Hugh Jackman may be lined up for one last go-around as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, but Marvel Studios will be needing a new actor after that, and The Direct has some ideas for who that should be.
Jackman may have been a controversial choice for Wolverine when X-Men was first made in 2000, with the actor a 6'3 Australian musical icon playing a character classically drawn as a 5'3 Canadian savage. However, in the two decades since debuting in the role, he has certainly won audiences over - his superhero portrayal is regarded as one of the best ever.
With Jackman now preparing to lay down his claws after tagging along with Ryan Reynolds for Deadpool 3, Marvel Studios will soon find itself needing a new Wolverine actor, which is no easy task. But The Direct has found 10 choices for Hollywood icons and newcomers who could take on that difficult challenge.
Taron Egerton
Taron Egerton - the British star behind Kingsman's Eggsy - has been a popular fan cast for the MCU's Wolverine for some time now.
Many believe Marvel Studios will go for a more comic-accurate take on Wolverine this time around, which would point to a shorter and stockier casting. With Egerton coming in at 5'9, he could pull that off if he packed on the muscle to go with it.
The Rocketman star has even revealed he has had a general meeting with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. Although that appears to have been over four years ago at this time, Egerton is clearly on the studio's radar for MCU roles.
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal is a rising star at the moment after his award-winning performance in Normal People, which is bound to have him in the eye-line of Hollywood for plenty of major roles, perhaps including superhero ones.
In fact, that trend in Mescal's career is only bounded to continue now that he has landed the starring role in Gladiator 2 - the sequel to a Ridley Scott movie that has long been heralded for pushing Russel Crowe into the A-list of acting.
Dacre Montgomery
After his legendary portrayal of Billy in Stranger Things Season 3, Dacre Montgomery has proven to be a breakout star in the industry.
His Netflix role revealed his talent to Hollywood, leading to his casting as Steve Binder in Elvis. But he continues to search for his next big starring role, which many think could be in the superhero game, perhaps as Wolverine.
Fan art of Montgomery as James Howlett, aka Wolverine, went viral shortly following his Stranger Things debut. The actor actually shared the image on Instagram at the time, indicating he may at least be interested in the role.
Jeremy Allen White
With Shameless having wrapped up an 11-season run, Jeremy Allen White has yet to really make the jump into the movie business, although he has been all the talk lately after delivering a stellar performance as a struggling young chef in The Bear.
Between these two comedy dramas, White has proven he can pull off both sides with ease as an actor with true variety, which makes him a perfect fit for the MCU.
And those who have seen Shameless' Phillip Gallagher snap will be more than aware of just why he needs a shot at Wolverine.
Brandon Perea
Having been called a scene-stealer in Jordan Peele's Nope, Brandon Perea has proven to be a hot name as of late, especially as he has still yet to land his first big mainstream role to make him a household name.
Nope was certainly a powerful step for that, and one that undoubtedly will have earned him consideration for countless roles. Perea may just be that talented smaller name Marvel Studios needs to kickstart a Wolverine reboot.
Milo Gibson
The son of esteemed actor Mel Gibson, Milo Gibson, has been breaking into the acting world in recent years, and he's shown he does have the chops for it.
Many have said over the years that if Marvel were to be casting Wolverine back in the early '90s then Mel Gibson would have been a top-tier choice. While he has certainly aged out of the role, his son Milo is the spitting image of him.
He certainly looks the part of Wolverine (just look at that beard); and, standing at just 5'9, he even comes in at the shorter end of Hollywood, perfectly setting him up for a comic-accurate Wolverine casting.
Daniel Radcliffe
Coming from Harry Potter childhood fame, Daniel Radcliffe has yet to truly solidify his adult acting career with a major role, and not for lack of trying. But things have been heating up for him lately with Weird, The Lost City, and Guns Akimbo.
Radcliffe has become among the stars enthralled in the Wolverine casting rumors, primarily due to his short stature and Logan-esque beard. Although the actor insists the thought is "really cool," he claims not to have heard anything so far.
His mild British mannerisms may not make him an obvious choice for Wolverine, but some acting magic could transform him into the grizzled Canadian mutant.
Andrew Koji
A British actor with Japanese heritage, Andrew Koji may be an out-of-the-box choice for Wolverine, but those who have seen his work, especially in the martial arts vicinity, will struggle to argue with it.
Koji has already landed himself plenty of major roles across the likes of Warrior, Snake Eyes, and most recently, Bullet Train, all of which show off how brilliantly he could pull off the Wolverine look, persona, and intense violent action.
Dev Patel
Of Slumdog Millionaire fame, Dev Patel has certainly shown over the years that he can act in projects such as The Green Knight and Lion - the latter of which even earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.
Part of what screams Wolverine about Patel comes from his impressive Logan-esque beard, which certainly shows he could bring the iconic visual elements to the character, while still having the acting talent to transform into the savage mutant.
Jack Lowden
At just 32 years old, Scottish actor Jack Lowden has already had quite the career after taking on roles in major projects such as Slow Horses, Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, and Mary Queen of Scots.
These performances have even led to him becoming a bookies' favorite for the most coveted role in the British film scene, James Bond. Whether he lands that remains to be seen, but the buzz surrounding his name undoubtedly has him in the minds of studios for a wide variety of roles.
Who Will Play The MCU's Next Wolverine?
Who exactly will land the coveted Wolverine role remains to be seen, but Hugh Jackman's two-decade tenure has certainly left tough boots to fill. Fortunately, fans of the Australian actor's interpretation still have at least one more go-around with him in November 2024's Deadpool 3.
With the X-Men not expected to come into play in the main MCU timeline until Phase 7 - which begins in 2026 - the mutant-centric reboot wouldn't be beginning production until 2025 at the earliest. So, there's still plenty of time before Marvel Studios begins seriously considering the best picks for these roles.
And with Jackman's Wolverine having just appeared under two years before then, Logan may not even end up being among the first batch of mutants to enter the MCU in order to distance the current portrayal from the next. Considering all of that, the next Wolverine likely won't be cast for a long time to come.
In fact, in that time there could be any number of shifts that lead to the top candidates shifting from how they may appear now. After all, some of those listed above may have aged out of the role by then, as Marvel Studios will likely be looking for an actor around their 30s to play Wolverine for many years to come.
Marvel Studios has yet to officially announce its X-Men reboot, but the latest comments confirm development is still in the "early, early, early days," so fans should prepare for a long wait to come.
