It has been difficult to imagine an actor replacing Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the character inevitably making his way to the MCU through the vessel of Deadpool.

Jackman played the Wolverine role for nearly 25 years, and it’s almost impossible to think that, after all this time with him suiting up again for this movie and possibly the Avengers, that he would be recast.

While I think Jackman staying remains the most likely option, there’s a second choice, and really only one second choice that makes sense.

If it’s not Jackman or he just doesn’t want to keep doing it, his successor should very clearly be Dafne Keen, who played a young X-23 in Logan, and thanks to a new trailer, we know that she will be appearing in Deadpool and Wolverine.

'La Materia Oscura' Madrid Photocall

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I’ve said before that Keen is a burgeoning action star, and her taking over as X-23, who would eventually just become Wolverine themself in the comics, is the logical, non-Jackman endpoint if they decide to go this route. That would keep Jackman’s OG Logan intact for possible future appearances, but Keen would take on the actual Wolverine mantle.

She has made a huge impression in Logan and, more recently, in The Acolyte, where she participated in one of the best-ever lightsaber fights in Star Wars history — no exaggeration.

Keen is a compelling actress, a brilliant onscreen fighter and the only choice I could imagine making sense here. I also suspect that while Laura was shown in the Deadpool trailer, which was a bit of a spoiler, what they could be hiding is her appearance as a more fully equipped X-23 or Wolverine of her universe where the original Wolverine remains dead and buried, as Ryan Reynolds said they were not going to reverse that moment or mess up that canon.

I still think Jackman is the top pick given that he seems re-energized in the role and it’s hard to see him even potentially recast with another dude. But Laura is already embedded in the lore and now the MCU multiverse and I think she’s a great second bet if they are indeed going to retire Jackman’s yellow jersey after this.