Hugh Jackman has revealed he will have to train for six months to return to peak Wolverine fitness for Deadpool 3.
The 54-year-old actor is reprising the iconic X-Men role after a few unsubtle nudges from co-star and franchise leader Ryan Reynolds.
It’s no wonder it took a bit of persuasion to get him to do it, as Hugh has admitted working out is going to be his full-time job for six months in preparation for the role – ouch.
Speaking on HBO Max’s Who’s Talking To Chris Wallace, he said: ‘I’ve learned you can’t rush it. I’ve learned that it takes time.
‘So, we have six months from when I finish [Broadway’s ‘The Music Man’] to when I started filming. And I’m not doing any other work.
‘I’m going to be with my family and train. That’s going to be my job for six months.’
Clearly, the Greatest Showman star’s stint as Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man has kept him fit, but not Wolverine-ripped, as he added: ‘And I’m really fit right now.
‘There’s one thing that about eight shows a week being on Broadway singing and dancing, is I’m fit. So, I’m healthy.
‘I have a good place to start. And apologies, chickens. Run a mile. Start running now because I’m coming for you.’
The Australian star recently admitted he ‘fully intended’ 2017 film Logan to be his final outing as Wolverine, but that the idea of returning had always been ‘lurking and brewing’ in his subconscious.
But in September last year the legendary actor finally said yes, to the delight of fans everywhere.
Hugh’s pal Ryan made the announcement through a hilarious video in which he teased that he had no ideas for the new Deadpool film, ‘except one’.
Hugh then strolled into frame, and Ryan said, ‘Hey Hugh, want to play Wolverine one last time?’ to which the actor casually replied, ‘Yeah, sure Ryan’.
Hugh told Deadline in November: ‘I was just driving out to the beach. It was mid-August, I had a week off from the show [The Music Man on Broadway], my first week off in eight, nine months, 10 months. And it came to me like, “I really want to do that.” And that was it.
‘As soon as I arrived at the beach, I rang Ryan just to see what the hell was going on. And then here we are. It was so quick.
‘And trust me, there’s not a morning I don’t wake up where Ryan Reynolds is outside my house with posters saying, “Please.” He’s constantly asking me about it.
‘And I was like, “Dude, I’m done. I’m done, I’m done, I’m done, I’m done, I’m done.” So then when he rang me [back], he was like, “Are you serious?” So yeah.’
And he really is serious, because his workout routine will be no walk in the park.
How does Hugh Jackman get ripped to play Wolverine?
Although the actor hasn’t yet revealed the more detailed ins and outs of his upcoming fitness schedule, in a 2021 interview with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show, Hugh recalled how previous preparations once even included a ‘dehydration process’ which involved drinking loads of water before stopping for 36 hours prior to shooting.
Needless to say, that’s not one to try at home.
But although grueling, Hugh’s Wolverine workouts aren’t always that extreme. Chatting to Men’s Health in 2016, he said: ‘I do no more than an hour – but the training is pretty intense.’
Back then this included rounds of reps, bench presses, tricep dips, press-ups and weights as well as cardio, five days a week.
As for this time around, the actor is feeling even more pumped.
Speaking on Empire’s podcast, he said: ‘I want it to be better than ever, to be in better shape than ever, more able to do things than ever.
‘I just get the added incentive of taking Ryan Reynolds out each day.’
Deadpool 3 is due to be released in cinemas in 2024.
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