Taron Egerton has been a popular fan choice to play Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the actor isn’t targeting the role. During an appearance on the podcast Happy Sad Confused, Egerton was asked about the long-standing rumors suggesting he could be in line to play the iconic mutant on the big screen. He admitted that there was a period where he’d be up for the challenge, but now his perspective has shifted. Not only does Egerton believe Hugh Jackman would be a tough act to follow, he also isn’t interested in drawing extra attention to himself.
“I won’t lie. There was a moment, probably one of the first times the rumor mill started, where I thought, ‘That’d be cool,’” Egerton said. “It never came to anything other than rumor … and also, Hugh came back … he’s completely synonymous with the character. Frankly, even if they were to do [a reboot], there’s some big shoes to fill. And also … I don’t know if I want that much attention on me, frankly. I just don’t know that that would do me any good. I love acting and I love making films and I love the TV work I’ve been a part of. But, I’m very comfortable with the level it’s at now, where I get asked for a selfie maybe a couple times a day. The other thing that people experience, I just don’t know that I’m built for it.”
Egerton recently made similar comments about the possibility of playing James Bond, noting that being the face of a major franchise is a considerable undertaking. At this stage in his career, he seems more interested in finding smaller projects that push him creatively as opposed to landing a new blockbuster gig. Egerton, of course, previously made a name for himself leading the Kingsman franchise. In the past, he’s found the speculation about playing Bond or Wolverine to be both “flattering” and “frustrating.”
Marvel Studios is currently developing an X-Men reboot, though the project isn’t expected to arrive in theaters for another few years. No casting announcements have been made yet. It’s expected the ensemble will consist of younger talent in an effort to keep production costs under control. Before the reboot gets off the ground, several actors from Fox’s X-Men film series will reprise their roles in Avengers: Doomsday. Jackman, who famously returned in last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine, is not part of the Doomsday cast.
For years, fans have imagined Egerton playing Wolverine, so it’ll be disappointing for some that he isn’t interested in the role. But the actor’s stance is understandable. A role in the MCU is arguably even more time-consuming than James Bond. While there’s traditionally a new Bond film every few years, Marvel releases multiple titles annually and signs actors to multi-picture contracts. It’s widely expected the X-Men will be the main focus of the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars, so it stands reason to believe someone like Wolverine will be front and center in Marvel’s next cinematic saga. Mutants will likely appear not just in X-Men movies, but also crossovers that pop up. Taking on Wolverine now would potentially limit Egerton’s availability for other kinds of projects.
Egerton is taking himself out of the running, but Marvel may not have to look far to find another fan favorite who could take on the Wolverine mantle. Dafne Keen’s Laura/X-23 is beloved, and that character made a memorable return herself in Deadpool & Wolverine. Keen remains interested in reprising Laura in the future, so it would be easy to integrate her into the MCU’s X-Men films. That way, Marvel can continue to develop her as a compelling figure and wouldn’t have to worry about finding the right actor to replace Jackman. After all Laura’s been through in Logan and Deadpool & Wolverine, she could be a mentor figure to a younger generation of mutants.
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