What is scarier than Wolverine? A Venomized Wolverine!

The upcoming MCU project Deadpool & Wolverine represents a range of good things for the overall MCU. It is set to see a grand entrance of X-Men and a range of mutants into the universe, and will also see the return of the iconic Hugh Jackman as the titular character, last seen in 2017’s Logan.

Jackman’s portrayal of the character has firmly been a part of the mainstream and has led to Wolverine becoming a global icon, recognized not just by comic fans, but by everyone else as well. While we have seen Jackman find immense success with his role as Wolverine, the mutant itself has undergone a plethora of development with respect to various comic book storylines.

That also includes the existence of a Venomized Wolverine, which has been seen in multiple arcs thus far. While even the most ambitious fan might understand why a Venomized Wolverine might be a distant dream, it represents unlimited potential as far as a collaboration between Hugh Jackman and Marvel is concerned.

Hugh Jackman as Venomized Wolverine will break the MCU

Multiple comic book arcs have seen the existence of a Venomized Wolverine. He was most recently seen What If… Venom #2, created by Jeremy Holt and Tadam Gyadu, and has some predictable characteristics to boot.

Each time such an event has happened, Wolverine turns into a mutant-symbiote hybrid with some scary powers. Not only does he end up getting all of Venom’s and Spider-Man’s abilities, his own powers are comprehensively upgraded, including his regeneration ability, which means that the result is a violent, almost-invincible creature that turns into a mindless killing machine.

While such a portrayal will perfectly align with Hugh Jackman’s character and penchant for violence, the fact that the Venom symbiote was left behind on Earth-616, and the fact that the upcoming movie potentially sees Wolverine on the same planet, means that there is some scope for such a collaboration.

However, considering the kind of deal between Sony and Marvel with respect to Venom, and the fact that a Venomized Wolverine in itself will have largescale implications that might require the help of other Avengers, such an arc might be best left alone with respect to the MCU.

A Venomized Wolverine would represent unlimited possibilities, and a huge narrative shift

Each time we saw Wolverine bond with Venom, he had to take drastic measures himself in order to be freed. For example, in one arc, Wolverine ended up ripping his heart from his chest which led to the symbiote feeling his body. Furthermore, considering the kind of characteristics that Venomized Wolverine has portrayed, he will be a huge menace and will almost certainly cause large-scale destruction.

In that sense, a Venomized Wolverine will, at the very least, require an antagonist arc similar to how The Scarlet Witch lost her shit in the Multiverse of Madness. Furthermore, such a character will also require a huge shift in narrative, considering that Wolverine’s arc in the overall MCU has been delved into multiple times before.

Hence, while Hugh Jackman might be perfectly capable of pulling off such a role, a Venomized Wolverine will thoroughly distort the kind of identity which has been given to Wolverine thus far. Finally, with fans constantly clamoring for Tom Hardy’s Venom to be included in the MCU, and Marvel failing to do so due to multiple reasons thus far, perhaps that might be a less ambitious ask for the time being, especially when compared to the certified psychopath in the form of a Venomized Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine is set to hit theaters on July 26, 2024.