I Don’t Want Henry Cavill To Be The MCU’s Wolverine, But I Know Who He Should Play Instead

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I loved seeing Henry Cavill briefly portray a Wolverine variant in Deadpool & Wolverine, but I think he'd be better matched for a different X-Men hero if he returns to the MCU. Marvel Studios certainly explored the weirdness of the multiverse in Deadpool & Wolverine, especially by introducing a huge number of variants of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's titular antiheroes. The Deadpool Corps delivered many alternative versions of Reynolds' Deadpool, but I was even more surprised about the variants that Marvel chose for Jackman's Wolverine.
As well as calling back to several iconic Marvel Comics storylines to debut new versions of Wolverine, I loved the fact that Deadpool & Wolverine also introduced yet another popular fan-cast. Former Superman actor Henry Cavill had been fan-cast as the MCU's new Wolverine for some time, so it was satisfying and hilarious to see him appear as the clawed mutant in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, similarly to John Krasinski's Mister Fantastic, I don't want the fan-cast Henry Cavill to return as Wolverine, and I'm not the only one who thinks this is a bad idea.

Related Henry Cavill's Deadpool & Wolverine Cameo Is The Closest We May Ever Get To Zack Snyder's Wolverine Movie Dreams Becoming Reality Zack Snyder"s Wolverine movie dreams might have become more likely after Henry Cavill"s cameo as a Wolverine variant in the MCU"s Phase 5.
Some Fans Don’t Want Henry Cavill To Be Wolverine & I Agree Henry Cavill Was A Popular Wolverine Fan-Cast, But I Don't Want It To Continue

While many found Henry Cavill's cameo as Wolverine to be hugely entertaining, contributing to theories and speculation that the Man of Steel and The Witcher actor could become the official Wolverine of the MCU, I disagree. I certainly found Cavill's cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine entertaining. However, I, and several other MCU fans on Reddit, don't want Henry Cavill to return as Wolverine. Noting that he is "way too tall," "it was a joke for a reason," and that Wolverine should be "short, [and] less handsome," fans fervently don't want Henry Cavill to reprise the role.
Some of the concerns regarding Henry Cavill possibly becoming Wolverine were, funnily enough, aimed at Hugh Jackman when he was cast in the role in 1999. Jackman was far taller than the 5'3" Wolverine from Marvel Comics, and much more handsome and smooth. These criticisms are now being expressed by fans who don't want Henry Cavill to return as Wolverine, creating a strange full-circle moment for Marvel. Even so, I know one surefire way that Marvel Studios can abate these concerns, and it means Cavill won't be back as Wolverine.
MCU’s Wolverine Should Be More Comic-Accurate Than Ever Before Wolverine Has Only Been Comic-Accurate Once In Live-Action (& It Was Weird)

The most obvious way for Marvel Studios to avoid these concerns would be to cast someone as Wolverine who could actually deliver a comic-accurate depiction of the hero. Deadpool & Wolverine did provide the first glimpse ever at a version of Wolverine with a comic-accurate height in live-action. I found this moment hilarious, but I didn't actually like how it looked on-screen, so while I would love for Wolverine to be completely comic-accurate, perhaps his height can be adjusted somewhat. Anything shorter than Hugh Jackman's 6'2" stature would do.

Related Can We Please Finally Have A Real Wolverine In The MCU's X-Men Reboot? Hugh Jackman"s Wolverine is fantastic, but with his departure comes an opportunity for Marvel to depict a more accurate version in the X-Men reboot.
More than just his appearance, Wolverine's personality could also do with being more comic-accurate in the MCU's future. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine was all-too-often wrapped up in his awkward love triangle storyline, or getting his story controversially twisted in his own solo trilogy. By the end in 2017's Logan, Jackman was playing a very dark version of Wolverine, which was reflected in Henry Cavill's own brief portrayal of the hero. Whomever Marvel Studios casts as Wolverine in the MCU needs to be able to show more vulnerability and lightheartedness, too, and should be a little more gruff.
If Not Wolverine, I Know Which X-Men Member Henry Cavill Would Be Perfect For Henry Cavill Would Be Great For Another Iconic Member Of The X-Men

Even though I don't want him to return as Wolverine, I would love to see Henry Cavill take on a more permanent role in the MCU. While some have speculated that he'd be great as Captain Britain (a casting I also love, as a Brit), Sabretooth and even Mister Sinister, I think Henry Cavill would be perfect for Scott Summers' Cyclops in the MCU. Cavill's chiseled jawline, superhero leadership experience and proven ability to explore the more vulnerable sides of some hardened heroes makes him the perfect choice for Cyclops.
Cyclops' Live-Action Appearance
Year
Actor
X-Men
2000
James Marsden
X2: X-Men United
2003
James Marsden
X-Men: The Last Stand
2006
James Marsden
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
2009
Tim Pocock
X-Men: Days of Future Past
2014
James Marsden
X-Men: Apocalypse
2016
Tye Sheridan
Deadpool 2
2018
Tye Sheridan
Dark Phoenix
2019
Tye Sheridan
All of Cyclops' previous live-action iterations were disappointing for varying reasons. James Marsden's Cyclops was reduced to a whiny and jealous nobody, Tye Sheridan's Cyclops was too cocky, arrogant and annoying, while Tim Pocock's brief stint as the laser-shooting mutant was rendered meaningless. I reckon Henry Cavill could deliver a much stronger performance as Cyclops in the MCU, particularly since he suits the suave and sophisticated leadership role far better than the scruffy, rough-around-the-edges and hardened role of Wolverine.
Henry Cavill Can Make Cyclops A True Leader In The MCU’s X-Men Stories Henry Cavill Has Experience Playing A Superpowered Leader Close Although his time as Clark Kent's Superman in the DC Extended Universe was polarizing, I thought Henry Cavill did the best job he could with the dodgy material he was given. He was, by far, the strongest member of the threesome in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the Justice League team, and he certainly delivered convincing moments of power, restraint, morality and sacrifice for me. These traits translate perfectly into Marvel's Cyclops, making me even more convinced that Cavill's interpretation of Cyclops could finally allow the hero to fulfill his Marvel Comics role in live-action.

Related Henry Cavill’s MCU Fan-Cast Is Brought To Life In Stunning X-Men Art Henry Cavill has long been fan-cast for several roles in the MCU, particularly after his departure from the DCEU, and one may see him lead the X-Men.
I could never picture James Marsden, Tim Pocock or Tye Sheridan leading the X-Men team as Cyclops in 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise. This was not good, as Cyclops often led the X-Men in Marvel Comics, and this was even seen recently in Marvel Animation's X-Men '97 revival. If Henry Cavill is cast as Cyclops, I can absolutely see this leadership role being in the character's future. Cavill has the strength, screen presence, performing ability and command, so I would love for him to have a future in the MCU after Deadpool & Wolverine, just not as Wolverine himself.

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R Action Sci-FiComedySuperhero A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
Director Shawn Levy Release Date July 26, 2024 Distributor(s) Disney Cast Ryan Reynolds , Hugh Jackman , Emma Corrin , Morena Baccarin , Rob Delaney , Leslie Uggams , Karan Soni , Matthew Macfadyen , Brianna Hildebrand , Shioli Kutsuna , Stefan Kapicic , Lewis Tan , Randal Reeder , Jennifer Garner , Aaron Stanford , Billy Clements , Ollie Palmer , Chris Hemsworth , Rob McElhenney Runtime 127 Minutes prequel(s) Deadpool , Deadpool 2 Expand Upcoming MCU Movies