Logan star Dafne Keen has revealed that there were once plans for her to reprise her breakout role as Laura Kinney AKA X-23 in a sequel/spinoff to the acclaimed movie.
Fox delivered what’s probably the finest entry in their 20-year X-Men franchise in 2017, with Keen proving to be a hugely gifted young actress as she was able to hold her own opposite both Hugh Jackman and Sir Patrick Stewart. Fans applauded the movie’s take on the fan favorite heroine and cried out to see more of her. Unfortunately, though, Fox being absorbed into Disney, and therefore the X-Men folding into the MCU, has cooled the chances of that happening.
As far as Keen’s concerned, though, the possibility is not completely off the table. While speaking with Elle to promote His Dark Materials season 2, the star said she’d be willing to return to the part if she’s ever asked.
“I got told by some people at Fox that there might be another one, but this was ages ago when we were filming, and they haven’t contacted me ever again. I feel like we’re just at the beginning, there’s more to be told, and it’s a relay race. I come into play when they’ve already written and done pre-production and decided on doing the film, so as soon as they say, ‘go,’ I’ll happily go whenever.”
Keen’s comments make a lot of sense with what we were hearing back in 2017. Following its enormous success, Fox hired Logan director James Mangold to start work on an X-23 movie, which would follow what happens to Wolverine’s clone daughter after the death of her father. Marvel is known to have shut down all the X-Men projects that were in development, though, when they took over, and Mangold has since moved on to Indiana Jones 5.
But with the MCU diving into the multiverse in the near future, it doesn’t seem crazy to think that there could be a way for X-23 to return. Waiting a few years could even be a good thing, allowing Keen to put a whole new spin on the character and play her as a teenager or young adult. In any case, the good news is that the Logan actress is willing to claw up anytime.