There has been a lot of attention on Hugh Jackman’s last film in the role of Wolverine. Following an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse, Jackman will make his final appearance as the feral mutant in next year’s solo movie. There has been a lot of speculation over what story elements from the comics will make it into the next adventure, with the “Old Man Logan” run the most heavily rumored influence. However, last week a rumor broke from Superherohype that Laura Kinney, better known as X-23, will be featured in the upcoming sequel.
X-23 made her first debut on television in X-Men: Evolution, before making her way to the pages of the comics. She is a female clone of Wolverine and possesses a similar skillset, including an inhumanly fast healing factor, retractable claws, adamantium coated bones, and heightened senses. The character began as an assassin before being recruited by the X-Men and joining the X-Force. Most recently the character has assumed the Wolverine mantle, complete with the trademark costume, so her importance in Marvel Comics is clear. (Click the video below to learn more!)
Provided that the rumor is accurate, this could be the role of a lifetime for an up and coming actress. With X-23’s influence in modern comic storylines and Fox’s rapidly expanding X-Men universe, it’s easy to imagine the character popping up in upcoming sequels and possibly co-headlining the in development X-Force movie. There must be a long list of actresses that is under consideration for the role by Fox, however for our list we left off choices such as Megan Fox, that might have the look, but haven’t proven to have the acting chops. Here is our list of 3 Actresses Who Should Be Cast as X-23.
Tatiana Maslany
Maslany has been circling a role within the Star Wars universe for some time now. What is a better than being a Jedi or a bounty hunter? Well…playing a mutant superhero who is the face of the entire X-Men universe…now that’s a nice consolation prize.
Maslany has proven that she is a chameleon on-screen, evidenced by her performance in Orphan Black. While mainstream audiences may not be familiar with the talented actress, it’s merely a matter of time before she lands a star-making role. She’s able to shift between a vulnerable tenderness, to a ferocious intensity within the same scene. These traits are crucial to bringing Kinney to life and it would seem that there are only a few actresses that are equally as suitable for the role. It would be easy to imagine her one day becoming as identified with X23, as Jackman is with Wolverine. Plus, she already has extensive experience at playing a clone, which would add some fun subtext to the character.
Rooney Mara
Mara has already proven to be a chameleon, who always finds herself in award nominated films, ranging from The Social Network to Carol. She also starred in the failed adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, however she did prove how transformative her acting talent is, while also proving her chops as a badass. Mara is undoubtedly capable of taking X-23 in some unexpected directions. Just as importantly, it’s easy to imagine her sharing the screen with Hugh Jackman, who both have rugged, yet endearing qualities. However, it is yet to be seen if she has interest in the superhero genre. Particularly after her sister’s nightmarish experience working on Fox’s Fantastic Four.
Hailee Steinfeld
The actress might not immediately spring to mind, but at 19 years old Steinfeld has already accomplished a career’s worth. She burst on to the scene with an Academy Award nominated performance in 2010’s True Grit. Since that time, Steinfeld has grown up on-screen and is largely unrecognizable from her child acting days. She also has a wealth of experience in big-budget filmmaking, with key roles in movies such as Ender’s Game and Pitch Perfect 2. Plus she has already acted against Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Harrison Ford. So unlike most actresses in her age range, she surely would not be intimidated by sharing scenes with the charismatic Hugh Jackman. Steinfeld would also fit right into the ensemble films as well, while still being able to maintain the character’s emotional complexity.
In addition, she is the perfect age to fit in with the younger cast of the X-Men universe, with talent such as Tye Sheridan and Sophie Turner primed to take the series over. In the comics, X-23 goes on to become a member of X-Force, which has its own feature film in the pipeline. It would seem to make sense to give the character a dynamic introduction in Wolverine 3, then she can join a cast that could possibly include Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Cable, and other X-Men like Psylocke (Olivia Munn). It almost makes too much sense to not happen…
The third solo Wolverine solo film is slated for release on March 3rd, 2017.
Who do you think should be cast as X-23? Let us know on the comment boards, , , and ! Share our stories by simply clicking your favorite social media below!