In Deadpool & Wolverine, Ryan Reynold’s character playfully jokes that Hugh Jackman will probably be playing Logan until he is 90. He probably isn’t wrong, especially since many fans see him as the only choice for Wolverine. However, there’s another actor who could have done an equally good job as James Howlett. When news first broke that Hugh Jackman would retire from the role after Logan, many wanted to see Richard Armitage take over as Wolverine.
Why Richard Armitage?
For most fans, Richard Armitage is not a name that they initially recognise. However, the English actor and author, who made a name for himself by acting in films like Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (as Thorin Oakenshield) and TV shows like Spooks and Hannibal, lent his voice to the X-Men character in Marvel’s first-ever scripted podcast, Wolverine: The Long Night. The announcement was a dream come true for many fans as the 46-year-old British actor has long been a fan favourite to replace Hugh Jackman due to the striking resemblance between the two (both rough-but-handsome and grizzled) and his interesting acting methods.
As a method actor, Armitage tends to keep “character diaries” with entire biographies of the characters he plays. “It was important to me to put in a background for my character that would be useful for the whole journey. A lot of that is secret and no one gets to read that. It’s what is useful to me. If you are playing something long-running and a role that has a future [beyond the initial series], it’s almost like you have to plant a garden which you will need to come back to at some point. If you don’t put in early, it can jar with you.”
Richard Armitage Loves Wolverine
Zack Snyder initially met with the actor for the role of Batman. Sadly, even after emerging as a front-runner to play the iconic character, he lost the part in Batman v Superman to Ben Affleck. Perhaps Richard Armitage will get the opportunity to show off his acting chops as a replacement for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
He definitely has the looks. At 6’2″, the theatre-trained actor has a deep, rich voice and genuinely has the acting ability to play just about any character he wants. If you think he is too tall, remember he has played a dwarf before.
When discussing playing the character in Marvel’s Wolverine: The Long Night, Richard Armitage revealed his respect for the character. “He’s an antihero. He has an extensive biography, which, when you start to delve into it, you realize, oh my goodness, this could go so deep and could continue for a long time afterwards. That’s what makes it exciting.”
There aren’t many actors who are able to step into the shoes of the legendary Hugh Jackman (especially as Wolverine), but Richard Armitage might just be able to pull it off. Just imagine his Wolverine fighting alongside the Avengers or appearing in a Spider-Man film. For now, we can only dream. With rumours that Jackman has signed on for a Hulk vs Wolverine movie, he might just end up playing the role until he is 90 years old.
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Tell us, do you think Richard Armitage has what it takes to play Wolverine in the MCU? Maybe as a variant?
