Hugh Jackman's Wolverine Almost in 'Fantastic Four'?! You Won't Believe It!
Did you know Wolverine almost made a cameo in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie? Ioan Gruffudd, the original Reed Richards, revealed that a deleted scene featured him briefly transforming into Hugh Jackman's iconic character to impress Sue Storm (Jessica Alba).
A Cut Wolverine Cameo
"Paying homage to the great Hugh Jackman was quite a thrill," Gruffudd told Vulture. He expressed his disappointment that the scene didn't make the final cut, adding, "I don't know why that didn't make it into the film." The scene, available online, shows Reed and Sue discussing their relationship, with Reed using his powers to morph into Wolverine as an example of a "stronger man."
A Planned Trilogy Cut Short
Gruffudd also reflected on the original plans for a Fantastic Four trilogy. He believed the second film, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), was equally successful and enjoyable for fans. He particularly praised working with Doug Jones, who played the Silver Surfer. However, a third movie never materialized. The films were distributed by 20th Century Fox, and the decision to halt the series was "beyond [his] control."
The original cast, including Chris Evans as Johnny Storm (Human Torch) and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm (The Thing), thought a third movie was guaranteed. Julian McMahon, who played Doctor Doom, sadly passed away last month at age 56. Gruffudd also fondly remembered working with Chris Evans and discussed Evans' recent cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine.
The New Fantastic Four
With a new Fantastic Four movie now in cinemas, starring Pedro Pascal as the new Reed Richards, it's interesting to look back at the original franchise and the almost-cameo that could have been. What could have been if Wolverine had appeared in the original Fantastic Four?