Despite calling Logan his last outing with James Howlett, Hugh Jackman agreed to another ride to flex his adamantium claws with Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe prepares to connect the dots of this chapter to the upcoming Avengers films, particularly with Secret Wars, there has been a Marvel theory floating that suggests Jackman will pass the baton to a reliable X-Men successor. 

The theory does not exempt Jackman’s Wolverine from the X-Mansion, but it does find a new mutant to fill the spaces of The Danger Room for the days he feels too old to train himself.

A new MCU theory that has been making the rounds on the Internet by Austin Medeiros on X has gained much traction. As per the theory, Marvel Studios will not replace Hugh Jackman as Logan or Wolverine. Instead, the studio will have Dafne Keen, known for her portrayal in 2017’s Logan as X-23, continue his legacy. This means X-23 will be the Wolverine of the new X-Men team if the rumored soft launch of the MCU comes to fulfillment after Avengers: Secret Wars releases in 2027.

In March, MyTimeToShineHello on X reported Jackman’s willingness to join Avengers: Secret Wars as Wolverine under certain conditions. The Hollywood insider claimed Jackman informed Marvel Studios if he could interact with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man and Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. Although the likelihood of the latter happening stands as slim as when the scoop surfaced, with the new theory at hand, it instills skepticism about Jackman's continued involvement in the MCU beyond Deadpool & Wolverine. 

“Ate comeback”- Fans Go Feral as Stray Kids Pull the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Headliner Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman for New Music Video

While the theory still stands as a speculation and not a fact, one thing that gives weight to it is the recent revelation about Dafne Keen’s involvement in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine is set to bring a slew of cameos from the MCU’s catalog, particularly leaning on the X-Men variants. Since Logan was famously known for being Hugh Jackman’s last portrayal as Wolverine, when he returned for another appearance, the doors were slightly ajar for the return of Dafne Keen as X-23 as well. However, Keen ruled out the possibility of her involvement in a June interview with On Demand Entertainment. Recently, though, she reversed her stance on those earlier statements.

Deadpool & Wolverine recently released its final trailer, in which fans were too taken aback to see Keen reprise her role as X-23 despite her initial dismissal. Subsequently, Entertainment Weekly released an exclusive interview with Keen, in which she credited Andrew Garfield for inspiring her to master the art of surprise. Although she has closely emulated Garfield’s approach, the current MCU theory raises the question of whether she will also mirror this if Jackman hands over the Wolverine role to her as a successor.

Netflix to Rope in Hugh Jackman’s Sci-Fi Disaster Following His Highly Anticipated $1 Billion Box Office Bid

What do you think of the MCU theory that places Dafne Keen as the next Wolverine after Hugh Jackman? Let us know in the comments below!