With the X-Men finally a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe thanks to Disney’s billion dollar acquisition of Fox, there’s now the daunting task of casting a new Wolverine actor who will have to compete with Hugh Jackman’s career-defining time in the role. Ever since Jackman walked away from the role in the epic swan song, Logan, several actors have tossed their hat in the ring to strap on the claws, and the latest would-be Wolverine is a Hemsworth brother, who’s hoping to more permanently join his God of Thunder sibling in the MCU.
While sitting down with Screen Rant, Westworld star Luke Hemsworth revealed that he’s been eyeing up the mutant role ever since he made a brief cameo in Thor: Ragnarok.
I learned to draw through comic books, copying comic books since I was about 10 years old. Spawn was a big one for; I really loved Todd McFarlane’s Spawn. And then Batman – I would have fought Rob Pattinson for those gauntlets. And Wolverine! I’m like, “Come on, just pass them on, mate. Let’s give it to another Aussie.” I’ll have to grow some chest hair, but I’m ready for Wolverine.
While Hemsworth might have an in with the MCU thanks to being Thor’s brother, the list of actors who want to play the surly, clawed mutant is practically growing by the day, and there are some heavy hitters in the mix. Here’s a brief rundown of potential Wolverines, and we’re sure there are even more out there.
Keanu Reeves: Keanu Reeves hasn’t been shy about the fact that he’s always wanted to play Wolverine on the big screen. But while the John Wick actor thinks the time has passed for him on account of his age, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has repeatedly said that he’s always thinking of ways to get Reeves into the MCU.
Antony Starr: With the success of season two of The Boys under his belt, Antony Starr‘s chances of landing the Wolverine role have to be looking pretty good right now. When asked which X-Men character he’d like to play in the MCU, the Homelander actor was not shy about going straight for Logan.
Jason Momoa: During the 2019 Celebrity Fan Fest in San Antonio, Jason Momoa told fans that he’d love to play Wolverine and revealed that he grew up loving the character. While landing Momoa would be a major get for the MCU, we’re pretty sure he’s locked down tight by Warner Bros. and DC Comics, especially after the huge success of Aquaman. But if letting Momoa play Wolverine boosts his box-office draw even more, we could see Warner Bros. being open to sharing the lovable beefcake.
Fayssal Bazzi: While promoting his work in the Cate Blanchett Netflix series Stateless, actor Fayssal Bazzi threw his hat in the ring during an interview with Uproxx, and his very convincing case has the same elements as Hemsworth: “I’m Australian, I have a hairy chest, I can be the next Wolverine!” Bazzi also isn’t a big name, but going with an unknown actor is exactly the formula that worked so well with Jackman, who only had a few Australian soap operas on his resume when he scored the role thanks to Dougray Scott being forced to quit the first X-Men movie at the last minute.
Tom Payne: Prodigal Son star Tom Payne brought a unique angle to his pitch for playing Wolverine. The actor, who also had a memorable role as Jesus on The Walking Dead, told Comic Book back in April that he’d be bring a more “height-appropriate” portrayal to the role. (Fun fact: Wolverine is actually very short in the comics unlike the over six feet tall Hugh Jackman.) Thanks to being a “smaller person,” Payne says the food budget and work required for him to bulk up would be much lower. “You have to eat so much and spend so much money on food. I think I would have to work out a bit less but, still, it’s a huge thing.”
Taron Egerton: Rocketman star Taron Egerton replacing Jackman has been one of the longest running rumors since Disney acquired the X-Men, but they are just that, rumors. While Egerton has made it clear that there’s nothing behind the constant online chatter, he is flattered and not adverse to taking the part. “That anyone thinks I would be good for the part is really flattering. I love Marvel, but it’s just fan stuff. There is no grounding for those rumours,” he told British GQ.
Hugh Jackman (a stretch, admittedly): Yup, that’s right. While Jackman has repeatedly closed the door on returning as Wolverine, there are unconfirmed rumors that Marvel Studio head Kevin Feige is still trying to talk him back into the role. For the record, these rumors fall way in the online speculation territory and fluctuate between Jackman fully returning to the part or just making a brief cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We wouldn’t put much stock in any of the rumors, but Jamie Foxx is playing Electro again, so anything can happen at Marvel right now.
(via Screen Rant)
