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Hugh Jackman, who portrayed Wolverine in 20th Century Fox's X-Men films from 2000 to 2017 is set to return as the character, this time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He will join Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool in Wolverine and Deadpool, directed by Shawn Levy.
So far, the plot details for Wolverine and Deadpool are unknown, but the film is heavily rumored to revolve around the clawed mutant and the mercenary with the mouth going on a road trip across the multiverse, where they will encounter Mobius and the Time Variance Authority from Loki.
As fans await more details on the upcoming title, they might have questions about how Hugh Jackman looked before he transformed his body to play the clawed superhero.
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Hugh Jackman's Wolverine training and transformation over the years
Before he stepped into the shoes of the clawed mutant, Jackman was a singer and a dancer. He was also at one point a physical education instructor at Uppingham School in England. He thus stayed fit throughout his career and had a sturdy but lean build.
When Bryan Singer picked Hugh Jackman to play Wolverine for X-Men (2000), he took a risk. Although Jackman was fit and not extremely lean or scrawny, he did not look anything like Wolverine from the comics. Jackman's Wolverine was also 6 feet tall compared to his comic book counterpart, who was only 5 feet tall and was known for his rather short height.
Thus, throughout the first film, he was seen in a heavy-leather suit and his undefined body could be seen when he was shirtless. He then kept bulking up for his role in the following installments.
However, one burning question remains: How did Jackman continue to bulk up and get ripped for his role?
Hugh Jackman's trainer David Kingsbury made the actor focus on carb cycling
According to a report by manofmany.com, fitness guru David Kingsbury, who worked as Hugh Jackman's trainer for The Wolverine, and Logan revealed that the actor's diet for each X-Men film was different, but they all had one thing in common: focus on carb cycling.
As revealed by Kingsbury, on the day he had weight training, Jackman would only consume carbs before 3 pm. The Wolverine actor cut off cheat meals entirely during this period and only ate healthy food.
Jackman's workout regimen was split into two phases, bulking and cutting. This spanned four weeks where in the first three weeks he would bulk up and in the last week he would cut down. Cardio-related exercises would be mandatory in the last week.
The Wolverine actor and Kingsbury also focused primarily on compound movements during their training. This included deadlifts and back squats. For a heavy session, the actor would perform 1 to 5 reps of an exercise and would increase the repetitions by dropping the weight gradually.
Thus, after his training became more focused, Jackman's appearance in the subsequent films following 2000's X-Men became more toned.
For X-Men 2 in 2003, Hugh Jackman became noticeably bulkier to the surprise of fans, who noticed his slightly leaner build. He sported broader shoulders and well-defined pectoral muscles.
When X-Men: The Last Stand rolled out in 2006, Jackman was believed by fans to have reached his peak physical fitness. Not only did he have broad shoulders and a well-defined chest, but he also sported noticeably bulkier arms and his biceps looked as if they were game to help pop up his claws. He also developed a V-shaped slimmer waist.
For 2009's X-Men Origins Wolverine, Jackman maintained the same physique but also became noticeably leaner and his V-shaped waist was even more noticeable.
For The Wolverine, released four years later in 2013, Hugh Jackman challenged himself on a level similar to Chris Hemsworth or Chris Evans, who set the standard with their portrayals of Thor and Captain America. Thus, he became even fitter and possessed a greater physique as compared to his role in The Last Stand. He maintained this physique for X-Men: Days of Future Past and his cameo in X-Men: Apocalypse.
By the time Logan hit theaters in 2017, Jackman had lost a lot of his gains. His physique, however, remained as strong as ever and despite the slump he had as a result of the deteriorating condition of his character in the film, he was still a force to be reckoned with if angered.
Hugh Jackman's upcoming projects
Hugh Jackman is currently gearing up for the release of his film The Son, which will hit theaters on January 20, 2023. In the film, he will star opposite Laura Dern and Vanessa Kirby. He will then reprise his role as Wolverine in the upcoming Wolverine and Deadpool, which will hit theaters on November 8, 2024.
In addition, Jackman will also appear in the Australian Disney+ animated series Koala Man, where he will play Big Greg, a celebrity fishing expert who is the boss of the lead character Kevin, an IT professional.
