Two years (and change) have passed since James Mangold introduced the world to Logan, and still, Wolverine’s swan song is widely regarded as an R-rated masterclass.
In doing away with much of the X-Men lore to focus on Hugh Jackman’s volatile mutant, Mangold and his team were able to craft a brooding tale of rage and loss, all distilled through Jackman’s final performance as the titular X-Man. And what a performance it was.
By his side was the equally formidable X-23 (Dafne Keen), who helped draw out a sense of vulnerability in Logan. Their bond undoubtedly served as the emotional anchor in Mangold’s comic book movie, so it was hardly surprising to see fans crying out for an X-23 spinoff. Turns out the Powers That Be at Fox were seriously considering a Dafne Keen-led offshoot right around the time of Logan‘s release (i.e. early 2017), and while James Mangold is still game, the director is the first to admit that said project is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Here’s what he told The Playlist in a recent interview:
Do I have an interest? Yes. Will it happen? At least in the near future, I doubt it.
Now that X-23 and her mutant companions are under the ownership of Disney – and, by effect, Marvel Studios – the future of Dafne Keen’s fan-favorite is very much undecided. We’ve heard rumblings that Marvel’s top brass want to position her to be the next Wolverine, but until we hear something official, file that one in the rumor cabinet.
One thing’s for sure: Hugh Jackman’s time with the character has ended. We can only hope that the same isn’t true of James Mangold, who clearly hopes to dabble in the X-Men universe further down the line.
