Fans may see a softer side of Wolverine as Hugh Jackman reveals upcoming film title

Actor Hugh Jackman, who is popping out his adamantium claws for one final performance as the mutant who goes by Wolverine, revealed the title of the upcoming film — previously known only as “Wolverine 3” — in a larger than life fashion Wednesday morning.

Jackman tweeted a photo of the film’s first teaser poster decked out on the side of a building in downtown Manhattan. On it, Wolverine holds the hand of a child and in the right hand corner it reads “Logan,” Wolverine’s “real” name, and the film’s March 3 release date.

For those individuals who prefer scrutinizing inscrutable movie posters in HD, “Logan” director James Mangold -- who previously directed Jackman in 2013’s “The Wolverine” — tweeted a full version of the poster, as well as the second page of the film’s script.

That’s all great, of course, but what does it all mean?

Jackman’s retirement from Wolverine, a character he’s played since the 2000 film “X-Men,” has left fans of the franchise in something of a tizzy. By the time Jackman is finished, Wolverine will have appeared in nine different X-Men films. How do you replace a character and an actor like that?

Some fans have a theory.

In a May interview with Fandango, Bryan Singer, who has written and/or directed five different X-Men movies, including “X-Men,” reported that he had suggested that after Jackman retires, the series pivot to “X-Force,” a band of more aggressive mutants, and the character X-23, a female clone of Wolverine.

Is it possible the hand that Logan is holding in the film poster is that of the young girl destined to replace him?

Maybe. Maybe not. Since today was the biggest single information drop we’ve had for the film and all we learned was the title and release date, it may be awhile before fans have any more intel to build theories with. Until then, they’ll just have to marvel over the stark imagery of the poster.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour »

libby.hill@latimes.com

Twitter: @midwestspitfire

ALSO

How ‘Miss Peregrine’ screenwriter Jane Goldman turned her quirks into a golden Hollywood career

For ‘X-Men: Apocalypse,’ think Old Testament, wrath-of-God-like stuff

‘X-Men’ director Bryan Singer reveals how he built the ‘Apocalypse’