As you may have heard, Marvel fans are very interested in whether or not Henry Cavill will play Wolverine in the MCU’s main universe 616. Part of the reason for this rumour is Marvel’s show at Comic-Con and some interesting Easter eggs from She-Hulk. Could Cavill really be taking over the famous part from Hugh Jackman when Avengers: Secret Wars is over? Let’s get into the specifics.
Two Wolverines, One Universe?
There have only been two real-life actors who have played Wolverine so far: Hugh Jackman and, Henry Cavill. Cavill as Wolverine isn’t a new idea; fans have really thought about it for a while. It might be fun to cast fans, but what if it’s more than that? It’s possible that Marvel has a plan for this.
People recently talked about the idea that when Deadpool travels through time and space in Deadpool & Wolverine, he meets different versions of Wolverine from all over the Multiverse. Except for one, most of these Wolverines look like Hugh Jackman. This Wolverine, who doesn’t look like Jackman, is Henry Cavill. This is where things get interesting. Is it possible that this Wolverine is from Universe 616, the main timeline of the MCU?
Variants and the Multiverse
In the Marvel Multiverse, the idea of “variants” is a little hard to grasp. Doctor Strange says in Spider-Man: No Way Home that different versions of the same person might look different in other worlds. Case in point: Not all Peter Parkers look the same. So far, though, all of the Doctor Stranges we’ve seen still look like Benedict Cumberbatch.
In Loki, the show made things simpler by showing that not all versions of Loki look like Tom Hiddleston. Some have completely different looks, genders, and even species. So, what makes this Wolverine different from the others? It could be a fun nod to the fact that Henry Cavill was picked by fans, but what if there’s more to it?
The Evidence from She-Hulk and Beyond
One important piece of evidence for this idea comes from the She-Hulk series. In one episode, there’s a reference to a “man with metal claws” getting into a bar brawl. This looks a lot like a nod to Wolverine, since the first Wolverine was known for getting into fights in bars before he joined the X-Men.
Moreover, during Marvel’s Comic-Con panel, they showed footage from Captain America: Brave New World, where a giant Celestial is mentioned. The Celestial is made of adamantium, the same metal that coats Wolverine’s skeleton. This connection makes fans wonder if Marvel is setting the stage for Cavill’s Wolverine to emerge as the main Wolverine in Universe 616.
A New Wolverine for a New Era?
You can’t really see the X-Men or mutants in the MCU right now, at least not publicly. This could change soon, though. The fights in bars, the life of being alone, and the famous metal claws all describe a Wolverine who hasn’t joined the X-Men yet. This makes me think that the Wolverine we might see in the MCU is still going through his rough, lonely phase, just like he was in the first X-Men movies before he joined the team.
Cavill’s possible role as the new Wolverine could be a fresh start for the character. This Wolverine might be more like the young Wolverine we saw in the first movie. He is tough, on his own, and not yet a member of the X-Men.
A Perfect Fit for Cavill?
One name that keeps coming up when people talk about who could play Wolverine after Hugh Jackman is gone is Henry Cavill. Cavill seems like a good fit because he has a strong body, acts in a gritty way, and gives his parts heart. Plus, with his schedule now open after stepping down as Superman, the timing might be just right for him to join the MCU.
But it’s important to remember that this could all be a fun Easter egg or nod to fans, like how John Krasinski played Mr. Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, if Marvel does decide to bring in a new Wolverine for later parts of the MCU, Cavill would be a good choice.
There is still no clear answer to the question of whether Henry Cavill will become the new Wolverine in Universe 616. But there are clues, and they make a pretty strong case. It would be a great start for both Wolverine and the MCU if Cavill did take on the part. At this point, fans can only guess and hope that this much-anticipated choice happens.
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