What a mutant! Hugh Jackman set to play superhero Wolverine THREE more times in X-Men and solo movies as he nears 50

PUBLISHED: 17:20, 11 May 2014 | UPDATED: 17:34, 11 May 2014

By the time Hugh Jackman dons Wolverine's famous adamantium claws for his next solo movie the actor will be nearly 50 - but that's not stopping the Hollywood heavyweight.

Jackman, currently 45, has signed on to play the famous X-Men in two more spin-off superhero movies as well as a third hinted film X-Men: Apocalypse.

Although having previously voiced doubts that he would be able to play the character much longer, he teased that filming two blockbusters back-to-back may be the secret solution.

Mutant man: Hugh Jackman doesn't have plans on putting down the adamantium claws any time soon, pictured at the X-Men: Days Of Future Past premiere in New York on Saturday

'It’s much easier because it’s tough to get there, physically, but once you’re there, it’s easier to maintain it,' he told Collider.

The father of two said shooting the projects directly after each other had 'crossed my mind'.

He was also quick to back peddle on his previous complaints about the grueling Wolverine work-out regime because he only found out about X-Men: Days Of Future Past a month before finishing work on The Wolverine.

Buff body: The Australian actor has become famous for the ripped body he has had to maintain to play the character

Superhero star: The 45-year-old actor first played Wolverine back in 2000, and plays him in the latest X-Men film out May 22

'I was already planning on my cheat meals,' he said.

While his latest X-Men project is out in cinemas on May 22, Jackman is busy in the pre-production stages on an as-yet untitled Wolverine movie with filmmaker James Mangold.

The movie will hit theatres in 2017 - when Jackman is 49 - while another sequel is in the works, with a release date unannounced.

X-Men: Apocalypse - believed to be the final movie in the mutant superhero series - is also set to star Jackson and has a 2016 release date.

Claws out: After the first solo film was a disappointment to fans. Jackman returned with The Wolverine in 2013 which was a commercial and critical hit

Tough guy: The father of two is known for taking on physical roles, pictured training for the part of Black Beard in an upcoming Peter Pan movie in New York on Wednesday