The fictional metal known as Adamantium has played a key role in Marvel storytelling for decades. Of course, much of its history centers around the iconic X-Men member Wolverine. The indestructible metal was first introduced in the comics, then it showed up in Fox’s X-Men films. Now Adamantium will become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters next year. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about Adamantium’s history and how it will show up in the MCU.
Adamantium in the Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Universe, Adamantium is effectively the strongest metal on Earth, which allows Wolverine’s Adamantium-coated claws to slice through virtually anything. The metal is especially rare, expensive, and difficult to manipulate because it requires intense heat to liquify it for molding and then can’t become liquid again once it hardens. It’s on par with Wakanda’s Vibranium as one of the most powerful and sought-after substances in the Marvel Universe.
Adamantium was first introduced in the comics in 1963’s Avengers #66. The issue reveals how the metal is a man-made substance created by metallurgist Dr. Myron MacLain. He accidentally discovered it while conducting an experiment with Vibranium during World War II. (Dr. MacLain is the scientist who created Captain America’s shield.) The Avengers themselves tested the metal’s durability and it withstood attacks from Iron Man, Goliath, and even Thor the God of Thunder. Dr. MacLain thought the indestructible metal could be dangerous if it were used for evil. Sure enough, Ultron commanded Vision to steal the Adamantium and used it to create the armor for his new robot body.
When Wolverine first made his comic book debut in 1974’s The Incredible Hulk #180, fans figured that his metal claws were part of his gloves. It wasn’t until 1991’s “Weapon X” storyline that took place in Marvel Comics Presents #72–84 that we learned Logan’s claws were a part of his skeleton. His bones were bonded with Adamantium in a horrifying experiment. A nefarious secret government organization known as the Weapon X Program did it with the goal of making him an indestructible killing machine. Suffice to say, it was a success.
While Wolverine is the most popular character with Adamantium, other Marvel characters over the years use it. Many characters with connections to Wolverine also have Adamantium skeletons and/or claws. This list includes villains Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth and both of Wolverine’s children, Daken and X-23/Laura Kinney. During World War II, Adamantium and Vibranium came together to make Captain America’s indestructible shield. After Daredevil paralyzed his nemesis Bullseye in a fight, the sharpshooter had Adamantium plates surgically grafted to his skeleton. Spider-Man villain Hammerhead’s skull had Adamantium, which let him charge into foes like a deadly weapon.
One of the most iconic comic book storylines involving Adamantium is the 1991 X-Men story “Fatal Attractions.” In it, an enraged Magneto ripped the Adamantium out of Wolverine’s body. The moment even made its way into 2024’s X-Men ‘97 animated series’ ninth episode. It is a direct homage to the comics.
Adamantium in Fox’s X-Men Films
Wolverine’s Adamantium skeleton and the Weapon X program are a recurring major plot point in Fox’s series of X-Men films.
When we meet Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in the first live-action X-Men movie, he’s fighting in cage matches for money. His punches and headbutt against his opponent produced a metal clang sound. Over the course of the movie, the combination of his mutant healing factor and his Adamantium skeleton showcase how he’s virtually immortal. When the X-Men x-ray his body at Xavier’s school they’re fascinated and horrified to discover Adamantium surgically grafted to his entire skeleton.
The mystery of Logan’s metal skeleton becomes a focal point of the sequel, X2: X-Men United. Logan meets the man responsible for bonding the metal to his bones, Colonel William Stryker, head of the Weapon-X Program. The third act of the film sends the X-Men to the abandoned lab where Logan’s Adamantium-bonding procedure took place many years before. Logan faces off with a deadly woman named Yuriko (Lady Deathstrike in the comics). She underwent the same Weapon X procedure and had Adamantium claws sprouting from her fingertips. In their battle of two indestructible warriors, Logan is only able to end it by injecting Yuriko with liquid Adamantium that instantly hardened and ended her life.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine reveals that Adamantium comes from a meteor that fell to Earth, as opposed to being created by a scientist like in the comics. The film also shows how Logan was tricked into agreeing to the Weapon X Program’s Adamantium-bonding experiment and how he lost his memory from being shot in the head with multiple Adamantium bullets. The film’s final battle sees Wolverine come up with a way to slice through Adamantium by superheating his claws. This allowed him to defeat the Adamantium-laced Deadpool by cutting his head off with red-hot claws. We see this tactic again in the sequel, The Wolverine. The Silver Samurai chopped off Logan’s claws with a blazing robotic samurai blade.
The 2017 movie Logan showed how after many long years Logan’s healing factor weakened. He began to suffer from lethal Adamantium poisoning. It’s the greatest of ironies that the substance that made Logan indestructible for so long is what’s slowly killing him.
Adamantium in the MCU
Adamantium currently doesn’t have a proper introduction in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Technically Deadpool & Wolverine is an MCU movie. In the film, Deadpool receives a pair of Adamantium katanas from the TVA. But the precious alloy still hasn’t shown up on Earth-616. That’s about to change.
During Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, fans saw a preview of the upcoming movie Captain America: Brave New World.
The footage included a moment where President “Thunderbolt” Ross reveals that Adamantium was inside the Celestial Tiamut sticking out of the Earth after the events of Eternals. It looks like the discovery of Adamantium will kick off a resource war in the MCU similar to what we’ve seen with Vibranium in the Black Panther movies.
