After Dafne Keen's acclaimed performance as Laura/X-23 in 2017's Logan, it was generally assumed that the young actress would get the opportunity to reprise the role down the line.
Of course, this was before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox's assets in 2019's highly-publicized takeover.
Keen has since confirmed that there were indeed tentative plans in place for an X-23 spinoff before the acquisition, but said she didn't hear anything about it after the deal went through. However, the announcement that Marvel Studios was moving forward with a third Deadpool movie (now titled Deadpool and Wolverine) gave the His Dark Materials and The Acolyte star hope that we could see the clawed mutant follow the Merc With a Mouth into MCU.
"I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high in case it doesn't happen, but I really do hope it does because I loved playing Laura," Keen told ComicBook.com about a potential return to the role back in 2021. "She holds a very special place in my heart and she's an incredible character. And to be fair, the whole Deadpool 3 situation really, really made me happy because, obviously when Disney bought Fox, I suspected they weren't going to do any more R-rated films, but then greenlighting Deadpool is a great sign for other R-rated movies."
Since then, rumors have persisted that Keen will indeed have a role in D&W, and not just a brief cameo. There's speculation that one moment from the first trailer with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) telling a "kid" that he's "no hero" will feature Laura.
If Keen is involved, this is one secret that Marvel and director Shawn Levy have managed to keep under wraps, and the actress isn't about to let the cat out of the bag.
While speaking to ComicBook.com about her role as Jeki Lon in The Acolyte, Keen sidestepped a question about her potential return in Deadpool and Wolverine by talking about how great it feels to still be asked about her take on the character all these years later.
"How cool is it that I got to be part of something with such a huge legacy that, almost 10 years later, I'm still being asked about it? That just feels pretty huge."
We'd say Keen showing up as X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine is highly likely, but we probably won't find out for sure until the movie hits theaters this summer.
“Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date - Deadpool & Wolverine," reads the new synopsis. "A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier... reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to - F*ck. Synopses are so f*cking stupid.”
In addition to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the title roles, Deadpool and Wolverine will see Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Rob Delaney (Peter), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) And Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio) return as their respective characters, and they'll be joined by franchise newcomers Emma Corrin (The Crown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), who will play a TV agent and Charles Xavier's evil counterpart, Cassandra Nova.
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool and Wolverine from a script by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells.
The movie is set to open in U.S. & Canadian theaters on July 26, and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD and premium screens everywhere.