Never forget that the real-life Wolverine is a small, absolutely ferocious animal — emphasis on small. Hugh Jackman made you forget all this for 17 long years while he played a mutant called Wolverine across nine movies. But the new podcast Wolverine: The Long Night finally delivers the definitive Wolverine, one who is absurdly short and an absolute beast.
Marvel and Stitcher released the first two episodes of The Long Night on Monday, and despite being light on Logan early on, the podcast really focuses on reminding listeners just show tiny this character is supposed to be. Hugh Jackman is 6 foot 2, much taller than the “real” Logan, who’s only 5 foot 3.
The Long Night follows Special Agents Pierce and Marshall as they investigate a string of grisly murders in Alaska. Of course, Logan emerges as a potential suspect. Hearing one of Logan’s hungover coworkers describe him to these agents is a delight:
“He’s short but wide, built like a square made out of muscle and hair. Big, gnarly mutton chops. Big hands. You would have laughed at the sight of him, except he looked ready to chew your face off.”
Agents Pierce and Marshall depicted in art for 'The Long Night'.
Much of the podcast unfolds this way, with Logan on the outskirts bristling in the distance. We learn about him mostly from second-hand sources and don’t hear actor Richard Armitage voice the character until the very end of Episode 2. Even then, it’s when the Agents read a letter Logan wrote.
When Agents Pierce and Marshall do inevitably make their way to Logan’s remote cabin in the woods, they find 10 empty bottles of whiskey and a “pile of animal hides” for a bed. A third character describes something like the “heavy stink of wet dog” and “pure, gross testosterone.”
Who lives there?
“An animal,” Agent Marshall says.
Then they find a pair of men’s pants: 32 x 26.
“A very short animal,” Agent Marshall almost laughs.
Writer Ben Percy and director Brendan Baker no doubt care very much about delivering the authentic Wolverine in The Long Night, because they go through so much detail to paint a picture of Logan with nothing but clever sound editing.
In a way, the version of Logan we get in Wolverine: The Long Night is perhaps the most truthful we’ve gotten in recent memory. As wonderful as Hugh Jackman was in the role, especially in his final farewell in Logan, this is the dawning of a new era perhaps defined by a new kind of storytelling for characters like Wolverine, in at least one small way.
And, The Long Night is only just beginning.
You can find the first two episodes of Wolverine: The Long Night only on Stitcher Premium with new episodes releasing every Monday.
We know you were wondering, so check out this video about how Logan’s healing factor might’ve impacted his other extremities:
