Casting news for "X-Men: Apocalypse" are pouring in slowly and while we're starting to get a good picture of the actors who'll take part in the film, one crucial star has yet to officially confirm his appearance.
As it stands, the Hugh Jackman, who plays Wolverine, has appeared in a total of seven X-Men films, including one cameo, but to date, 46-year-old actor has not yet signed on to be part of the film.
Considering the importance and the ordeal that Jackman's character went' through in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," many believe the "Pan" actor's return is pretty much a done deal.
Last month, ScreenRant reported that both Jackman and writer Simon Kinberg refused to officially announce Wolverine's appearance.
"You know, I have been speaking to the guys and I am not at liberty to tell exactly what's going on... which is largely framing my answer here, but there's still a lot unknown about that, actually. There are some very exciting things about integrating the whole X-Men world, including the Wolverine movie. There's some really cool things going on."
While the response isn't a know, it isn't a yes as well. As much as fans would like to believe Jackman will hold onto the role for as long as possible, without an announcement, it's all pretty much speculation.
The "X-Men: Apocalypse" film is set for release on May 27, 2016 while the third Wolverine flick is due out less than a year after, March 3, 2017. It's pretty safe to say that Jackman must make an announcement as filming will need to commence in a few weeks.
Collider reported earlier that with the tight schedule, it's being reported that the plan is to film Wolverine 3 and Apocalypse back-to-back. When asked about the benefits of shooting the film one after another, Jackman didn't fall for the trap of accidentally confirming himself but he did say that shooting the films back-to-back did have advantages.
"...physically, even though I was complaining about it because I found out about [X-Men: Days of Future Past] a month before I finished The Wolverine, so I was already planning on my cheat meals. It's much easier because it's tough to get there, physically, but once you're there, it's easier to maintain it," admitted the actor when discussing the grueling process of preparing for such a physically demanding role.
"X-Men: Apocalypse" will focus on the team going up against the titular villain. Stars in the film include Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp and more.
