Hugh Jackman won't join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Wolverine in future X-Men films after Disney-Fox deal

Hugh Jackman insists he won't return as Wolverine despite the groundbreaking deal which has seen Disney purchase large assets of 21st Century Fox for an eye-watering $52.4bn (£39bn).

The move will see the opportunity for all X-Men characters to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Jackman - who previously claimed that Logan was his final stand as the mutant having played him a staggering nine times since 2000 - has since confirmed he won't be returning to the role.

Speaking to Collider, the Australian actor said: “It’s interesting because for the whole 17 years I kept thinking that would be so great, like I would love to see, particularly, Iron Man and the Hulk and Wolverine together. And every time I saw an Avengers movie I could just see Wolverine in the middle of all of them like punching them all on the head.

“But it was like, 'Oh well, that’s not gonna happen,' and it was interesting just when I first saw that headline - it was just the possibility of it and who knows what’s gonna happen, obviously - I was like, 'Hang on!' But I think, unfortunately, the ship has sailed for me, but for someone else I would like to see Wolverine in there.”

Jackman is currently promoting The Greatest Showman in which he plays P.T. Barnum opposite a cast including Zendaya and Zac Efron.

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