Report Suggests X-23 Role In Logan Has Already Been Filled

Even if you’re only a passing fan of Fox’s lucrative X-Men franchise, you’ll no doubt admit that it has been a whirlwind week for the Mutant universe.

Logan, the R-rated sequel formerly known as The Wolverine 3, was officially titled last week, at which point director James Mangold assured budding fans that the 2017 release won’t be a “city-block destroying CG f**kathon.” Those strong words were accompanied by the moody first teaser poster for Mangold’s follow-up, which featured Wolverine’s iconic hand – adamantium claws and all – reaching down to grasp the hand of a young girl. According to TheWrap, we now know the identity of its owner.

Citing sources close to production, the outlet reports that Sienna Novikov has been cast as Laura (AKA X-23), a young Mutant that boasts the same regenerative healing factor, superhuman strength, senses, speed and reflexes that Hugh Jackman’s iconic character is famed for.

In a bid to shield Novikov’s newcomer from a governmental operation called Transigen – one designed to engineer Mutants into weaponized killing machines, Wolverine fights to protect X-23 circa 2024. Elsewhere, TheWrap claims Richard E. Grant is indeed playing Dr. Zander Rice, a scientist who is instrumental in the Transigen program.

We’d advise you to treat this report with heightened caution, but given that premise aligns with what we’ve previously heard about Logan, not to mention the fact that TheWrap identified Boyd Holbrook to be Donald Pierce, we’re inclined to believe it holds some degree of truth.

Logan, also starring Patrick Stewart, Stephen Merchant and Elizabeth Rodriguez, is in line to hit theaters on March 3, 2017. Below you’ll find that aforementioned one-sheet which, if TheWrap is on point, features both Wolverine and X-23.