He raises a valid point about the character and the type of actor who should play him next.
Even since Logan was released, and even more so since Disney bought out Fox, and then even more so since Dark Phoenix effectively put a bullet in the head of the X-Men franchise as we currently know it, all eyes have been on where the lucrative series might be going next.
Hugh Jackman did a fantastic job in the role, but with Disney now able to mix a new version of the X-Men into a potential crossover with the Avengers (and the Fantastic Four, should they wish), it is simply too much of a money-maker to deny.
The internet has been rife with rumours and suggestions for who might replace Jackman – everyone from Tom Hardy to Scott Eastwood have been mentioned, while Jason Momoa publicly put his name forward for the part – but we figured we knew exactly the right guy to ask.
Jon Favreau was the genius who decided to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, back before his career took off hugely, and effectively made him the highest paid actor in the world.
Favreau is also the guy who chose Will Ferrell to play Buddy The Elf, picked Bill Murray to play Baloo in his version of The Jungle Book, and decided upon the much-loved Donald Glover for the grown up version of Simba.
JOE sat down with Favreau in the lead-up to the release of his adaptation of The Lion King, and since he is a bit of a genius when it comes to casting, and he has such a strong working relationship with Disney and Marvel, we asked who he would cast as the new Wolverine.
“That’s a tough one,” Favreau admits. “And I’m going to dodge it because there are a lot of different Wolverines. There is the Wolverine- the Hugh Jackman Wolverine. But there is also the Wolverine from the books, which is very different to Hugh Jackman.
“Although Hugh Jackman did a fantastic job of it, and we all think of him as the iconic version of it, especially if you look at Logan, which, by the way, for my money, probably one of the best superhero films ever made, love that one, and the dimensions of that character throughout.
“But if you think of the original Wolverine from the books, he’s a bit of a fireplug. He is a tough, small, hairy, aggressive character.”
JOE then asked if he hadn’t met any tough, small, hairy, aggressive actors in Hollywood?
“I will be auditioning for it,” Favreau jokingly reveals.
Check out our full chat with him right here:
The Lion King, the 2019 version!, hits the big screen in Ireland from Friday 19 July.
In case you haven’t watched it yet, check out the full trailer below:
Clip via Walt Disney Studios
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