Viggo Mortensen Was Almost Wolverine

‘Lord of the Rings’ star Viggo Mortensen has revealed he came close to being cast as Wolverine in the original 2000 ‘X-Men’ movie, before Hugh Jackman landed the role.

The actor, who would soon enough take on another notably iconic role as Aragorn, seems to hint to The Daily Beast that his decision to decline might have been slightly influenced by one particular comic book aficionado: his son.

“I was offered Wolverine for the first movie—I guess it would have been for the franchise then. That was before I got ‘Lord of the Rings.’

- Jackman Confirms Wolverine Retirement
- X-Men Apocalypse’s Angel Revealed
- Ryan Reynolds Deadpool Set Photos

“I remember going to the meeting with the director, Bryan Singer, with my son who was a total comic book expert. He was about 10 at the time.

"Henry came, and Bryan showed us all these models and storyboards, and Henry was instructing the director, saying, ‘Oh, you’re going to change this thing right here.’”

Ultimately however, it seems Mortensen had to decline over availability: “I believe it coincided with another project, and I couldn’t do it.”

Actor availability proved to be a particularly tricky matter when it came to Wolverine. Initially, when first choice Russell Crowe turned the part down, Dougray Scott had been cast as Logan - but when production overran on ‘Mission: Impossible II,’ in which Scott played the villain, he was forced to drop out.

Though Edward Norton is also said to have been a contender, the part ultimately went to the comparatively unknown Hugh Jackman - reportedly suggested for the role by Crowe - and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since ‘Lord of the Rings,’ Mortensen has tended to stay away from blockbusters in favour of smaller indie movies, though evidently this doesn’t stop Hollywood reaching out to him:

“Every once in a while, I get an offer like that. I was offered two different parts in the last Superman movie they made, but I wasn’t available to do that either.”

Mortensen doesn’t specify which ‘Man of Steel’ roles he was in line for, but it seems fair to assume the 56-year old actor could have been up for either Superman’s biological father Jor-El (played, funnily enough. by Russell Crowe) or his adoptive father Jonathon Kent (Kevin Costner).

He also mentions turning down the role of the Huntsman in ‘Snow White and the Huntsman,’ which was ultimately taken by ‘Thor’ actor Chris Hemsworth.

Mortensen’s next film ‘Captain Fantastic’ - which sounds like a superhero movie, but probably isn’t - is due later this year.

- Updates On Marvel Phase 3
- New Spider-Man Won’t Retell Origin
- Fantastic Four’s Thing Revealed

Picture Credit: WENN, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros