What Is The 'Wolverine Crush' Meme? The Wolverine Photograph Meme Recreated By Hugh Jackman Explained

Hugh Jackman just recreated the classic Wolverine Crush meme to celebrate Deadpool & Wolverine's domestic box office success, which gained over $205 million on its first weekend, becoming the biggest opening weekend for an R-rated movie of all time.

The comic-accurate Wolverine costume worn by Jackman in the film perfectly encapsulates the idea of the original meme, but what is the story behind the format and why is it the character's most well-known meme?

Here's how a scene of Wolverine holding a picture frame from the 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series was turned into a viral exploitable meme on the internet.

What Is The 'Wolverine Crush' Meme and Where Does It Come From?

Wolverine is one of Marvel's most famous heroes, known as a mutant with adamantium metal claws and a ferocious attitude that often scares all the bad guys he encounters. Although he's almost unstoppable thanks to his rapid healing, the hero also has human emotions, making it possible that a broken heart or jealousy could make him feel depressed and demotivated.

That's part of what happens in Season 1 Episode 5 of the animated television series X-Men, showing the character Wolverine jealously looking at a photo of the superheroes Cyclops and Jean Grey.

How Did The 'Wolverine Crush' Scene Become A Meme?

Perhaps the most famous short king hero in the world was turned into a meme in late September 2011 on Reddit after Redditor Jamy18 posted a lewd version of the scene, but the format only took off a year later.

Netizens typically replace Cyclops and Jean Grey's picture with other notable personalities and characters that people miss or are fond of.

For example, on April 10th, 2012, BuzzFeed highlighted a Wolverine Crush image featuring a superimposed photograph of Ridiculously Photogenic Guy. On the following day, Redditor xchaos submitted a comic of Wolverine holding a photograph of Valve founder Gabe Newell to /r/gaming as the meme began to gain traction back in the day.

Since then, the format has waxed and waned in popularity, but it's never fully disappeared from the internet thanks to its adaptability and unique usage.

How Did The Internet React To Hugh Jackman Recreating The 'Wolverine Crush' Meme in 2024?

Just hours after the Hugh Jackman Wolverine meme was posted, Ryan Reynolds (who plays Deadpool) shared his version of the same meme, showing Deadpool in his bed pining after a photo of Jackman’s recently uploaded picture.

The resurfacing of the meme also inspired more parodies, including a version featuring the characters Doctor Doom and Iron Man posted by X user @Nasdorachi, after the actor announced his return to Marvel’s superhero movie franchise five years after ending his long run as Iron Man.

For the full history of Wolverine Crush, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.