Dafne Keen Would “100 Percent” Play X-23 as Deadpool & Wolverine’s Partner

Deadpool & Wolverine brought back actress Dafne Keen as Laura, better known as X-23, the female clone of Wolverine. Following her breakout performance in James Mangold’s 2017 film Logan, Keen surprised Marvel fans across the globe by reprising her role as X-23 in Deadpool & Wolverine. Playing an older and more experienced version of the character, Keen seems to have impressed fans just as much as she did originally. Like several of her co-stars, such as Channing Tatum, Wesley Snipes, and Jennifer Garner, Keen now has a dedicated section of the Marvel fandom eager to see more of her in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Dafne Keen herself hasn’t ruled out the possibility of following in Hugh Jackman’s footsteps by making a career out of playing X-23. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Keen was asked if she would commit to playing X-23 in the MCU. She enthusiastically stated, “I would 100% do this for the rest of my life.”

When ComicBook spoke to Dafne Keen recently, she went even further to express her commitment to expanding her role as Wolverine in the MCU’s reboot of X-Men. “I would love to come back. I would pay them to come back. Playing Laura has been the biggest honor of my life,” Keen shared with ComicBook’s Phase Zero. “To me, we’ve only scratched the surface with her since she’s such a complex character. She’s so cool, just from a fan’s standpoint.”

There’s clearly a lot of fan enthusiasm behind the idea of Dafne Keen continuing as X-23 in the MCU, and it’s also one of the more feasible casting decisions to make. Keen is still establishing herself in this new adult phase of her career. In addition to her return as X-23 this year, she played another breakout character, Jedi padawan Jecki Lon, in Star Wars: The Acolyte, further expanding her resume and following. Since Jecki’s time in Star Wars was limited, Keen is ready for that big franchise role that will carry her to the next level. Since she already overcame the odds as a child actor, why not build on that success?

Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot will face the significant task of dealing with the legacy of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Dafne Keen’s X-23 could step up, fully embracing the Wolverine mantle, much like in the comics. This would not only be a poetic cinematic move but also a direct parallel to the comics. An alternative would be having Keen’s X-23/Wolverine serve as a secondary version of the character in the MCU, possibly crossing over into teams like the Young Avengers, New Mutants, or even the darker depths of X-Force.

Either way, it seems unwise for Marvel Studios to miss the chance to keep Dafne Keen’s portrayal of X-23 ongoing.

Deadpool & Wolverine is now in theaters.

Source: Empire Magazine, ComicBook