Few actors are as closely associated with their characters as Hugh Jackman is with Wolverine. But is Hugh Jackman really the best Wolverine? Across films, TV series, and video games, numerous actors have played Marvel’s iconic hero. It’s finally time to rank all the Wolverines from worst to first.
William Callaway holds the distinction of being the first actor to voice Wolverine in an episode of ‘Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends’. Unfortunately, his take on the character was lacking, and his odd choice to use an Australian accent for a Canadian character did not resonate well. Patrick Pinney’s attempt to portray Wolverine in the ‘X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men’ pilot also suffered from a distracting Australian accent. It’s so jarring that it’s impossible to overlook the mismatch between his voice and his character.
Milo Ventimiglia, while a good actor in ‘This Is Us’, was completely wrong for Wolverine in the anime series that shared his name. He couldn’t hide the youthful quality of his voice, making Steve Blum a better choice for the ‘X-Men’ anime series. David Kaye’s Wolverine in ‘Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects’ is a middle-of-the-road performance, not memorable enough to rank higher.
Keith Szarabajka’s brief cameo as Wolverine in the ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ video game, including a boss fight against Venom, is fun but not substantial enough for a higher ranking. Veteran actor Kevin Michael Richardson’s inspired performance as Wolverine in a single episode of the ‘Black Panther’ animated series, which ran on BET, makes us wish we had heard more of this version of the character.
Robert Patrick, known for his role in ‘Terminator 2’, was the perfect choice for Old Man Logan in the ‘Marvel Wastelanders: Wolverine’ podcast. His voice gave Logan a believable gravitas, capturing the character’s aging and weariness. Richard Armitage, known for his role as Thorin Oakenshield in ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy, starred in two Wolverine scripted podcasts/radio plays, ‘Wolverine: The Long Night’ and ‘Wolverine: The Lost Trail’. His gruff voice suits the character well.
Mark Hamill, known for voicing the Joker in ‘Batman: The Animated Series’, lent his voice to Wolverine once in the ‘X2: Wolverine’s Revenge’ video game. He was meant to be playing Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine from the movies and did a great job of capturing Jackman’s performance. Scott McNeil, who voiced Wolverine in the second ‘X-Men’ animated series, ‘X-Men: Evolution’, landed a high spot on this list due to his extensive time in the role across four seasons.
Steve Blum, while perhaps not the ideal voice for Deadpool, is a fantastic version of Wolverine. He has voiced the character in 19 separate projects over the last 20 years, starting with the ‘X-Men Legends’ video game in 2004 and headlining the ‘Wolverine and the X-Men’ animated series. His dedication to the role earns him a high ranking.
For many fans, Cal Dodd’s Wolverine in ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ was their first introduction to the character. His performance was so well-received that Capcom hired him to reprise his role for several X-Men-related fighting games, including ‘X-Men ’97’. Dodd’s voice still captures the essence of Logan, even with the changes brought by age.
Finally, we have Hugh Jackman. Although he wasn’t director Bryan Singer’s first choice, he joined the rest of the X-Men cast and made the role his own. The only criticism of his portrayal is that he’s taller than the comic book version of the character. Beyond that, he captures Logan’s ferocity, anguish, and heart. His physical resemblance to Wolverine, along with his dedication to getting in peak condition for the role, further enhances his performance. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ marks Jackman’s tenth time in the live-action role, and he’s also lent his voice to two video games. After 24 years, he’s mastered the role, and hopefully, he’ll continue to play the character for years to come. As Wolverine famously said, he’s ‘the best there is at what he does.’
