Zac Efron may have risen to prominence after starring in the High School Musical trilogy, but he's since reinvented himself in a big way.
Shedding the "frat boy" persona movies like Neighbors and Dirty Grandpa later labelled him with, the actor has shown a darker, far more serious side in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile and The Iron Claw. Now, all eyes are on what Efron does next.
If a new rumour shared by @MyTimeToShineH is to be believed, then it could be a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
We don't have any news on who he'll play, though there are plenty of possibilities. Recently, there have been rumours about Marvel Studios finally moving forward with a Nova TV series, and while the focus is expected to be on Sam Alexander, Efron would arguably make a perfect Richard Rider.
Efron is only thought to have had discussions with Marvel Studios at this stage and it's no secret that Kevin Feige often takes general meetings with actors; after The Iron Claw, he's bound to be in high demand.
During a 2022 appearance on The Tonight Show, Efron was asked about the rumours he was being eyed to take over the role of Wolverine from Hugh Jackman (who has since signed up to reprise his most iconic role in this summer's Deadpool & Wolverine).
"Really? Wow, they could just call me," he said in response to learning Marvel Studios had been on the hunt for a "type" like him. As for those Wolverine claims, he added, "I think Hugh's still doing that pretty well. I got to give it to him."
When Fallon pointed out that Efron could ask for Jackman's blessing after they shared the screen in The Greatest Showman, he responded, "Yeah, I guess I had my foot in the door on that one. I should go talk to him."
That same year, Efron shared his enthusiasm for the MCU and made it clear he's a fan. "I love the Marvel universe. I've been a fan of Marvel since I started walking," he enthused. "If the right character comes along, and they want me to jump in, I would jump at the opportunity."
Only time will tell whether this rumour pans out, but Efron got into superhero shape for The Iron Claw and could quite easily make his mark on the franchise moving forward.
Who would you like to see the actor play in the MCU? Let us know in the comments section.