Deadpool & Wolverine’s Hugh Jackman Les Misérables Easter Egg, Explained

Hugh Jackman’s best film, according to Rotten Tomatoes, is 2019’s “Bad Education.” Hugh Jackman’s best film, according to Marvel fans, is 2017’s “Logan.” And Hugh Jackman’s best film, according to me, is 2013’s “Prisoners.” But the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a different opinion, as the prestigious organization has only ever paid attention to Jackman’s 2012 turn in “Les Misérables.”

Yes, the beloved Aussie scored an Oscar nomination for Best Actor at the 2013 Academy Awards, but lost out to Daniel Day-Lewis for his portrayal of the titular President in “Lincoln.” Not that there’s any shame in losing to Day-Lewis, but it’s got to be a slight sore point for Jackman as it was the one and only time he earned an Academy Award nom, despite being one of the most versatile actors working in the industry.

Now, Jackman has once again reminded us of his talents with “Deadpool & Wolverine,” a film which won’t win any Oscars but is currently in the process of absolutely obliterating the box office. In a movie that is one huge meta joke/cameo reel, Jackman plays the straight man to Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth, and often manages to wring some believable emotion out of a narrative that barely hangs together amid the constant self-referential humor and fan service. It’s fitting, then, that “Deadpool & Wolverine” includes a subtle nod to Jackman’s acting prowess — one which nobody except Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy would have known about if they hadn’t just pointed it out.

In Tom Hooper’s 2012 adaptation of “Les Misérables,” Hugh Jackman played Jean Valjean, the French prisoner who’s released from Toulon prison only to break his parole and go on the run. Hunted by Russell Crowe’s Inspector Javert, Valjean reinvents himself before encountering a woman named Fantine (Anne Hathaway), whom he helps by raising her daughter Cosette (Isabelle Allen/Amanda Seyfried). But Javert’s relentless pursuit of his former prisoner stretches across decades and the rest of the epic tale unfolds amid the tumult of the Paris uprising of 1832.

The most famous interpretation of Victor Hugo’s remarkably enduring 1862 tale was the 1980 stage musical, but Hooper’s 2012 effort managed to do well enough to gain eight Oscar nominations and win in three categories, which included a Best Supporting Actress win for Hathaway. Alas, for his work in the sweeping musical, Jackman was not awarded the Best Actor Oscar — though he did win the Golden Globe. Still, “Les Mis” remains one of Jackman’s best films and it seems Ryan Reynolds and “Deadpool & Wolverine” director Shawn Levy were eager to honor it as such in their comic book blockbuster.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is so packed full of Easter eggs, callbacks, cameos, and references that there’s little time for much else in the film. Most of it pertains to the 20th Century Fox Marvel movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and comic book stuff in general. But the film also contains a surprising amount of non-Marvel, non-comic book references, including a nod to holiday classic “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and a “Star Trek” joke. But the “Les Mis” reference has got to be one of the most subtle allusions in the whole thing.

You might expect Ryan Reynolds, in full irreverent Deadpool mode, to poke some fun at Hugh Jackman’s brush with Oscar greatness. While the Canadian star does spend most of the film tearing the Marvel Cinematic Universe a new one and undercutting any drama with his usual crass humor, he actually paid modest tribute to his co-star.

Speaking to Collider, Reynolds explained that, during the opening fight scene where he dispatches an entire team of Time Variance Authority goons using the decayed remains of Logan from James Mangold’s 2017 movie, there’s a hidden detail etched into the skull of the former Wolverine:

“I’ll give this one away. You know, when I punt Wolverine’s adamantium skull toward camera, and I say ‘Maradona goal!’ and it goes up — if you really look closely, you’ll see that his prisoner number from ‘Les Mis’ is engraved in the back of the throat of the skull as it comes toward you. 24601.”

While Ryan Reynolds spends much of “Deadpool & Wolverine” poking fun at his co-star and even kicks off the film by literally desecrating the corpse of one of Hugh Jackman’s most beloved characters, it seems there’s some genuine affection propelling all of it. As Reynolds went on to explain to Collider, “I just love sharing those things with Hugh. I love being like, ‘Hey, pay close attention to the skull, what do you see?’ You just see his face kind of light up. It was just great.”

Meanwhile, we’re wondering when the Academy is going to recognize Jackman again. Whenever this happens, it likely won’t be for “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which despite the “Logan” star’s best efforts, is, in the words of /Film’s Chris Evangelista, a disappointing cameo-fest. Still, for Jackman none of that likely matters, as he clearly gave his all to a character that obviously means a lot to him and, apparently, the entire crew, who ended up sobbing on the set of “Deadpool & Wolverine” after seeing Jackman in his full Wolverine getup for the first time.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is currently playing in theaters.