10 Hugh Jackman Wolverine Scenes From All 10 Of His Marvel Movie Appearances That Have Gotten Better With Age

In Hugh Jackman’s many appearances as Wolverine in Marvel movies, he has brought a number of scenes to life that have only gotten better with age. First appearing in 2000’s X-Men, Hugh Jackman’s turn as Wolverine proved to be one of the defining performances of Fox’s X-Men movie franchise. Despite initial reactions to his casting being somewhat mixed, the actor’s time as the iconic Marvel mutant has since come to be considered one of the best castings in the history of the superhero genre.

With Jackman’s appearances in the role reaching double digits, there have been many great Wolverine movie moments. In fact, throughout the X-Men movie timeline, there are a number of scenes that continue to stand out as especially enjoyable or touching for one reason or another. Many of these only seem to improve with age, further proving just how perfectly Hugh Jackman has been able to bring Wolverine to life on the big screen.

10

Wolverine Cage Fighting

X-Men (2000)

Hugh Jackman’s first appearance as Wolverine came in the cast of X-Men in 2000, and it marked the beginning of a cinematic journey that would come to span multiple decades. His first on-screen appearance came in a scene in which he is shown cage-fighting, demonstrating his abilities and inspiring the awe of a young runaway Rogue. The scene remains as perfect as ever, with enjoyable action and a perfectly written introduction to the character of Wolverine.

Seeing Wolverine demonstrating his remarkable combat abilities in X-Men‘s cage fight scene was thematically perfect. Introducing the character by having him quite literally caged subtly underpins his animalistic nature, and showing his ability to casually overpower much larger fighters and withstand significant attacks was an exciting way to introduce the hero. In many ways, Wolverine’s first scene in the X-Men movie franchise continues to stand out as an impeccable introduction.

9

Protecting The X-Mansion

X2: X-Men United (2003)

The follow-up to X-Men, 2003’s X2: X-Men United, brought back the majority of the first film’s characters, as well as introduced a number of new figures to the franchise. An early scene introducing William Stryker sees the mutant-hating antagonist attack the X-Mansion, with Wolverine fighting back in order to protect the students. The scene then follows Wolverine taking on Stryker’s forces in the middle of the night, fighting in the darkened hallways of Professor Xavier’s school.

It’s the first time that the franchise depicts Wolverine as a protector of the innocent in this way, and it sees the character take on a more heroic aspect. This helps elevate the scene, as it demonstrates that Wolverine is willing to use his capacity for violence to help his fellow mutants rather than simply act in his own interest. The scene is a turning point for the character, but it’s also an exceptional moment within the movie that holds up brilliantly even more than two decades later.

8

Wolverine Vs Lady Deathstrike

X2: X-Men United (2003)

X2: X-Men United further explored Wolverine’s story, including seeing him learn the truth about his forgotten past. This involved traveling to the Weapon X facility, where he unlocked some of his lost memories regarding his adamantium skeleton and the experimental procedure he was put through by William Stryker. It’s a narrative development that sees him face Lady Deathstrike, a villain who possesses incredibly similar abilities to Logan himself.

The ensuing battle is one of the most brutal Wolverine fight scenes in the character’s cinematic tenure. Seeing Wolverine come up against an adversary who is essentially his equal in all ways for the first time was a major moment for the franchise. Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike facing off in the same chamber that Wolverine’s painful procedure occurred in was a major moment in X2, and one of the most consistently enjoyable scenes in the hero’s movie history.

7

Killing Jean Grey

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Although X-Men: The Last Stand is typically seen as the worst X-Men movie in Fox’s franchise, it did feature one or two poignant moments that have held up surprisingly well. The most notable comes during the movie’s climactic battle, in which the X-Men battle against Jean Grey, who has been completely overtaken by the Phoenix Force. Realizing he is the only one capable of stopping her, Wolverine is forced to take her down.

Seeing Logan painfully approach and kill the woman he loves is a powerful moment, even in a movie as maligned as The Last Stand. The raw emotion conveyed by Jackman’s performance is excellent, and the weight of the scene makes it by far the best in the entire movie, and one of the most defining movie moments for Wolverine. Despite X-Men: The Last Stand being the worst in the franchise, the scene in which Wolverine has to kill the woman he loves is one of the most incredible scenes featuring the hero.

6

Learning The Truth About Kayla

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Kayla Silverfox with her sister in X-Men Origins Wolverine

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is another of the franchise’s least popular movies, with criticism specifically leveled at its overwhelming lack of comic accuracy. Even so, it features a number of important moments for Wolverine, with one of its most interesting being surprisingly understated. After swearing revenge on Sabretooth for the murder of Kayla Silverfox, the woman he loved, Logan uncovers a plot involving William Stryker. He learns that Kayla was alive and had been manipulating him all along, as she had been blackmailed into Stryker’s service.

The scene affords Jackman a rare opportunity to emote organically, and it’s one of the most heartbreaking Wolverine movie scenes in the franchise. Seeing Wolverine’s reaction to the earth-shattering realization is powerful in a way that his action scenes rarely are, as it highlights the human aspects of the character far more keenly. Though it’s often overlooked, it remains an excellent scene for Wolverine’s character development.

5

Bullet Train Battle

The Wolverine (2013)

2013’s The Wolverine is one of the more forgettable entries into the X-Men franchise, despite being generally well-liked by fans. The movie sees Wolverine travel to Japan to reconnect with a former acquaintance where he is drawn into a plot to steal his regenerative healing factor. The movie features several great action scenes, but one in particular stands out. The scene in question sees Logan take on a swarm of criminals on top of a moving bullet train.

The Wolverine’s bullet train scene has aged brilliantly, and remains every bit as exhilarating and entertaining as it did upon release. This is largely due to the sheer action spectacle of the scene, with Wolverine using his abilities to remarkable effect against a well-armed group of criminals who have him vastly outnumbered. It’s a well-crafted piece of action that remains a testament to how well Jackman has brought the character to life in live-action.

4

Wolverine Vs Magneto

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-Men: Days of Future Past adapted one of the best-known X-Men stories of the comics, with Wolverine traveling back in time to 1973 in order to prevent an apocalyptic future from occurring. This sees the hero facing multiple villains, because as well as Bolivar Trask and his Sentinels, Wolverine finds himself pitted against the schemes of Mystique and Magneto. It’s the latter that causes the biggest problem for Logan, as the pair’s fight is perhaps Wolverine’s most brutal on-screen beating in the franchise.

The battle sees Magneto effectively toy with Logan, using his magnetic abilities to control and decisively beat the hero. Seeing Magneto use pieces of rebar to impale and restrain Logan was an unexpected piece of superhero body horror, and Jackman’s pained performance sells it perfectly. The fight between the two holds up excellently, as it remains every bit as devastating and uncomfortable even years later.

3

Weapon X Escape

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

X-Men: Apocalypse did not heavily feature Wolverine, instead focusing on other mutant characters. The film’s 1980s setting meant that it took place during Wolverine’s time on the Weapon X project, in which he was a prisoner of William Stryker. However, Hugh Jackman did appear in the movie, with his small screen time providing what is almost certainly its best and most memorable scene.

After arriving at Stryker’s facility, the young X-Men unlock a cell from which Wolverine emerges in his full comic-accurate Weapon X gear. The scene sees Wolverine embark on a rampage through the facility, focusing more on the horror he is able to inspire in his victims than on the character himself. It’s a scene that looks at Wolverine from a terrifying new perspective, while also providing an incredible piece of fan service to those with knowledge of his Weapon X origins in the comics.

2

Wolverine’s Final Rampage

Logan (2017)

2017’s Logan features some of Hugh Jackman’s best scenes as Wolverine, with several that continue to stand out years after its release. Towards the end of the movie, Logan finds himself faced with one final opportunity to be a hero, and opts to face off against the forces hunting the fleeing group of young mutants, including his daughter. He launches into a berserker rage, rampaging through the forest in the most brutal manner imaginable.

Seeing Wolverine tap into his rage for a final time is bittersweet, but it makes for an incredible action scene. Jackman’s performance is absolutely incredible, with his sheer physicality complemented by a surprisingly visceral vocal performance and brutal visuals. The scene is one of the most violent in the entire X-Men franchise, and it also serves as a strangely cathartic chapter in Wolverine’s movie history.

1

Logan’s Death

Logan (2017)

When it comes to Wolverine movie scenes that have only gotten better with age, there are none that come close to Logan’s emotional ending. Having managed to overcome X-24 and save his daughter, Logan finds himself mortally wounded after their intense battle. His final scene is one of peace, in which he shares his final thoughts with his daughter before finally succumbing to his injuries.

Logan’s death is undeniably one of the most emotional moments in the entire superhero genre. Even though it has effectively been undone by Deadpool & Wolverine, it was still established that Logan’s death was hugely important in terms of the Multiverse, adding another layer to his heroic end. It’s a moment that remains every bit as powerful no matter how many times it’s revisited, making it by far the best Wolverine scene in the character’s cinematic history.

Wolverine in Comic Art by Leinil Yu

Wolverine

Created By

Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.

Cast

Hugh Jackman

First Appearance

The Incredible Hulk (2023)

Alias

James “Logan” Howlett

Alliance

X-Men, Avengers, Canadian Army, OSS/CIA, Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, New Avengers, New Fantastic Four, Savage Avengers, Weapon X, X-Force

Race

Human-Mutant

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