Australian actor Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine in "Logan", playing the clawed mutant one last time after 17 years in the popular "X-Men" franchise.

The film is the third stand alone "Wolverine" movie in the comic superhero franchise, which has had various sequels and new casts since Jackman first played Wolverine/Logan in "X-Men", alongside Patrick Stewart's wheelchair-bound Professor Xavier.

"I'm excited to see...what happens next with whoever takes on...the claws and battles," Jackman told a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday where he and Stewart promoted "Logan".

"I know there would be more people, there should be more people, both Professor Xavier and Logan are great characters, they are great heroes but also complex characters and I think they should be played by many people."

In the movie, Logan/Wolverine is trying to hide away on the Mexican border while caring for Professor X, played by Stewart. Things change, however, with the arrival of a new young mutant.

"All of the principal characters, at least the good guys in this movie, have one ambition - they want to get across a border to somewhere where they would be safe," Stewart said.

"All around the world there are hundreds of thousands of people experiencing that pain, that suffering, the fear and the loneliness. This film addresses that and may even give some touch of hope of optimism to what can be a very discouraging not to say desperate situation."

"Logan" begins its worldwide cinema roll out this week.