After several years of being branded as too tall for the character, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine featured a version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine that was much shorter – but this “Short King” variant was still taller than Marvel Comics canon. While ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine featured cameos aplenty courtesy of several erstwhile Marvel movie stars, Hugh Jackman was also a part of the cameo cavalcade. These cameos cropped up early on in the movie as ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool trawled the multiverse in search of a suitable Wolverine variant to replace Earth-10005’s variant, Logan, whose death sparked the death of his universe.
The Wolverine variants in this fan-pleasing sequence mostly comprise tributes to some of Wolverine’s most iconic variations and moments in Marvel Comics, including a recreation of the iconic cover of “The Incredible Hulk #340.” There were a couple of meta-references, with the Cavillrine being a standout, although the first variant that ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool encounters is the “Short King.” This is ostensibly a nod to fan demand for a Wolverine whose height is comic-accurate – with ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool himself calling the variant “comic-accurate.” I love the tongue-in-cheek nod, but it turns out that this variant isn’t comic-accurate after all.
Wolverine Is 5’3″ In Marvel Comics Canon
His Height Is An Important Facet Of His Character
According to Marvel’s official records, Wolverine is one of Marvel Comics’ shortest mutants, standing at 5’3″. This is typically conveyed when he is seen standing beside other mutants like Cyclops and Jean Grey, though I’ll admit this height does vary wildly depending on the artist. For instance, his fights with the towering Sabretooth in the comics often make him appear much larger. Still, Wolverine’s stout stature is a significant aspect of his characterization, so it’s no wonder that fans have been clamoring for Wolverine’s height to be conveyed in live-action adaptations.
Wolverines are notoriously stout yet scrappy creatures with powerful limbs and a solitary nature often recognized for their ferocity relative to their size.
The clearest justification for Wolverine’s height being sacrosanct is his namesake. Wolverines are notoriously stout yet scrappy creatures with powerful limbs and a solitary nature often recognized for their ferocity relative to their size. This alone makes a tall Wolverine feel somewhat nonsensical, as it begs the question of where he got his moniker.
Furthermore, Wolverine’s height can often be what makes him such a relatable character. Mutants are, by design, outsiders, and Wolverine’s notably short stature compared to his fellow mutants helps to single him out even further. In embodying the nature of his four-legged namesake, Wolverine also consistently squares up with much larger foes like the Hulk and Sabretooth without a second thought. While I don’t necessarily consider Hugh Jackman’s height a deal-breaker, I do agree that it’s a shame that this aspect of Wolverine’s characterization cannot be properly explored.
ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine’s Script Reveals How Tall Short Wolverine Is
Short King Wolverine Isn’t As Short As He Should Be
The shorter Wolverine variant appears early in the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine variant montage as he dismounts a bar stool to reveal that he and the stool are around the same height. This prompts ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool to patronize Short King Wolverine before ultimately resolving to weigh other options across the multiverse without giving this variant a chance to respond. While the uncanny CGI used to superimpose Hugh Jackman’s face onto a body double makes me think this was for the best, the script for ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline) also reveals the specific height of Short King Wolverine as 5’4″.
Logan slides off his bar to stand up, but instead drops bafflingly DOWN, and OUT of frame. WIDEN TO REVEAL: An immensely hairy, 5’4” Wolverine with RAZOR SHARP incisors. Standing next to the bar stool which is roughly the same height as him.
This makes Short King Wolverine still one inch taller than Wolverine is supposed to be. Of course, an inch is far more reasonable than the foot Jackman boasts over Marvel Comics’ Wolverine, but I still find it amusing that even the “comic-accurate” variant written into the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine script still isn’t on the money regarding Wolverine’s height. Realistically, however, I fear this variant is the closest we’ll ever get to seeing comic-accurate Wolverine on the big screen.
Let’s Face It, We’ll Never Get A Truly Comics-Accurate Live-Action Wolverine
Wolverine May Just Be Too Short
I think the chances of the MCU casting a 5’3″ actor are exceptionally unlikely, which most Wolverine fan-casts seem to agree with. While I’m sure there is no shortage of shorter actors who could play the part, I can’t think of any who stand at or close to 5’3″ that Marvel Studios would want to tag onto one of its most famous characters. Sure, Marvel Studios has a track record of casting relative unknowns and turning them into superstars, but Hugh Jackman has supercharged Wolverine’s star power and I now fear that a comic-accurate height is not Marvel’s first priority.
With Wolverine surviving ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, it’s more likely that Hugh Jackman will reprise the role at least once more in the MCU.
With that being said, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. Hugh Jackman’s role as the de facto protagonist of Fox’s X-Men franchise is now unᴀssailable, and I can see Marvel pivoting its focus when the MCU finally adapts its own rendition of the X-Men, opening the door for less well-known and shorter actors (like Saturday Night‘s Matt Wood) to fill the role of a less prominent Wolverine. This all remains to be seen, however, and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine‘s Short King Wolverine may be the only comic-accurate version we’ll ever see.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
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February 14, 2025
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
