Latest MCU X-Men Casting Rumor Has Marvel Fans All Saying the Same Thing

Marvel Studios is in the process of casting its upcoming X-Men reboot. We know Sadie Sink is playing Jean Grey, and the reports are Samara Weaving is Emma Frost and Kit Connor is Cyclops. It’s widely expected the full ensemble will be announced during next week’s D23 Expo, but in the meantime, rumors about roles like Charles Xavier, Mister Sinister, and Sebastian Shaw are circulating online. Amidst all the speculation, one prominent mutant we haven’t heard much about is Wolverine. Based on the latest X-Men update, that might be because Marvel has plans to bring back a fan favorite who burst onto the scene nearly a decade ago.

According to @MyTimeToShine on X, Dafne Keen is “in talks” to reprise her iconic role as Laura/X-23 in the MCU’s X-Men reboot. Keen, of course, memorably made her debut in 2017’s Logan before returning two summers ago in Deadpool & Wolverine.

As one might expect, reactions to this rumor have been overwhelmingly positive. “Oh she is definitely going to be the Wolverine for the MCU and I’m here for it!” wrote one user on X. “Holy s— they did listen to us,” said another. “I NEED THIS!!!” exclaimed another fan, posting an image of X-23 and Jean Grey standing together in a fighting pose. “As long as she’s in it… I’ll be happy,” said another.

Bringing Dafne Keen Back for the MCU’s X-Men Movie Would Be Perfect

As the MCU’s X-Men reboot cast rounds into shape, the Wolverine discussion has always been fascinating. Considering the character’s immense popularity, it’s hard to envision a scenario where the MCU didn’t introduce its own version of Wolverine. Complicating the process, however, is the shadow of Hugh Jackman hanging over everything. Since first portraying Wolverine in the original X-Men movie 26 years ago, Jackman has become synonymous with the role — to the point where it’s difficult to imagine anyone else donning the claws. This isn’t to say that other actors are incapable of playing Wolverine (there have been multiple fan-favorite Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman actors), but anyone who takes the character on will be opening themselves up to comparisons to Jackman’s performance, especially since Jackman keeps coming back. The more times he returns (he’s rumored to pop up in an Avengers movie), the harder it becomes to replace him.

As funny as the joke in Deadpool & Wolverine is, it isn’t realistic to expect Jackman to keep playing Wolverine until he’s 90. At a certain point, he’s going to hang up the claws for good, meaning Marvel will have to replace him. Instead of finding someone new to play Logan, it would make a lot of sense to just bring Dafne Keen into the fold and have Laura be part of the MCU X-Men team. Fans are already onboard with Keen’s portrayal of X-23, eliminating the risk of viewers not accepting the new Wolverine. Additionally, Fox’s X-Men movies focused so heavily on Logan and his traumatic past. This would be a way for the MCU’s take to avoid retreading old ground, giving a different but similar character the spotlight.

After the success of Logan, director James Mangold started developing a follow-up that would have continued Laura’s arc. That film never saw the light of day, as it was scrapped following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox. While Keen would eventually reprise Laura in Deadpool & Wolverine, she was robbed of an opportunity to further flesh out her character much earlier. It would be a nice way to bring things full circle if Keen became part of the core MCU cast. She’s only 21 years old, so she’s well within the age range that Marvel is targeting. Should she sign on for X-Men, Keen could establish herself as Wolverine for a new generation, much like Jackman did for those who grew up with Fox’s films.

If this does indeed happen, it’ll be interesting to see if Keen reprises the same version of Laura from Logan and Deadpool & Wolverine or portrays a new variant. Fans would probably be okay with either one, but this decision could have an impact on Laura’s dynamic with the rest of the X-Men team. If it’s the same Laura from Logan, she’d be able to carry over her experiences from that film and be wise beyond her years, helping guide her fellow young mutants on their respective journeys. A different Laura variant could be more in need of guidance herself, becoming a prized pupil of the new Charles Xavier. Hopefully, Marvel’s presentation at D23 provides some answers.

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