X-23 to Pick Up the Wolverine Mantle Post Logan
Logan was an emotionally resonant film that, while cloaked in the fantasy world of superheroes, was a somber sendoff to one of the most beloved Marvel characters ever. It was also an introduction to the next generation of mutants and brought us rising star, Dafne Keen. Keen played Laura Kinney, Wolverine’s similarly talented daughter, also known as X-23.
Keen was so talented and the baton was passed in such a way that we couldn’t imagine filmmakers would pass on an opportunity to give Laura a starring role. Director James Mangold and producer Hutch Parker indicated in an interview with THR that they are working in that direction and a screenplay is in the works. Mangold said that Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman has paved the way for female led comic movies and is opening doors in the industry.
“Patty’s success with that film only solidifies more for studios that there’s less to fear with a female protagonist,” Mangold told THR. “The more that keeps getting hit home, that ends up giving me more space turning around and going, ‘Well, here we are with a female protagonist. That’s incredible. And what are we going to do with her?’ And that’s where we are with that [the Laura script] right now, dreaming.”
The question then turns to, where would a Laura movie go for both style and storyline? Logan was a character driven drama that went easy on CGI effects to deliver a really heartfelt story. In the film, Laura meets a group of peers hiding out in the desert. Could she carry on the mantle with these talented youngsters? The New Mutants is kicking off a horror trilogy in the Marvel universe with a new generation of X-Men characters, but Laura is not among them. Parker feels that there are plenty of options.
“Yes, there are other facets of that character and some others potentially to explore in their own way. It may not be in the same exact tonality or with the same genre orientations as Logan, but I think part of what has been opened up in this universe to all of us now is, drawing on different genre traditions, there are new pathways to be opened for new characters that populate this universe.”
Creator of the character, Craig Kyle, announced today on Twitter that he’s involved in the scriptwriting process. Fans always hope that screen versions reflect the best parts of the source material in comic films, and this all but guarantees a Laura movie would do just that.
I’ve been sitting on this news for months! One of the biggest secrets I’ve ever kept. https://t.co/GkJxv5Ic3i
— Craig Kyle (@MrCraigKyle) October 25, 2017
This seems like a no brainer for filmmakers and we’ve been on board since Laura first slashed her way onto the screen. Jackman’s time as Wolverine is a cherished legacy that came to a worthy close and we’re excited for this fresh start.
Featured image: Dafne Keen and Hugh Jackman in Logan. Courtesy 20th Century Fox.
