10 More Best Actor Replacements In Movies

2. Hugh Jackman - X-Men

X-Men Wolverine Hugh Jackman
20th Century Studios

Hugh Jackman is so deeply associated with the X-Men film series and the character of Wolverine that he is in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the grumpy Canadian. 

He’s appeared as the cigar-chomping mutant seven times on the big screen (soon to be eight with the release of Deadpool and Wolverine) and it would cause an international incident if anyone else ever took over the reins of the adamantium-infused badass.

However, in an alternate universe, somebody else got to wear the claws. 

Scottish actor Dougray Scott was initially cast as Wolverine, but pulled out due to scheduling conflicts, a motorbike accident, and (according to Scott himself) the orders of Tom Cruise. Scott had initially been signed to a multi-picture deal, meaning Fox clearly had big plans for him. It’s just fate that had other ideas. 

The first X-Men movie had been shooting for three weeks when Jackman was cast. He knew so little about the superhero that he actually spent time studying wolves ahead of filming, because he thought it would help him with the character. 

Don’t worry, folks, he’ll figure it out eventually.

 
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Contributor

Jacob Simmons has a great many passions, including rock music, giving acclaimed films three-and-a-half stars, watching random clips from The Simpsons on YouTube at 3am, and writing about himself in the third person.