There is no shortage of legendary Wolverine performances for actor Liam McIntyre to draw from, and when asked which previous iterations inspired his portrayal in Insomniac Games’ upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine, he offered a resounding answer: all of them. The Scottish-born performer, who steps into the role of James “Logan” Howlett for Sony’s PlayStation 5 exclusive, studied everything from Hugh Jackman’s feral film incarnations to the animated work of voice actors Cal Dodd and Steve Blum before forging his own interpretation. McIntyre revealed the reasoning behind his approach in an interview with Polygon while discussing his new animated series Golden Axe.
“It was every single one,” McIntyre said during the conversation. “I had so many great teachers, from wonderful performances of the past, and trying to find your own sort of spin or take on it.”
A Wolverine Expert Forging His Own Path
For McIntyre, that meant carefully examining what made each prior interpretation of Logan resonate before determining how he could inject his own identity into the role. Rather than attempting to replicate any single predecessor, he sought to absorb the essence of the character across decades of Marvel storytelling.
“I would see Hugh [Jackman] and Cal Dodd and Steve Blum and other wonderful performers and try to go, ‘Well, that’s such a great display of what makes Wolverine Wolverine. I’ll try and find the essence of that character as I can do it, because I can’t copy it,'” he explained.
That distinction appears particularly important for Insomniac’s version of the mutant. The studio’s game positions Logan at the center of a narrative drawing from decades of Marvel history while offering him a fresh interpretation. McIntyre’s performance mirrors this philosophy, aiming to build upon what came before rather than replace it.
“That’s the joy of acting, right?” McIntyre said. “Trying to build on the shoulders of greats.”
“It was every single one. I had so many great teachers, from wonderful performances of the past, and trying to find your own sort of spin or take on it.”
Liam McIntyre
A Vulnerable Logan Amid Mixed Reception
The actor voices James “Logan” Howlett in Marvel’s Wolverine, bringing a more vulnerable dimension to the character alongside the expected anger and brutality that have defined the role. That performance stands out as one of the game’s strongest elements, even if the broader package did not land universally with critics.
In our review, we criticized the game’s story and overall execution but singled out McIntyre’s “multifaceted” take on Logan, noting the sensitivity that underlies his more feral exterior. Reviews from other outlets have been similar, making Marvel’s Wolverine one of Sony’s worst-reviewed PS5 exclusives to date.
The title is set to launch on PlayStation 5 on September 15, and McIntyre can also be heard as Ax Battler in Golden Axe, Paramount Plus’ new animated adaptation of Sega’s classic arcade game. The series premieres September 16, with all 10 episodes releasing at once.
Looking Ahead
As the release window closes in, McIntyre’s approach to Wolverine offers a reassuring reminder that even when a franchise leans on its own legacy, fresh voices can still find meaning within it. For players who have followed Logan across films, cartoons, and comics, the actor’s willingness to honor his predecessors while carving out a distinct performance should provide genuine value at launch.
The question now shifts from preparation to reception: with critics divided on the game’s broader execution but united in praise for McIntyre’s portrayal, whether Marvel’s Wolverine can overcome its mixed reviews will ultimately depend on how well Insomniac delivers the full experience. Until then, one thing is certain — when it comes to Wolverine, there are no shortcuts, only lessons learned from the greats who came before.
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