When you think of Wolverine, you immediately think of Hugh Jackman as the iconic character, a role that he has played on and off for about 17 years.
However, these days it seems that the 50-year-old actor is ready to hang up his retractable claws and regenerative abilities, leaving a wide-open space for someone else to come along and portray the legendary mutant. And the man who everyone is hoping to replace Mr. Jackman is none other than Danny DeVito.
There is a petition circulating for the Taxi actor to take on the role. And while you may think it’s a prank, it’s not. The petition has already gathered over 10,000 signatures, leaving it only 5,000 shy of its 15,000 signature goal.
The petition was started by a user who goes by the name “Ring Arius”, and has the following summary, “The only man able to take the throne after Hugh Jackman. We believe that if Wolverine is to make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that the only man able to pull it off is Danny Devito.”
In addition to supporting the cause, many eager fans from around the globe are leaving encouraging comments. One such fan, Ryan Foster, who couldn’t wait for the dream to be turned into reality, wrote, “This is the most important cause I’ve ever supported.”
Another fan, Tom Wilson also left the comment, “Personally I feel Danny is the true Wolverine” with James Froggatt adding, “It’s f*cking Danny Devito, enough said.”
Do you passionately believe Danny should be the man to step into Hugh’s shoes? If you are a passionate fan of the cause and would like to get in on the action, you can sign the petition here.
If Danny DeVito did choose to listen to his fans and take on the role – which, along with the new era of X-man being integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe – it would require a lot of work, given the physicality of the role.
On a recent Television Critics Association panel, Lauren Shuler Donner, the franchise producer for X-Men, explained why she believed Hugh was retire from the character role, saying it was getting to physically demanding.
“[Hugh] worked so hard to bulk up, would get up at four in the morning to bulk and eat protein meals every two hours because his natural state, they used to call him Worm when he was a kid,” she said. “So his natural state is a very skinny guy. Once you reach a certain age, the body just won’t go anymore. I think he was wise to say, ‘I’m at that point. I can’t do it.’”
The Greatest Showman actor himself has talked about his departure as Wolverine, saying it was “time” for him to move on.
“When I saw Deadpool, I was like, wow that’s cool,” he said. “It’s just a matter of time. It’s a bit like you’re at the greatest party you’ve ever been at, you’ve been dancing for an hour and a half, and then you’re just like ‘It’s time, ok. If I stay any longer, it’s gonna get ugly.’ It’s like, it’s time.”
Who do you think should be the next Wolverine?
