For more than two decades, Hugh Jackman has made Wolverine one of the most recognizable characters in superhero cinema. From his first appearance in X-Men in 2000 to his triumphant return in Deadpool & Wolverine, Jackman’s portrayal of the adamantium-clawed mutant has become deeply connected to the character itself.

But if another actor eventually takes over the role, Jackman has one simple piece of advice: don’t try to be him.

When asked what he would tell the actor who eventually inherits Wolverine, Jackman responded with his trademark humor.

“I’m 57. I’m going to do it until I’m 90. So, you know, I’ll make a little time capsule for them.”

Rather than offering a detailed blueprint for playing Wolverine, Jackman explained that he would prefer to let the next performer discover the character independently.

“I’m not going to say anything to whoever plays him, because nobody said anything to me, which I’m truly delighted about.”

That attitude reflects the freedom Jackman himself had when he first stepped into the role. Nobody handed him a strict formula for how Wolverine should be portrayed. Instead, he developed his own interpretation—one that ultimately became synonymous with the character for an entire generation of moviegoers.

“Make It Your Own”

For Jackman, the most important thing is that the next Wolverine should not simply imitate what came before.

He hopes that whoever eventually takes up the claws will have the confidence to completely reinvent the character:

“I hope someone just comes along and does whatever the hell they want to make it their own.”

It is a remarkably generous perspective from an actor who has spent so much of his career defining the role.

Jackman’s Wolverine was more than just physical strength and razor-sharp claws. Over the years, audiences watched the character evolve from a mysterious, aggressive outsider into a deeply emotional and complicated hero. Jackman brought intensity, vulnerability, humor and humanity to a mutant who could easily have been portrayed as nothing more than a brutal fighter.

His return in Deadpool & Wolverine demonstrated just how powerful that connection remains. After years away from the character, Jackman once again stepped into the familiar costume and reminded audiences why his version of Wolverine had become so iconic.

A Legacy That Doesn’t Need to Be Copied

Eventually, the claws will belong to someone else. And when that day comes, Jackman appears to have no interest in telling the next Wolverine how to do the job.

Instead, he seems to believe that the best way to honor the character is to bring something new.

That may ultimately be the greatest lesson from Jackman’s journey: a legacy doesn’t have to be duplicated to be respected.

For more than 20 years, Hugh Jackman made Wolverine his own. One day, another actor will have the opportunity to do exactly the same.

And if Jackman really intends to keep playing Wolverine until he’s 90, perhaps the next actor still has quite a long wait ahead.