Wolverine Binge List

There’s a distinct chance that because of it’s R-rated, many of our readers aren’t planning on seeing Deadpool & Wolverine. Before seeing its trailers involving Hugh Jackman, TVA, Ant-Man, etc. I was one of them. Still not 100% sure if I’ll see it (I find Deadpool annoying, but I’m told he’s that way on purpose) but I decided I would do a Wolverine movie re-watch just in case. Of course there’s no guarantee or indication from the trailers that the Wolverine in the new movie will be the same Wolverine from the X-Men movies. Could be another Wolverine variant played by Hugh Jackman (like Patrick Stewart's Professor X variant in Multiverse of Madness). Honestly, I'm still not a fan of the X-Men movies becoming canon with the MCU, with their convoluted time travel and continuity errors. All the same, I'm here for the ride, so here's your journey through Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

It was the fourth X-Men movie to be released by Fox, but the first chronologically for Wolverine. This film gave us a much deeper look into the flashes of memories that Logan experienced in X2. While not popular among many fans, I enjoyed X-Men Origins. Maybe it's because I had zero expectations regarding Deadpool. Maybe it's because I love a good flashback. But I still enjoy this movie... until I start analyzing continuity errors, but that has more to do with later movies than this one.

X-Men

Completely amnesiac after the events of Origins, by the time of this movie Wolverine had started calling himself Logan. After picking up Rogue as a stowaway, one thing led to another and the duo ended up at Xavier's School. This is the movie that began it all (we wouldn't be having a third Deadpool movie without the success of this one). So you can't miss this one.

X2

Sequel to the first of course and this movie gave us glimpses into the backstory later explored in Origins, with Stryker and Canada. While Logan had his issues in the last movie, this film started Wolverine into the mix of trauma and heartbreak that would would follow him for multiple sequels and spin-offs.

X-Men: The Last Stand

As if Logan doesn't already have enough going on grieving Jean, her miraculous return, the inevitable betrayal, and the "mutant cure", this movie had to put a nice big nail in the coffin that is Logan's psyche, when forced to kill Jean. It's also the first of several Dark Phoenix adaptations that X-Men fans love to complain about.

The Wolverine

Including my preparations for this blog post, I think I've seen this movie a total of two times. So obviously it didn't leave much of an impression with me. So while Wolverine is already grieving Jean and his choice to kill her, he's not faced with the dilemma of his mortality (or lack thereof, depending on the part of the movie). Honestly, I mostly see this movie as a bridge between the original trilogy and Days of Future Past. Hadn't even seen this movie before seeing that one, so it kind of feels inconsequential. 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Simultaneously a continuation of the X-Men trilogy/The Wolverine and a sequel to First Class, this movie remains one of my favorite X-Men movies. Kind of wish they'd have stopped here instead of continuing with the soft reboot (that started the majority of the continuity errors, in my opinion). We got the return of many beloved mutants and the introduction of Quicksilver (whose variant would be killed a year later in Age of Ultron). And with this movie's ending, we had the conclusion to the original Wolverine.

Logan

It's unclear which timeline this version of Wolverine belongs to. Is he from the sentinel's future (before they changed history) or is he from the new timeline (who was seen as Weapon X)? Or maybe a third unrelated timeline? Regardless, this R-rated film is highly praised by fans--though I was underwhelmed by it. If the Wolverine appearing in Deadpool 3 is the same Logan from previous movies, it won't be this one (just based on his age). But all the same, this movie is popular and could still be one of those multiverse branches that the TVA has dealt with. We'll probably never know for sure.

If these movies aren't enough to get you into a Wolverine mood, you can also revisit his cameo from First Class and his appearance in Apocalypse. Also relevant, in addition to Deadpool, from what we can tell in the trailers might be Loki. Especially season one. Or since Wade Wilson is going in blind to it all anyway, you could skip straight to the chaos that'll be Deadpool & Wolverine this summer.