Deadpool & Wolverine’s trailer has teased a dark backstory for Hugh Jackman’s hero, hinting at Wolverine coming from a surprising X-Men timeline.

One major X-Men theory suggests that the version of Hugh Jackman’s clawed hero in Deadpool & Wolverine may come from an unexpected place in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise timeline. Deadpool & Wolverine is set to introduce Ryan Reynolds’ and Hugh Jackman’s titular mutant heroes to the MCU in Phase 5, after both originally appeared in Fox’s X-Men franchise. Jackman debuted as James “Logan” Howlett’s Wolverine in 2000’s X-Men, and portrayed the character for 17 years, while Reynolds’ Wade Wilson, a.k.a. Deadpool, first appeared in 2009’s reviled X-Men Origins: Wolverine, before being reinvented for 2016’s Deadpool and 2018’s Deadpool 2.

The return of Deadpool and Wolverine to live-action is hugely exciting, but questions have been raised about which versions of the heroes audiences can actually expect to see in the MCU’s Phase 5. Several multiversal variants of Deadpool, including Kidpool, Headpool, Lady Deadpool and Dogpool, have already been teased or confirmed for Deadpool & Wolverine, but the true nature of Hugh Jackman’s returning character is less clear. While it’s possible Jackman is simply returning as his well-known iteration of Wolverine, one wild theory suggests Wolverine could come from a very different timeline altogether, one perhaps not protected by the X-Men.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Variant Didn’t Kill Jean Grey In The Last Stand: MCU Theory Explained

Deadpool & Wolverine’s first official trailer, which was released in April 2024, seemed to hint at Hugh Jackman portraying a very different version of Wolverine in the MCU. The trailer revealed that Wolverine’s world “went to s***,” and that Wolverine himself “let down his entire world,” though it’s unclear exactly what happened to the particular timeline that Wolverine came from in Deadpool & Wolverine. One popular theory that has arisen in the days since suggests that this version of Wolverine could have come from a timeline where he didn’t eliminate the Dark Phoenix, leading to the deaths of the X-Men.

In 20th Century Fox’s original X-Men trilogy, Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey transformed into the Dark Phoenix after being presumed dead in 2003’s X2. 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand saw her lose control of her abilities, killing Professor X and threatening the lives of countless others. Jean Grey’s assault was only stopped by Wolverine killing her, but if he hadn’t, every member of the X-Men and Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants alike would have died, except for Wolverine himself. This could answer what happened to Wolverine’s world in Deadpool & Wolverine, as a world without the X-Men would certainly be at risk.

Introducing This Wolverine Variant Would Ensure The Protection Of Logan’s Timeline

When Hugh Jackman was confirmed to be returning as Wolverine in September 2022, Marvel Studios stressed that Deadpool & Wolverine wouldn’t mess with the timeline of 2017’s Logan. At the time of its release, Logan was billed as Jackman and Patrick Stewart’s final project as Wolverine and Professor X, respectively, though both have since reprised their roles in the MCU proper. Logan continues to be perhaps the most beloved installment in Fox’s X-Men franchise, particularly due to its emotional ending which sees Wolverine sacrifice his life to protect Laura, so there were concerns that this powerful moment would be undone.

Aside from the Deadpool movies, Logan was 20th Century Fox’s second-highest-grossing movie in the X-Men franchise, totaling $620 million, behind X-Men: Days of Future Past’s $746 million. Both the Deadpool movies reached over $780 million.

Having Deadpool & Wolverine’s version of the clawed X-Men member come from a completely different timeline, perhaps one in which Jean Grey’s Dark Phoenix wasn’t stopped, leaving Wolverine as the only surviving X-Man, would allow Logan’s storyline to be retained. Logan’s version of Wolverine would remain dead, with the emotional impact of this moment not being detracted from at all. This would also provide Hugh Jackman with the opportunity to deliver a fresh take on Wolverine, as he may be portraying a multiversal variant of the hero who has a slightly different personality to his counterpart from Fox’s X-Men timeline.

Other Theories About Which Version Of Wolverine Is In Deadpool & Wolverine

There are, of course, other versions of Wolverine that could be introduced in Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine that wouldn’t mess with Logan’s timeline. Most notably, this could see Logan plucked from Fox’s X-Men timeline before Logan takes place. Unfortunately, this would negate a rumored appearance by Dafne Keen’s Laura, a.k.a. X-23, but could see Deadpool & Wolverine explore the tragic Westchester incident that saw Professor X kill members of the X-Men during a telepathic seizure. If this is the case, Deadpool & Wolverine won’t mark the end of Fox’s X-Men universe, despite rumors that the universe will be pruned.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s version of Wolverine could also come from practically any other alternate timeline, and some have even theorized that Hugh Jackman could be appearing as a live-action version of Wolverine from X-Men ’97. This is unlikely, however, particularly since Wolverine hasn’t let the world down in X-Men ’97. Bringing the clawed mutant into Deadpool & Wolverine from a timeline where he failed to stop the Dark Phoenix and protect his family may be the best option, distancing Wolverine from Logan completely, and perhaps finally showcasing the raw power of the Dark Phoenix, which Fox never managed to accomplish.