Hugh Jackman has been synonymous with the role of Wolverine since the original X-Men movie came out. And though he recently starred in the record-breaking Deadpool & Wolverine and could return again in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, the actor’s impressive run as the superhero could be nearing its end (for real this time). After Secret Wars, Marvel Studios will begin a new saga, one that’s believed to revolve around the mutants from the upcoming X-Men reboot. Wiping the slate clean means Marvel would have an opportunity to recast Wolverine, and there’s been no shortage of rumors speculating who could take up the mantle next. Unfortunately, a popular fan pick has taken his name out of the running.
In an interview with ComicBook, Daniel Radcliffe addressed whether or not playing Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was ever a consideration for him. “It was not. It was not ever real. It was a very flattering internet rumor. I was very happy about it, but it was never suggested in any kind of way by anybody with any power to make that happen,” he said. “And, honestly, you would be stupid not to consider something like that, but if they do other Wolverines, being the person who follows Hugh Jackman is not on my bucket list for anything. For any role of his, particularly the role he has made the most iconic of his career, I am happy not to be doing that and let him keeping doing it.”
Radcliffe continued by explaining whether or not he’d be open to joining a comic book movie in a different role. “I am so out of the loop. I feel like I don’t know what cycle we are on of the Marvel movies and I have some catching up to do if I ever ended up on one of them. But, yes, I am certainly not averse to it,” he said. “I would never rule anything like that out. But, also, I am not necessarily clamoring to be in it or seeking that. I am lucky that I can judge any job on the quality of the script. So, if a script came in that was exciting, different, weird and cool, then I’d be up for it no matter what it was.”
Hugh Jackman Makes Recasting Wolverine Complicated for Marvel Studios
Image Courtesy of Fox
Radcliffe’s aversion to playing Wolverine is understandable. Whoever takes on the role next is invariably going to be compared to Jackman, which is hardly an ideal situation. Jackman’s Wolverine has been a beloved fan favorite for over two decades now, and the longer he keeps playing the character, the harder it will be for Marvel Studios to move on. In all likelihood, there are other actors out there who share Radcliffe’s sentiment and would be wary about following Jackman’s footsteps. This could theoretically limit the pool of available actors during Marvel’s search.
It might have been easier to turn the page if Logan remained Jackman’s final performance in the role. That film, which came out in 2017, was the perfect send-off for the actor. If Jackman stayed retired after that, enough time would have passed that audiences would be ready for a new iteration of Wolverine after Secret Wars. But with Jackman possibly staying on board through the end of the Multiverse Saga at least, that buffer is gone. The X-Men reboot doesn’t have an official release date yet, but it’s speculated it will hit theaters in 2028, only a year after Secret Wars. Jackman’s Wolverine (assuming he does show up in either of the Avengers movies) will be very fresh in viewers’ minds.
There are even rumors suggesting Marvel will keep Jackman’s Wolverine around in Phase 7 (perhaps as a mentor figure in the X-Men reboot), which would make the challenge of recasting even more impossible. A plausible workaround would be to elevate Dafne Keen’s X-23 to a starring role. Debuting alongside Jackman in Logan, Keen quickly became a fan favorite in her own right, and many would enjoy seeing her headline a proper X-Men movie. Making her the MCU’s Wolverine, allowing the filmmakers to further develop her character, might be preferable to recasting Jackman and running with Logan-centric storylines again. It would be a fresh direction for the reboot to take.
As for Radcliffe, since wrapping up the Harry Potter film series in 2011, he’s steered clear of major franchise fare. He’s appeared in notable projects like Now You See Me 2, Swiss Army Man, and The Lost City, but he’s maintained a relatively low profile (all things considered) over the past 15 years. That could explain why he isn’t “clamoring” to appear in a superhero film; he’s happy to let Harry Potter be his lone major blockbuster role as he takes on other fascinating challenges as an actor. That said, Marvel and DC are showing no signs of slowing down and continue to work with interesting filmmakers, so perhaps there will be a role that catches Radcliffe’s attention. If he has an opportunity to be the first to bring a character to life, that could be appealing for him, since he’d be able to put his own stamp on it without being compared to anyone else.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!