as an actor and his eerie resemblance to his father, Clint. Eastwood is genetically tailored for an action role and the fan created image above should show you how he could pull of the costume that LOGAN director James Mangold doesn’t think makes sense on the big screen. Eastwood has yet to really take a role that can showcase his movie star abilities so why not throw him into the deep end with a comic book flick?

#9 – Justin Theroux

Theroux shares a lot in common with Hugh Jackman from a physical standpoint. The actor has proven himself to be a talented performer on HBO’s The Leftovers and has even scripted a comic book film (IRON MAN 2). It may be questionable if he could carry a film the way Jackman has but he certainly looks the part.

#10 – Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy has proven himself to be one of the biggest badasses working today. He has already appeared as a villain in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and was close to starring in SUICIDE SQUAD. What would stop him from venturing over to Marvel to take over the gruff Wolverine? Hardy has the physique to play Logan and the animalistic intensity that would deliver a slightly different edge than Jackman brought to the role. But, would Hardy be willing to take on the franchise commitment a superhero series would demand?

#5 – Kit Harington

The Game of Thrones star has a limited run left on HBO’s acclaimed fantasy series which means he is ripe for a big screen transition. Having appeared in POMPEII as a titular hero with abs of steel, Harington could transition easily from swords and sorcery to claws and cigars. Like Reynor, Harington is a younger actor but one who embodies a physical presence that would work perfectly for Wolverine.

#6 – Jack Reynor

Jack Reynor appeared in TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION and embodied a combination of youth and humor that would certainly lighten up Wolverine a bit. With the series having skewed older as Hugh Jackman has aged, it would be a jump to go to a much younger actor in the role but it could also extend the franchise for a much longer run. Plus, Logan never ages, right?

#7 – Charlie Hunnam

Charlie Hunnam is the lone blonde actor on this list which immediately makes him look wrong for Wolverine. But, after a long run as star of FX’s biker series Sons of Anarchy, Hunnam has proven that he can play the grizzled outsider anti-hero that is requisite for Wolverine. Hunnam is attempting to kickstart a franchise with Guy Ritchie’s KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD so he may not be available for a new series, but he would be an intriguing outside choice.

#8 – Anson Mount

Likely one of the least familiar names on this list, Anson Mount recently concluded a run on AMC’s western series Hell on Wheels. Playing cowboy for multiple years, Mount inhabited his character of Cullen Bohannon which shares a lot with Logan’s story: both are broken men who have lost family that they loved and sought vengeance and learned to be a part of a team along the way. Mount would definitely be an adjustment for fans of Jackman but he also shares a lot of physical similarities that would fit the character.

Source: JoBlo.com

About the Author

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Alex Maidy has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. A Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and a member of Chicago Indie Critics, Alex has been JoBlo.com's primary TV critic and ran columns including Top Ten and The UnPopular Opinion. When not riling up fans with his hot takes, Alex is an avid reader and aspiring novelist.