Taron Egerton Addresses Those Wolverine Rumors

Kingsman and Rocketman star Taron Egerton is open to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but clarifies rumors marking him as a candidate for metal-clawed mutant Wolverine are “unfounded.”

“That one I think is just a rumor. As far as I’m aware it’s unfounded. I don’t know if I’m quite grisly enough,” Egerton admitted to Heart Breakfast.

“I mean if the people at Marvel think I am, then great, let’s go. But I think there are probably better candidates. But I would love to be involved with that world somewhere.”

The role, famously filled by Australian actor Hugh Jackman across a 17-year run under then-franchise owners Fox, is coveted by Suicide Squad and The Fate of the Furious star Scott Eastwood, who has campaigned for the role since 2017.

Though 50-year-old Jackman admits the “ship has sailed” on his time as the feral mutant superhero, the star looks forward to finally seeing the famed X-Men character be incorporated as part of the Disney-owned Marvel Studios franchise.

“It’s interesting because for the whole 17 years I kept thinking that would be so great, like I would love to see, particularly, Iron Man and the Hulk and Wolverine together,” Jackman told Collider in December 2017.

“And every time I saw an Avengers movie I could just see Wolverine in the middle of all of them like punching them all on the head. But it was like, ‘Oh well, that’s not gonna happen,’ and it was interesting just when I first saw that headline [of Disney purchasing Fox] — it was just the possibility of it and who knows what’s gonna happen, obviously — I was like, ‘Hang on!’ But I think, unfortunately, the ship has sailed for me, but for someone else I would like to see Wolverine in there.”

Egerton most recently portrayed Sir Elton John in musical fantasy biopic Rocketman and will reprise his role as Eggsy in a Kingsman: The Secret Service and The Golden Circle sequel due to shoot in 2020.