Wolverine 3: First Look At Stephen Merchant As Caliban In Logan

Today is turning out to be a big day for fans eager for Logan teases.

Earlier today, the Logan Instagram account tweeted out yet another black and white photo from the film.

Now director James Mangold has released a photo of his own. Mangold’s tweet offers the first look at Stephen Merchant as Caliban in Logan.

If Caliban looks somewhat familiar, it is probably because he appeared in X-Men: Apocalypse as well, though – in true X-Men movies fashion – he was played by a different actor, Tómas Lemarquis.

Caliban was introduced to the Marvel Universe as one of the Morlocks, the sewer-dwelling tribe of mutants who have had a long-standing relationship with the X-Men. Caliban has the mutant ability to track other mutants and to channel the emotions of those around him to increase his own physical strength. He was eventually made a Horseman of Apocalypse but he returned to the X-Men fold during the Messiah CompleX event, where he died in the line of battle.

In Logan, Caliban is said to be assisting Wolverine in taking care of the ill and aging Professor X.

According to reports, Logan takes place in a near future where Wolverine’s mutant abilities are not quite what they used to be, and mutant births are down across the globe. Wolverine and the mutant Caliban take care of Professor X in his old age. Meanwhile, a corporation called Transigen is turning mutant children into killed machines. Wolverine meets one of these children, whose hand can be seen in the first poster. The child has two claws like Wolverine’s that protrude from her hand and Wolverine vows to protect her.

Logan is directed by James Mangold and stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Richard E. Grant, Stephen Merchant, Eriq La Salle and Elise Neal.

The title, Logan, is likely an homage to the comic book story “Old Man Logan,” on which Logan is said to be loosely based.

Logan opens in theaters on March 3, 2017.