Taron Egerton has expressed his interest in playing Wolverine in the MCU, and it would be silly for Marvel Studios not to take up his offer. Disney's acquisition of Fox's TV and movie assets meant that Marvel Studios would re-acquire the character rights for the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, including the Adamantium clawed mutant. Despite calls for Hugh Jackman to reprise Wolverine in the MCU, chances remain high that Kevin Feige will be recasting the role. Based on his acting portfolio thus far, Taron Egerton would be perfect as the new iteration of the hero.
In 2019, rumors started swirling that Marvel Studios may be considering Egerton as the MCU's Wolverine. At that point, the actor was fresh off the success of Rocketman, where he brilliantly played Elton John in the highly-rated biopic. Egerton, however, denied this speculation at the time, saying that the claims were false. He even said that he didn't think that he was "grisly enough" for the part of Wolverine, although he admitted that he was interested in joining the Marvel universe some other way by playing a different character. Now, three years after the initial claim began, it is once again gaining traction, thanks to Egerton confirming that he has met with Marvel Studios for an undisclosed role.
While Egerton didn't get into specifics about his Marvel meeting, it is implied in his answer that the meeting could be regarding Wolverine. He re-affirmed his interest in the role, although he understandably has some apprehension given Jackman's long-standing association with it. In any case, between Egerton's eagerness to play MCU's Wolverine and his acting portfolio thus far, it would be such a missed opportunity for Marvel Studios not to give him the role. For starters, although Egerton has had a relatively short career, only starting in 2012 and then gaining wider prominence in 2014 via Kingsman: The Secret Service, he has demonstrated range and versatility. He has played the young spy prodigy, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin in Kingsman, brought obscure ski jumper Olympian Michael Edwards to life in Eddie the Eagle, where he starred opposite Jackman, and then the eccentric pop singer Elton John in the biopic Rocketman. Aside from his acting chops, all of these projects proved his commitment to each role, doing the work to physically embody his character, which is undoubtedly an important part of playing Wolverine.
Will Marvel Really Cast Taron Egerton As Wolverine?
It's difficult to tell what the chances are of Marvel actually offering Egerton the role of Wolverine are at this point, but the fact that the actor has met with Feige suggests that he has a shot at it. The MCU has not shied away from taking big risks when it comes to casting its characters, starting with its decision to choose Robert Downey Jr. to be its inaugural hero, Iron Man. While the MCU tends to be open to more obscure casting choices, that doesn't mean that it would easily rule out someone who seems to be the most obvious pick for a role. The fact that Egerton's bid to be the next Wolverine is backed by many fans could factor in Feige and his team's decision. For what it's worth, the casting of Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who previously expressed his interest in playing the character, sets a precedent for Egerton to become MCU's Wolverine. Perhaps, Jackman can also put in a good word for him to Feige, considering their past history working together.
Ultimately, Egerton's chance to be the MCU's Wolverine will all boil down to his screen test results and chemistry with potential co-stars. These two steps in the casting process are crucial in Marvel Studios' decision when choosing their actors. With no official word about Wolverine appearing in the MCU anytime soon, however, it might be a while before any of this pans out — unless Feige is already secretly plotting the arrival of the fan-favorite mutant.
