RUMOR: This X-MEN Character May Be Making Their Feature Film Debut In WOLVERINE 3
Hugh Jackman & Patrick Stewart are already on-board for Wolverine's third solo outing, and a new rumor is strongly suggesting that we'll see them joined by another popular X-Men character...
With long-time franchise star Hugh Jackman bidding farewell to his most iconic role in the yet-to-be titled Wolverine 3, it was only a matter of time before we started to hear something about which direction his final film may head and/or which direction the entire franchise might go post-Wolverine.
SuperHeroHype is reporting that they've heard the upcoming James Mangold-directed sequel will introduce X-23 to the X-Men films universe and that she'll join Jackman's Wolverine & Patrick Stewart's Professor X on their latest adventure. The rumor is unconfirmed at this point, so it's probably best to take the news with a grain of salt, but it does seemingly line-up with ComicBook's report of a recent Wolverine 3 stand-in casting call seeking: "Caucasian, Hispanic and Asian looking females over the age of 21," specifically at a height of 4'-4'11" and size 0-4 with dark brown hair."
In the comics, X-23 or Laura Kinney, is the result of a cloning experiment who after twenty-two failed attempts, is the first successful clone of the mutant known as Wolverine. Because of this, she also possesses superhuman strength, enhanced reflexes, heightened agility, and an accelerated healing factor. However, unlike Wolverine, she only has two claws on each hand and one that protrudes from each of her feet. She's a fairly recent creation, making her comic debut in 2004, but has already made appearances in two popular animated series: X-Men: Evolution & Wolverine and the X-Men.
Mangold returns to direct with a script from David James Kelly (Straw Man). Jackman and Stewart will reprise their roles from the previous X-Men films with Boyd Holbrook (Gone Girl) joining the cast as the film's villain. There's no word on a potential X-23 actress just yet, but if the rumor is true, and with production expected to kick off in May, expect an official announcement on her and more of the cast sooner than later.
So, what do you guys think? Who would you like to see play X-23? Sound off with your thoughts below!
Wolverine 3 slices and dices its way into theaters March 3, 2017