SHOCK: Cody Rhodes Officially Takes on Massive Blockbuster Film Project as Marvel Announces WWE Star as Replacement for Hugh Jackman in Wolverine Role

In a casting bombshell that has sent shockwaves through Hollywood and the wrestling world alike, Marvel Studios announced on September 16, 2025, that WWE superstar Cody Rhodes will step into the iconic claws of Wolverine, replacing Hugh Jackman in the role that defined a generation of superhero cinema. The 40-year-old “American Nightmare,” fresh off his Undisputed WWE Championship reign, outshone a star-studded roster of contenders—including the likes of Taron Egerton, Tom Hardy, and Glen Powell—to don the adamantium suit in the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix Reborn, slated for release in 2028. Marvel’s director, Denis Villeneuve, revealed that Rhodes possesses a “unique trait” he’s long admired: an unyielding intensity forged in the ring, mirroring Wolverine’s feral resilience. “Cody’s got that fire—the kind that doesn’t just play tough; it lives it,” Villeneuve said in a press conference. “I’ve watched him for years, clawing his way back to WWE glory. He’s Wolverine incarnate.”

Hugh Jackman’s tenure as Wolverine, spanning 17 years and nine films from X2: X-Men United in 2003 to Logan in 2017, set an impossibly high bar. The Australian actor’s portrayal of James “Logan” Howlett— the gruff, cigar-chomping mutant with a healing factor, adamantium skeleton, and a tragic past—earned him two Oscar nominations and cemented Wolverine as Marvel’s most beloved anti-hero. Jackman’s farewell in Logan, a neo-Western masterpiece that grossed over $619 million worldwide, was meant to be final. Yet, with Marvel’s multiverse machinations allowing for variants and reboots, the studio has teased new iterations. Enter Cody Rhodes, whose casting marks a bold pivot: infusing the X-Men universe with the raw athleticism and storytelling prowess of professional wrestling.

Rhodes’ journey to this moment reads like a comic book origin story. Born Cody Runnels in 1985, the son of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, he debuted in WWE at 19 but was released in 2016 amid creative frustrations. He co-founded All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2019, becoming its executive vice president and face, before shockingly returning to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. His “American Nightmare” persona—complete with a penchant for dramatic promos and high-flying maneuvers—culminated in dethroning Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 earlier this year, ending The Bloodline’s 1,316-day reign. Off the mat, Rhodes has dipped into acting, voicing a character in The Iron Claw (2023) and appearing in Arrow, but Wolverine represents his supernova leap to A-list status.

The announcement dropped during a joint Marvel-WWE panel at San Diego Comic-Con’s virtual extension, with Rhodes entering to his WWE theme, “Kingdom,” claws extended in a custom adamantium-gloved teaser trailer. The footage showed a shadowed figure—clearly Rhodes, with his signature undercut hair and chiseled physique—snarling, “Bub, you picked the wrong mutant to mess with,” before slashing through a Sentinel robot. The crowd—both in-person and online—erupted, with #CodyWolverine trending worldwide, amassing 2 million posts on X within hours. Jackman himself endorsed the choice, tweeting: “Kid’s got the grit. Break a leg, Cody—those claws suit you.” Fans, long clamoring for a wrestler in the role (Daniel Bryan and CM Punk were once rumored), hailed it as poetic justice: Wolverine, the ultimate loner fighter, embodied by a man who’s bled for his spot at the top.

Villeneuve, directing his first Marvel project after Dune: Part Two‘s triumph, has been vocal about recasting Wolverine to fit the MCU’s Phase 6 narrative. “Hugh was irreplaceable, but Cody brings something primal,” he explained. “That ‘unique trait’? It’s his stare-down in the ring—the way he locks eyes with 80,000 fans and makes them believe he’s unbreakable. Wolverine’s not just rage; he’s haunted determination. Cody’s lived that.” Rumors swirled for months: Egerton (Rocketman) tested with a Canadian accent, Hardy (Venom) bulked up for a darker take, and Powell (Twisters) auditioned via Zoom. But insiders say Rhodes sealed it with a screen test opposite Patrick Stewart’s Professor X recast, channeling Logan’s brooding loyalty in a heated berzerker rage scene.

This casting isn’t just a win for Rhodes; it’s a strategic masterstroke for Marvel, blending WWE’s rabid fanbase with the MCU’s billion-dollar empire. With Deadpool & Wolverine shattering records at $1.3 billion in 2024, the X-Men reboot—integrating into the main MCU timeline—promises fireworks. Dark Phoenix Reborn will explore a multiversal incursion where Rhodes’ Wolverine crosses paths with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and a young Jean Grey (rumored for Anya Taylor-Joy). Production kicks off in Atlanta in January 2026, with Rhodes committing to a multi-film arc, including Avengers: Secret Wars. “Stepping into Logan’s boots? Terrifying,” Rhodes admitted post-announcement. “But Dad always said, ‘Finish the story.’ This is mine—with claws.”

The wrestling world is abuzz. Triple H, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, called it “a dream crossover,” hinting at WWE tie-ins like a Wolverine-themed Cody merch line. AEW’s Tony Khan congratulated his former star, quipping, “From Nightmare to X-Men—watch out, mutants.” Social media exploded with fan art: Rhodes in yellow spandex, berserker-raging against Thanos. Critics, however, question if a wrestler can carry dramatic weight. “Jackman was Shakespearean; Rhodes is spectacle,” one Variety pundit sniped. Yet, precedents like Dave Bautista’s Guardians of the Galaxy success bolster the bet.

For Rhodes, this is personal vindication. After years of “finishing his story” in WWE—overcoming a torn pec at Hell in a Cell 2022—he now claws into Hollywood’s pantheon. “Wolverine’s a survivor, like me,” he told Deadline. “Broke, rebuilt, unbreakable.” As Marvel’s Kevin Feige beamed, “Cody’s the spark we need for the X-Men era.” With filming looming and his WWE title defense at Bad Blood this weekend, Rhodes embodies the hybrid hero: wrestler by night, mutant by dawn.

America’s pop culture spheres collide in this shock announcement, proving the line between spandex and adamantium is thinner than ever. Cody Rhodes isn’t just replacing Wolverine—he’s redefining him, one snikt at a time. The X-Men universe just got a whole lot fiercer.