Daniel Radcliffe Addresses Wolverine Fan Casting and Why He Doesn’t Want to Follow Hugh Jackman

For years now, one of the internet’s favorite pieces of Marvel fan casting has been Daniel Radcliffe as Wolverine. It pops up every few months. A new Photoshop hits social media. Someone points out his height is closer to comic-accurate Logan. Suddenly “Daniel Radcliffe Wolverine” is trending all over again.

So what does Radcliffe actually think about playing Wolverine in the MCU? As it turns out, the rumor was never anything more than the internet having fun.

“It was not. It was never real. It was a very flattering internet rumor. I was very happy about it, but it was never suggested in any kind of way by anybody with any power to make that happen.

“And, honestly, you would be stupid not to consider something like that, but if they do other Wolverines, being the person who follows Hugh Jackman is not on my bucket list for anything.

“For any role of his, particularly the role he has made the most iconic of his career, I am happy not to be doing that and let him keep doing it.”

Radcliffe isn’t dodging the question or playing coy. He calls it what it was, a “very flattering internet rumor.” And you can understand why fans latched onto it.

He’s already proven he can bulk up, take on physically demanding roles, and lean into darker material. Plus, the comic book version of Wolverine is famously shorter than the towering presence of Hugh Jackman, which fueled the online speculation even more.

But stepping into a role that Jackman defined for over two decades is a different beast entirely. From X-Men in 2000 to Logan and then Deadpool & Wolverine, Jackman’s take on the character is iconic. Radcliffe clearly recognizes that shadow.

Still, that doesn’t mean he’s closing the door on superhero movies altogether.

When asked whether he would ever join the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Universe, he made it clear he isn’t opposed to superhero roles in general.

“I am so out of the loop. I feel like I don’t know what cycle we are on of the Marvel movies, and I have some catching up to do if I ever end up on one of them. But, yes, I am certainly not averse to it.

“I would never rule anything like that out. But, also, I am not necessarily clamoring to be in it or seeking that. I am lucky that I can judge any job by the quality of the script. So, if a script came in that was exciting, different, weird, and cool, then I’d be up for it no matter what it was.”

Since wrapping up the Harry Potter franchise, Radcliffe has built a career around unpredictability. He’s jumped from indie dramas to absurdist comedies to stage productions on Broadway.

He doesn’t seem interested in chasing the biggest franchise possible just for the sake of it. He wants something that feels “exciting, different, weird, and cool.”

If Marvel Studios ever brought him something that checked those boxes, it sounds like he’d at least read the script.

But Wolverine specifically? That’s another story. The idea of following Hugh Jackman as Logan doesn’t appeal to him, and that’s understandable. Jackman’s performance became the emotional core of the X-Men universe. Taking over that role would come with intense expectations and nonstop comparisons.

For now, Radcliffe seems perfectly content carving his own path. Between his new comedy series The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins and his continued work on stage and screen, he isn’t lacking for interesting projects.

Of course, this is the superhero era. Rumors don’t really die. They just go dormant until the next casting shakeup. So it wouldn’t be shocking if “Daniel Radcliffe Wolverine” resurfaces again down the line.

But if it does, at least we know where he stands. Flattered? Absolutely. Actively chasing the adamantium claws? Not so much.

Source: ComicBook