8 Ways That Logan Sets Up The Future Of The X-Men Universe

Logan is now in theaters, and while the movie may mark Hugh Jackman's final turn as Wolverine, it still drops some big hints about what's to come from the X-Men Universe going forward. That's not to say it's a release packed full of Easter Eggs or major nods to possible sequels, but there's certainly quite a bit here for fans to pick up on - granted they watch closely, of course. Even if Fox's Marvel franchise doesn't include Wolverine in future instalments, that doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of places it could go, and what you'll find here is a look at all the ways Logan potentially sets the stage for what comes next for our beloved mutants. From the debut of a sinister new big bad to a new Wolverine and even all the different spinoffs Logan potentially sets the stage for, join us as we dive right into the future of the franchise and put forth some theories on how things may unfold from here. Of course, spoilers will follow. If you haven't yet seen James Mangold's excellent threequel, bookmark this page and come back later. 8) Logan's Possible Return Logan may wrap up with the death of Wolverine, but I can't help feel that his demise was handled in a way which deliberately left the door open for Hugh Jackman to reprise the role should he change his mind. While it appears as if his injuries are severe enough to pretty much render his healing factor useless, the comic book version of the hero has come back from much worse - he was once resurrected from being left little more than a skeleton following an explosive confrontation with Nitro during the events of Civil War. With that in mind, I think it's entirely possible we could one day see Jackman's Wolverine claw his way out of that grave should the actor ever be tempted to come back for one more adventure. It's admittedly unlikely, but make no mistake about it, Logan is leaving the door open to a possible return should things play out that way. 7) Essex Corp. Despite the fact that X-Men: Apocalypse wrapped up with employees of Essex Corp. retrieving samples of Wolverine's DNA, Logan makes no mention of that sinister (pun most definitely intended) corporation. Regardless, I still think it's highly likely that we'll later learn that it was Mister Sinister financing and influencing Zander Rick's experiments, as that really fits him to a tee. X-Force is probably the most likely place for the character to next appear, though he could show up as soon as Deadpool 2. Revealing that he was indirectly responsible for Logan's demise would make him hated from the start and it would also make perfect sense for him to target X-23. Mangold's film may not be packed full of references to Sinister, and it's still surprising that he never even made any sort of physical appearance, but the groundwork is definitely laid, so don't be surprised if we get some sort of payoff a little further down the line. 6) A New Generation Of Mutants While X-23 and Rictor appear to be the only familiar faces from the comic books, that young group of mutants is still well worth keeping an eye on. Any number of new characters could be introduced now, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the heroes we meet in Josh Boone's New Mutants are somehow tied to them. That will only be the case if the movie is set in the future, of course, but I fully expect X-Force to at least mention them in some way and possibly even use one or two as members of the team alongside X-23. These kids are the future of Mutantkind, and assuming the franchise one day takes us back to the future, don't be surprised to see them again. Of course, it's entirely possible that X-23 will be the only one of them strong enough to survive and that could ultimately explain why she happily joins Cable's group of mutants. Plus, she's definitely going to want revenge on those responsible for her creation and the deaths of those she cared for. 5) Alpha Flight Once Logan and Laura reach Eden, we learn that the youngsters plan on crossing the border into Canada in order to find a safe haven. Now, it's possible that America simply isn't safe for them (for all we know, the government is still using Sentinels at this point in history), but I can't help but wonder if someone is waiting for the mutants on the other side. One very likely possibility has to be Alpha Flight, the Canadian superhero group we recently learned are getting their own movie. Chances are this one won't reach the big screen for a very long time to come, but when it does eventually happen, it could be that the team is portrayed as a new X-Men of sorts, bringing young mutants under their wing in order to train them for future adventures. It could also reference Logan's storied comic book history with them. Even if it doesn't go down that route, though, there's definitely a way for Alpha Flight to tie into Wolverine's final adventure. 4) The Next Wolverine? Assuming Hugh Jackman doesn't return to the role of Wolvie, what comes next for the character? Fox could recast, but that brings with it a lot of complications, so what if someone else were to take over the mantle? X-23 obviously seems perfectly fitted for the part, and with Dafne Keen likely to be a teenager by the time X-Force rolls around, she would also be the right age to suit up and ultimately star in a solo franchise of her own (which could go down the R-Rated route or even into Young Adult territory). The way things end between her and Logan certainly set the stage for a passing of the mantle, and the loss of her father is bound to push Laura down a heroic path. With X-23 currently suiting up as Wolverine in the comic books, we know there's precedent for this happening, so the movies following suit definitely feels like the most likely possibility as of right now. 3) A New Caliban Caliban is arguably one of the breakout characters of Logan, and while Stephen Merchant brings plenty of humour to the role, he goes out on a very powerful note by sacrificing himself in a bid to help Wolverine. Despite that, Rice still manages to retrieve his charred remains and tells his subordinates to retrieve DNA samples from them so they can make use of his mutant tracking abilities. Could this be leading to a return for the character down the line? Despite Rice's demise, I'd say that's highly likely, though I'd put money on us getting a much different version of Caliban when he does come back. In the comics, the timid hero underwent some big changes (see above) after being transformed into one of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen, so a cloned version used as a tracker dog of sorts by someone like Mister Sinister would make a whole lot of sense. It might even nicely tie into the events of Logan via a movie like X-Force. 2) More Clones I wasn't personally a fan of X-24, but the X-Men Universe introducing the concept of clones is definitely interesting. While I don't think we should expect to see future X-Men movies utilizing a variety of familiar faces as unstoppable killing machines, Mister Sinister taking advantage of these creations is definitely possible. After all, he's been known to create multiple bodies for himself (essentially meaning he's immortal), while he's cloned both Cyclops and Jean Grey in the past, a method he could have perfected since Zander Rice managed to create a new Wolverine. That could be a real game changer for any number of franchises moving forward, and adds an interesting new element to a series which has never shied away from some pretty heavy sci-fi concepts. Logan introduced us to the idea of clones, but future movies could really take that ball and run with it now. 1) X-Force X-Force is still in the very early stages of development, but Logan is one of many movies which is no doubt helping to build towards it. Next up has to be Deadpool 2 (thanks to the introduction of Cable), while X-23 seems highly likely to return as a member of the team given her massive popularity, and the widespread critical acclaim Dafne Keen has been receiving. In the comic books, Cable travels back in time from a future where mutants are struggling to survive and the events of Logan set the stage for that, considering the fact they've been all but wiped out. Throw in the Mister Sinister nods referenced throughout this article, and I wholeheartedly believe that Mangold's film could be the first stage in a series of adventures which will take place in the near future, as Cable assembles a team of his own to do the jobs the X-Men are no longer around to deal with. Even if that theory is way off, there's no way Fox will miss out on adding X-23 to the roster of this beloved group.