As Logan felt his time come, he gave instructions to the girl at his side, the one who had dealt the killing blow to X-24—to take her friends and run. But as he faded away, Logan’s temperament softened and he held onto the hand of someone he had knowingly given his life to save. In the previous film, Logan’s death was foretold by Yukio: “I see you on your back. There’s blood everywhere. You’re holding your own heart in your hand.” James Mangold later confirmed it was about Laura. As the mighty warrior and last of the X-Men spoke his final words, Laura finally acknowledged him for who he was to her—“Daddy.” She watched as her father passed away, tears escaping her eyes, as he used the last of his strength to tell her: “Don’t be what they made you!” Now Hugh Jackman is gone. Who will take up the role of Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Speculation has crossed names like Tom Hardy, Scott Eastwood, and even Jon Bernthal thrown into the mix. But Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool transferring to the MCU from Fox—because there’s no replacement for Ryan Reynolds that anybody is interested in—leaves the door open for others to return, too. Dafne Keen’s role as Laura Kinney led the young actress to securing other leading roles, but she’s expressed a willingness to return to the character. So, what if Marvel avoided re-casting Logan altogether and instead brought back Laura Kinney for the role instead? Here are four reasons why Marvel should bring in Dafne Keen’s Laura Kinney as Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
1. It’d Subtly Make Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Part of MCU Canon
The first and most obvious point to make is that Dafne Keen’s role in Logan was pointedly written to be a continuation of the lineage left behind by Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. This means that if she were to return to the role, she’d bring Hugh Jackman’s legacy with her into the MCU. While we’d never see Jackman himself return as Logan—and, to be honest, there wouldn’t be a good way for him to leave the role again—seeing Laura tear up the MCU with her fierce claws would bring her father’s spirit along with her. Many will ask how she could feature in the MCU after appearing in the Fox series. However, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s return in Spider-Man: No Way Home, this isn’t a stretch for Marvel.
2. It’d Subvert All Expectations
The task of re-casting Hugh Jackman for the role of Wolverine is not one that Marvel will relish, given that Jackman’s Wolverine is such a key and iconic character in superhero film history. Any other male actor who tries to take his place as Logan will be compared instantly to Jackman’s iteration—and the chances of that iteration being anywhere close to favorable are slim. Bringing back Dafne Keen’s Laura Kinney does away with the impossible task of replacing Jackman, and a majority of the Marvel fanbase would be eminently happy to see her return. There’s also the opportunity for Marvel to make a statement in bringing Keen back, since Wolverine doesn’t necessarily have to be a male role. Laura Kinney’s role in the comic books is well established, and as one of the substantial roles in superhero lore, giving it back to Keen would represent Marvel’s commitment to female heroes.
3. We’d Get to See More Laura Kinney
Laura’s appearance in Logan was one of the best aspects of the film. It showed us what we wanted in X-23 and gave us a superhero father-daughter journey for the cinematic ages. Seeing more of her and her journey would be welcomed by fans, as there was still so much to Laura’s story and abundant opportunity to tell it with Keen. Perhaps even a pairing with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool—who’d make endless jokes about Logan, only to end up annoying Laura intently. Who wouldn’t want to see Reynolds’ Wade Wilson get impaled by Laura as she figures out that he has the same healing factor she does? And on top of the hilarious dynamic that could be achieved with Deadpool, there’s also Josh Brolin’s Cable!
4. It’d Bring Another Coming-of-Age Story to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The MCU has already had its coming-of-age story of Spider-Man with Peter Parker coming to grips with his role as a hero and an Avenger. But seeing a coming-of-age story revolving around a young woman with temper issues inherited from her father—and a set of claws with them—would be a journey that’d make Marvel’s MCU Wolverine unique. We’ve all seen Jackman’s iteration search across multiple movies to regain his memories of the past. Do we really need to see that again, told slightly differently with another actor in place? This is why Laura could be the Wolverine the MCU needs. She’s as much Wolverine as Hugh Jackman’s Logan is, she has his lineage, and she shares his broad characteristics while being her own distinct character. Read next: The success story behind Marvel’s Cinematic Universe
