# In 2006, Hugh Jackman made a movie he thought would do more for his career than Wolverine. He was wrong

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-2006-hugh-jackman-made-a-movie-he-thought-would-do-more-for-his-career-than-wolverine-he-was-wrong/
- Published: 2026-11-03T00:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T01:41:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/2006-hugh-jackman-movie-thought-do-more-for-career-than-wolverine/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Jackman expected *The Fountain* to outshine his *X-Men* debut.
- The 2006 film struggled at the box office and divided critics.
- *X-Men* launched a franchise that defined Jackman’s career.

## Summary

Hugh Jackman expected Darren Aronofsky’s 2006 film *The Fountain* to advance his career more than *X-Men*, but it failed to attract large audiences and left critics divided. The contrast illustrates how difficult it is to predict which films will succeed, even for people working in the industry.

Jackman said in a 2009 interview that he had been proud of films that “come and gone” and thought *The Fountain* might have a greater impact than his first *X-Men* film. Before *X-Men* was released, people close to him reportedly urged him to secure another role, as they doubted the superhero film would do well. Instead, it launched a franchise that lasted around two decades and made Jackman closely associated with Wolverine.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.