Over the past few years comic book movies have become a hugely powerful force in the entertainment industry. The MCU is a huge part of this, and Disney’s acquisition of Fox finally opened the door for characters like the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Deadpool to join the share universe in an upcoming Marvel movie. Fans have been theorizing about who might be playing these roles, with Harry Potter icon Daniel Radcliffe being a popular choice to play Wolverine. And now Radcliffe has responded to rumors he got ripped to play Logan on the big screen.
Both prior and after the news that Hugh Jackman is returning to Wolverine in Deadpool 3, some moviegoers still want to see the Boy Who Lived as that clawed mutant. Daniel Racliffe’s name has been tossed around, partly because he’s the right height to play a comic book accurate version of the hero. He recently did one of Vanity Fair’s lie detector videos, where he was asked about his contributions to the rumors. Radcliffe explained his physical transformation, saying:
I got buff because I am obsessive, and I want to… You've seen my parents, they're like insane fitness people. So that's just been passed on. But no. No Wolverine. Flattered, but no.
There you have it. Looks like Daniel Radcliffe simply wanted to get in shape for himself, and not because he was training for a superhero role. Still, being ripped could only make him more marketable to enter a shared universe like the MCU or DCU. We’ll just have to wait and see if he ever gets recruited to do just that.
Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have been not-so-patiently waiting for the X-Men to finally join in on the fun. It’s still unclear how mutants are going to be handled in the shared universe, although Deadpool 3 might offer some clues. Hugh Jackman has once again taken up the claws, and is rocking Wolverine’s signature yellow suit for the first time in the process.
As for the Harry Potter actor, he’s been keeping busy with life and professional updates. Daniel Radcliffe recently became a father, and is also starring on Broadway in Merrily We Roll Along opposite Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez. Funny enough, a movie adaptation of Merrily is currently in the works directed by Boyhood’s Richard Linklater. While Radcliffe’s name remains synonymous with his time in the Wizarding World, he hasn’t done a ton of franchise work since. So playing a Marvel superhero would be a big change.
Deadpool 3, complete with Wolverine, is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 3rd, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
