Dafne Keen made her Marvel Studios debut in Deadpool & Wolverine when she reprised her role as X-23, which left the door open to more future appearances.
Logan debuted Dafne Keen as Laura, aka X-23, the biological daughter of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine who adopted his regeneration powers and adamantium claws.
X-23 returned as part of the surprising cast of Deadpool & Wolverine and the resistance against Cassandra Nova. Fortunately, the young mutant survived the flick and escaped the Void to land herself safe in Deadpool's universe.
Dafne Keen Reveals Interest in MCU Return
Speaking in an interview with Moviefone, X-23 actress Dafne Keen expressed how she "would play Laura for the rest of [her] life," noting her love for Marvel and her character within the red superhero universe:
"I've said this a trillion times, I would play Laura for the rest of my life, and I would be content. She's the most incredible character to play, and I have so much fun playing her, and I have so much love for her [and] Marvel."
She even teased that "another tiny little silly cameo in something" akin to her minor part in Deadpool & Wolverine could be what her next Laura appearance looks like:
"So I really hope I get a call, even if it is to do like another tiny little silly cameo in something, I'd be really happy. And chance I get to be her again and get the claws back on."
Discussing the experience of returning for Deadpool & Wolverine, Keen added how the whole cast was "just so excited to be there" and would have been willing to do "20 hours overtime" if asked due to their immense enthusiasm:
"We were all just so excited to be there and we all love these characters so much. We all felt so lucky to be there which I think is such a rare thing. A lot of people are ready to go home and wrap up the day. If they'd asked us to do 20 hours overtime we would have all been like 'Yeah, I'm here, I'm so excited to do this.' It was really cool, we were all kind of nerding out with everyone with their weapons, I had the claws back, and I was so excited about the glasses."
During an interview with TooFab, Keen was asked which MCU heroes and villains she would like to team up with if X-23 returns in a future project.
The actress was open to options, saying she would be "happy to team up with anyone," but expressed particular interest in the fresh era of mutants starting:
"I would honestly be happy to team up with anyone. I think the whole new mutants that they're creating is really cool, and that'd be a really fun thing to be part of."
Keen went on to say how "a big team-up would be cool" - possibly revealing an interest in tagging along for Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars - before explaining why Laura "works really well in teams:"
"I think a big team-up would be cool. I think Laura is a character I think works really well in teams just because she's a fun character in a way that's like that Wolverine grumpy energy that always is kind of comedic in itself. And there's a bunch of really cool new Marvel characters that I'm really excited to see. Yeah, I keep saying this but I'm excited."
How X-23 Could Fit Into the MCU's Future Plans
X-23 was the only member of the resistance present for the emotional climax of Deadpool & Wolverine, joining the leading heroes and the Merc with the Mouth's usual gang of friends on Earth-10005 for a wholesome meal.
By all accounts, Marvel Studios appears intent on keeping Hugh Jackman around as the MCU's Wolverine, as opposed to recasting the character. As such, whenever Logan returns to the MCU in whatever project that may be, perhaps X-23 will be by his side, continuing their father-daughter relationship.
But with that said, Jackman is 56 years old and won't be playing Wolverine forever, at which point, the MCU will need a replacement. If Marvel Studios is eager to avoid recasting Logan, Dafne Keen's X-23 could take up the Wolverine mantle.
In the aftermath of 2015's Secret Wars event in Marvel Comics, Laura led the way in All-New Wolverine where she took up the adamantium mutant mantle after her father's death. Perhaps Marvel Studios could recreate this storyline and keep Laura around as Wolverine in the next saga and the MCU's X-Men reboot.
Alternatively, perhaps a slot on the Young Avengers could be on the table for X-23 as, at 19 years old, Keen is one of the youngest actors in the MCU today.
There is so far no word on when the Young Avengers will assemble on screen, but Ms. Marvel, Kate Bishop, and Cassie Lang have all been teased as potential members, and it's easy to imagine Keen's X-23 fitting in well with that roster.
Whether it be sooner or later, most MCU fans have been confident since Deadpool & Wolverine that X-23 will be back in action. So it's exciting to hear Keen is just as enthusiastic about the idea and remains open to a world of heroic possibilities.
Deadpool & Wolverine is streaming now on Disney+.
