Hugh Jackman Reflects on Wolverine Debut 20 Years Ago, Jokes Ryan Reynolds Can't Replace Him

Hugh Jackman isn't ready to hand over his Wolverine claws to just anybody — especially not Ryan Reynolds.

The X-Men star appeared on Tuesday's episode of Good Morning America where he reflected on his time working on the hit movie franchise, which first debuted 20 years ago.

Jackman, 51, revealed that playing Wolverine was his "first movie in America" and that he didn't have high hopes for the film when it first came out.

"I had two or three friends in the business say, ‘Hey dude before this movie comes out, the word on this street is this is not good so make sure you’ve booked another film that way at least you have another shot,’" Jackman recalled.

The actor said he remembers "hustling around L.A. doing auditions just to get something" at the time so that he would be prepared if the comic book film failed.

"I got another film, thank god, and I remember thinking 'I get one more shot,'" he explained.

Little did he know, X-Men would go on to become an extremely popular movie franchise.

"When it came out, no one knew that was coming," Jackman said. "No one knew I would end up playing the role nine times. It still all surprises me, thrills me, I’m so grateful to those fans."

Asked by GMA co-host Michael Strahan who should take over Jackman's role as Wolverine, the actor shouted, "Not Ryan Reynolds!," before Strahan could even finish his question.

Jackman and Reynolds have been jokingly feuding for years. Earlier in Jackman's GMA appearance, he teased that Reynold's wife Blake Lively must be struggling in quarantine with the Deadpool actor.

"I check on Blake all the time, I just can’t imagine what this whole isolation has been like," Jackman said. "It’s been months in the same house with Ryan."

Last month, Reynolds mocked Jackman after the actor earned an Emmy nomination for his role in HBO's Bad Education.

To congratulate him, Reynolds, 43, sent Jackman a funny video after hearing the news.

"Buudddyy congratulations! Heard you got an Emmy nomination, that’s just crazy. That’s crazy. Not cause you don’t deserve it,” Reynolds said, before thinking it over and shrugging, “well..”

Jackman later talked about the funny video from his feud partner, telling Extra that he expects Reynolds to be taking the news quite hard.

“Oh, yeah, I predict three days in bed… Actually, I think Blake will be happy with that," Jackman joked of Reynolds' wife Blake Lively. "He’s a lot. Can you imagine quarantine with Ryan?”