WOLVERINE: 7 Actors Who Could Play The Marvel Cinematic Universe's James "Logan" Howlett

While Hugh Jackman is set to reprise his role as Wolverine in the MCU this year, who could eventually play Earth-616's permanent James "Logan" Howlett? Here are some potential candidates we're excited by!

By JoshWilding - Mar 12, 2024 11:03 AM EST

Filed Under: Wolverine

Hugh Jackman first played Wolverine in 2000's X-Men, and despite saying goodbye to the role in Logan 17 years later, he's set to reprise the role in Deadpool & Wolverine this summer.

From there, he'll likely return in Avengers: Secret Wars, marking his final farewell to the character. Marvel Studios will then reboot the X-Men franchise, but who should pick up where the Australian actor left off as James "Logan" Howlett? That's not an easy question to answer, but in Casting Director Sarah Finn, we trust!

In the meantime, we've rounded up some of our own suggestions. Each of the actors listed here would bring something very different to the role of Wolverine and, most importantly, do the X-Man justice in the same way as Jackman has. Heck, they may even surpass him!

To find out who we've picked, all you need to do is click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.

7. Jeremy Allen White

Jeremy Allen White put himself on the map playing Philip "Lip" Gallagher in Shameless, but has since earned widespread acclaim - and a long list of awards - for his work in FX series, The Bear.

You may have also recently seen him in The Iron Claw alongside Zac Efron, and the physicality he showed there has left us convinced that he'd be a great fit for Wolverine. The actor gives off the vibe of an outsider and, if you look up his Calvin Klein advertising campaign, you'll see he's every bit as physically imposing as Jackman.

That actor leaves big shoes to fill, and we're confident White could do so.

6. Jared Keeso

Like Wolverine, Jared Keeso is Canadian and, for many of you, that alone will make him a fav-favourite choice to bring this character to life on screen.

Best known for his roles as Wayne in the comedy series Letterkenny and as Ben Chartier in the drama series 19-2, Keeso has received critical acclaim for his performances, particularly in the former, which he co-created, writes, and stars in. That's earned him several awards and nominations, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and talented actor.

Like Jackman before him, he'd be an unexpected pick to play Logan but the fact he's not a household name would go in his favour. For starters, he wouldn't bring any baggage to the role and could cement himself as a movie star specifically while playing this character.

5. Dacre Montgomery

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Dacre Montgomery has matured a fair bit since his Stranger Things stint, and that role saw him receive praise for delivering an incredibly compelling portrayal of his character. He's also had a taste of action as a lead in the ill-fated Power Rangers movie.

It's clear a major role is somewhere on the horizon for him, and Wolverine may well be it.

The Australian actor is only 29 and could spend years making Logan his own across a multitude of film and television projects. Marvel Studios will surely want to capitalise on Wolverine's popularity, and entrusting an up-and-coming star for that would be no bad thing.

4. ...Hugh Jackman?!

We're taking a brief interlude of sorts here to suggest Hugh Jackman could still play the MCU's Wolverine. As noted, the actor will reprise his role in Deadpool & Wolverine and Avengers: Secret Wars, but why does it have to end there?

The latter movie is expected to softly reboot the MCU, so why not have this new X-Men franchise led by the returning Jackman? He could even hail from another reality, similar to what happened when Old Man Logan called Earth-616 home for several years after the original Logan's apparent demise.

If nothing else, this would be a smart way to relaunch the X-Men movies and immediately get casual fans invested in following the team's story all over again.

3. Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe has reinvented himself since playing the Boy Wizard in the Harry Potter movies, and while we're not quite as convinced as many of you that he's the right fit for Wolverine, we can't deny his potential casting is intriguing.

We've seen physicality from the British actor on screen and, providing he can nail Logan's physique and intimidating presence, we'd be fine with a shorter actor like Radcliffe putting a totally new spin on the X-Man.

There are rumblings Radcliffe will show up in Deadpool & Wolverine as a Logan Variant and, if that happens, it'll either close the door on this casting or help make it a reality.

2. Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton became a star thanks to his work in the Kingsman movies, but has since shown what a versatile talent he is in movies like Rocketman and Tetris. He was also nothing short of phenomenal in Apple TV+'s Black Bird.

The Welsh actor would be terrific as the MCU's Wolverine and has the right look and more than enough acting talent to match, and dare we say surpass, what Jackman brought to the table as this iconic mutant.

The main issue here is that Egerton has said he doesn't want the role, so unless Marvel Studios can do a lot of convincing, this will remain little more than a fan cast!

1. Dafne Keen

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Not everyone will like this suggestion, but to that, we say...deal with it!

Jackman has become synonymous with Wolverine and it won't be easy for any actor to follow in his iconic footsteps. So, why not do something completely different and make Laura Kinney the MCU's main Wolverine? She wouldn't be Logan with boobs; instead, the hero's story would be very much her own.

X-23, going by the Wolverine moniker, would simply be this shared world's Wolverine and a member of the X-Men in place of the original. Keen played Laura in Logan and, as she's got older, has proved herself a fantastic talent. Why not let her hold the mantle for a while?

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