Hugh Jackman “excited” to film final WOLVERINE.

Hugh Jackman recently spoke with Huffington Post about his thoughts on hanging up the claws after his final appearance as Logan in the third WOLVERINE film.

“Weirdly, I’m really excited about shooting it. I feel great enthusiasm,” he said of the untitled sequel, to be helmed by THE WOLVERINE director, James Mangold. “I suppose it’s denial — like the football player who announces their retirement before their last season — and so I’m really looking forward to it. But, I know its not over yet! I still got a lot of 4 o’clock mornings and a hell of a lot of egg white omelettes and steamed chicken to have, and all of that.”

On his decision to leave, Jackman said “There was a period about six years ago when I could see my choices being narrowed by Wolverine, but now I feel like they’ve opened up from doing ‘Les Mis’ or ‘Prisoners’ or ‘Pan.’ The options coming to me right now are more varied than they’ve ever been in my life,” he added of what’s to come. “Hopefully, I’m not that actor in 10 years who’s unemployed going, ‘Why did I ever leave it?’ and then begging to come back.”

He says the people at Fox, along with producers Lauren Shuler Donner and crew “were all really supportive” with his decision. “17 years is a long time and I’m sure that they’ve already started casting, you know? Someone may sign up for an 11-picture deal, as we speak.”

Before ‘Wolverine’ comes to theaters on March 3, 2017 there are potential cameo possibilities in DEADPOOL, X-MEN: APOCALYPSE and GAMBIT.

“Hmmm, I can’t … no. Nope,” Jackman said grinning, when asked about a ‘Deadpool’ cameo with Ryan Reynolds. “But, I am really good mates with [Reynolds] so …”

And what of ‘Apocalypse,’ which is filming now in Montreal with director Bryan Singer? “Who knows?” he says, coyly.

“I feel very blessed that I loved playing this part,” he said. “The last ‘Wolverine’ and that last ‘X-Men’ [‘Days of Future Past’] were maybe two of the best and I feel like, hopefully, we’ll do it again with this last one.”