Why Marvel's New Wolverine Actor Liam McIntyre Looks So Familiar

Fans of everyone's favorite nigh-unkillable X-Man and Insomniac's "Marvel's Spider-Man" games look to be in for a real treat with the upcoming "Marvel's Wolverine" game, which will see the clawed mutant slicing and dicing his way through baddies left and right. Played by Australian actor Hugh Jackman in both the Fox "X-Men" films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wolverine is a pretty beloved character who can carry everything from the heartfelt tragedy of 2017's "Logan" to the ridiculousness of 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine." In fall 2026, players will be able to live out their greatest Wolverine brawler fantasies and play as the character themselves. This Wolverine isn't played by Jackman, but he does look awfully familiar. 

It's a little hard to determine exactly who's playing Wolvie underneath his mask in the game's trailer, but in a behind-the-scenes video the folks at Marvel and PlayStation revealed that it's none other than "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" and "The Flash" star Liam McIntyre. While he's not quite as grizzled as Jackman, the fellow Aussie actor has plenty of experience in playing in the superhero arena and the world of video games, having starred as JD Fenix, the son of franchise hero Marcus Fenix, in "Gears of War 4" and "Gears 5." Not only does McIntyre look the part, but it sounds like he's as excited to be a part of the game as fans are to play it. 

McIntyre has a pretty impressive resume, having starred as Spartacus on the Starz series after the show's original Spartacus, Andy Whitfield, left the series to be treated for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. McIntyre also starred as the villain Mark Mardon, aka Weather Wizard, on the CW series "The Flash," has voiced numerous characters on shows like "Family Guy," "Star Wars Resistance," and "Star Trek: Lower Decks," and is the face model and voice actor for several video game characters, including Taron Malicos in "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" and Capt. Anton Schaefer in "Star Trek Online." 

Despite having played so many great characters, McIntyre hinted that Wolverine might be his greatest yet, saying: 

"Fans out there know what Wolverine is who he is. My job is to try and find the essence of who Wolverine is, especially as he applies to our story. People hurt him. People take from him. People betray him. He still fights for people who can't fight for themselves. It's one of the greatest honors of my life. One of the biggest responsibilities I've ever had. And one of the coolest things I've ever got to do."

The actor isn't wrong when he says that fans really know who Wolverine is. The character first appeared in an issue of "The Incredible Hulk" in 1974 and has been a massive part of the Marvel comics lineup ever since. He was a mainstay of Fox's "X-Men" movie franchise, enjoying the spotlight in several solo movies, and fans have very specific expectations for any version of the cigar-chomping Canadian. Thankfully, with McIntyre's wealth of experience and his passion for the project, this seems like a great casting fit that could lead to one truly fantastic gaming experience. 

"Marvel's Wolverine" is set to launch exclusively on PlayStation 5 consoles in fall 2026.