Matthew Vaughn Wanted To Include Young Wolverine In ‘X-Men: First Class’ Sequel

Hugh Jackman almost hung up his claws much earlier. While speaking with ComingSoon.net, director Matthew Vaughn discussed his original plans for the sequels to X-Men: First Class, which included introducing a younger version of Jackman’s Wolverine.

Vaughn began by revealing that Days of Future Past was intended to be the third film in his trilogy, with the movie serving as the culmination of the X-Men franchise to that point:

“That’s one of the reasons I didn’t continue, because they didn’t listen to me. My plan was First Class, then second film was new young Wolverine in the 70’s to continue those characters, my version of the X-Men. So you’d really get to know all of them, and my finale was gonna be Days of Future Past. That was gonna be my number three where you bring them all… because what’s bigger than bringing in McKellen and Michael and Stewart and James and bringing them all together?”

READ: Chris Hemsworth Auditioned To Play Gambit In X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Things got rocky from there as the studio disregarded Vaughn’s original vision in favor of moving up Days of Future Past. The filmmaker went into detail about how he planned to bring a new Wolverine into the fold using a younger actor:

“When I finished the Days of Future Past script with it ready to go I looked at it and said, ‘I really think it would be fun to cast Tom Hardy or someone as the young Wolverine and then bring it all together at the end.’ Fox read Days of Future Past and went ‘Oh, this is too good! We’re doing it now!’ And I said, ‘Well what do you do next? Trust me you’ve got nowhere to go.’ Then they did Apocalypse and it’s like… If you flip that ’round even it would have been better. Hollywood doesn’t understand pacing. Their executives are driving 100 miles-per-hour looking in the rear-view mirror and not understanding why they crash.”

Vaughn mentioning Tom Hardy as a potential candidate for Logan is sure to excite many as the actor’s name has become popular among fans when discussing who could step into the role following Jackman’s departure. That scenario doesn’t seem as likely now that Hardy has joined the SUMC as Eddie Brock/Venom, although, crazier things have happened.

Do you think Vaughn’s original plans would’ve been successful? Who would you want to play a younger Weapon X? Let us know in the comments below!

Dark Phoenix hits theaters on June 7, 2019.

The film stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters, and Jessica Chastain.