VFX experts suggest that Deadpool & Wolverine‘s trailers used CGI to create Hugh Jackman’s shredded and comic-accurate Wolverine look. Part of the excitement behind Deadpool & Wolverine‘s release is Hugh Jackman’s return. Wolverine’s yellow-and-blue suit, combined with his extravagant mask and his bulging biceps, will culminate two decades of waiting from fans who wished to see the hero’s comic book costume translated faithfully to live-action.

In the 138th episode of Corridor Crew‘s VFX Artists React to Bad & Great CGi, the Corridor Crew team examines Deadpool & Wolverine‘s trailers and identifies some details that may point to the use of CGI in Wolverine’s sleeveless scenes. Watch the last section of the video below:

The Corridor Crew team doesn’t get to a definitive conclusion, but the VFX artists are confident that CGI was used in most of the shots featuring Wolverine, if not every shot. According to them, some CGI tricks are likely being used in the trailers, but their accuracy is so impressive that the line is blurred.

Jordan Allen: Because that’s the thing, there are shots in this that I would put my life on the line saying they are real. But there is footage of Hugh Jackman working out and it’s the same vascular patterns, the same bulging vein. That’s legit.

Sam Gorski: That’s legit.

Jordan Allen: Those are real arms.

The reason why it’s so difficult to determine whether Hugh Jackman’s sleeveless arms are actually crafted with CGI may be that the Corridor team — and skeptic fans — are placing their attention on the wrong element of the scenes. Instead of Jackman’s arms, it’s possible that Deadpool & Wolverine is using CGI to shape and modify Wolverine’s suit in every shot. The exact method, however, may change from shot to shot.

Sam Gorski: Guys, guys, guys, guys. Pause, pause, pause, pause. What if I told you you had everything wrong? What if I told you the arms were real… but the suit wasn’t? (…) Watch this shot here. Watch the seams on his suit. See that?

Niko Pueringer: (…) Oh wait. You know what, Sam? I hate to say it, what we’re seeing here is retiming for the psychic abilities, so they’re cutting out the arm and retiming it.

Jordan Allen: It’s comping real footage of the suit but just retiming it.

Niko Pueringer: Yeah, so it’s just Hugh Jackman doing his move, but they’re cutting out the arms and separately retiming them.

Hugh Jackman’s Arms In Deadpool & Wolverine Are CGI Theory Explained

There May Be A Couple Of Explanations For Wolverine’s CGI-Enhanced Arms In Deadpool & Wolverine

All shots in Deadpool & Wolverine‘s trailers could be altered in order to prevent spoilers. Hugh Jackman may have different suit variations in the final film: with and without sleeves, with more or less battle damage, and with and without the helmet. However, these details could be read as hints to the movie’s plot if left unchanged in the trailers. Marvel has used this kind of CGI replacement before. Avengers: Infinity War‘s trailers removed most Infinity Stones in Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet, and Spider-Man: No Way Home removed Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men from the snippets of the final battle.

Wolverine’s arms in Deadpool & Wolverine may also be enhanced with CGI to protect Hugh Jackman’s skin. In 2023, Hugh Jackman confirmed that his skin cancer was under control. However, the actor still needs to take the necessary precautions when exposed to direct sunlight. While many Deadpool & Wolverine scenes were shot in studio, some of them were actually shot on location. In order to maintain continuity, Marvel may have either recreated Jackman’s full sleeveless arms with CGI, or digitally erased whatever kind of skin protection Jackman wore in certain shots.

As pointed out by Corridor Crew, some Deadpool & Wolverine scenes may use subtle CGI tricks to intensify the action or create certain effects, like Cassandra Nova’s telekinesis. The incredible level of accuracy that can be achieved with modern-day CGI also allows Marvel Studios to make creative decisions about Wolverine’s suit during post-production. By the time Deadpool & Wolverine‘s final cut hits theaters, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine suit may have gone through several design changes, including the comic-accurate combination of sleeveless armor, shoulder pads, and mask in the same shots shown in the trailers.