Wesley Snipes Overtakes Hugh Jackman’s Marvel Record in Deadpool & Wolverine

For a quarter of a century, Hugh Jackman has been the face of Wolverine, carving out a legacy that few in the superhero world can match. After what was billed as his swan song in 2019’s Logan, he’s back in the claws for another round. But in the much-hyped 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine, Jackman found himself upstaged in a way he probably didn’t see coming.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off in 2008, rebooting classic comic book characters with fresh faces. As the franchise dived into multiverse territory, it opened the door for familiar faces from earlier films to make a comeback. Spider-Man: No Way Home set the trend, bringing back Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and a handful of their old foes. Deadpool & Wolverine took things further, reuniting fans with Fox-era legends like Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Dafne Keene as X-23, and, in a move that changed the record books, Wesley Snipes as Blade.

Jackman’s Record Broken by a Surprise Return

Snipes’ return as the original Daywalker meant Jackman’s run as Marvel’s longest-serving actor was suddenly over. Snipes, who first donned the sunglasses in 1998’s Blade, now holds the Guinness World Record for the longest stint as a Marvel character. Jackman, never one to miss a chance for a laugh, had this to say about the situation:

If I had known, I would have banned him [from Deadpool & Wolverine]. Now it's just a competition of who’s going to live longer. Actually, I’ll put my money on Wesley.

Before this, the title had bounced around a bit. Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe grabbed it with their Spider-Man: No Way Home appearances. Patrick Stewart then took the crown as Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, only for Jackman to snatch it back in Deadpool & Wolverine. But with Snipes’ cameo, the record changed hands once again.

Blade’s Future and Snipes’ Cheeky Cameo

Marvel Studios has spent years trying to get a new Blade film off the ground, with Mahershala Ali waiting in the wings as the next vampire hunter. The project’s been through a revolving door of directors and writers, with no luck so far. Snipes’ appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine, where he quips, “There is only one Blade, and there will only ever be one Blade,” was a tongue-in-cheek nod to the ongoing saga behind the scenes.

Recent word is that Marvel has scrapped the solo Blade project altogether. Instead, Blade is set to join a team-up in a Midnight Suns film, alongside the likes of Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, and Doctor Strange. There’s even talk that Snipes might get another go as Blade in Avengers: Secret Wars. Whether that pans out is anyone’s guess, with the multiverse finale not due until December 2027.