MOVIE NEWS – The character of X-23 has been around for about 20 years, but most audiences only got to know him through his role in the critically acclaimed Logan…
Even though Deadpool & Wolverine opens in less than a week, they’ve decided to release yet another trailer that reveals a fan-favourite character will be joining the film. The third Deadpool film is a meta film about the character’s transition from the 20th Century Fox X-Men cinematic universe to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the same time, it is also a love letter and farewell to the more than 20-year-old non-MCU Marvel films. The latest trailer also featured an unexpected hero: Laura Kinney, aka X-23, played by Dafne Keen.
Her inclusion in the film and the fact that Dafne Keen is reprising her role is a big deal. The fact that it was already revealed in a trailer could hint at an even bigger cameo. Of course, it could also be another meta joke about Fox’s scrapped plans for the character. Here’s everything you need to know about the X-23.
From animated series to comic books
X-23, whose real name is Laura Kinney, is one of the rare superhero characters who first appeared in other mediums rather than in the comics and later entered the world of comics. Created by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost for the X-Men: Evolution animated series. She first appeared in the series’ third season episode “X-23” on August 2, 2003, voiced by Andrea Libman. She also appeared in the fourth season episode “Target X”, voiced by Britt Irvin. The character was created to introduce a younger, female Wolverine alongside the teenage X-Men cast, creating a contrast between the rugged, masculine character and the young girl.
X-23 immediately became popular among young viewers. Six months after her television debut, in February 2004, she entered the Marvel Comics universe in NYX #3. His origin story remained essentially unchanged in the animated series, comics and films, with minor modifications. He is a genetic clone of Wolverine, possessing two adamantium claws on his wrists for attack and a retractable claw on his feet for defence. She has the same regenerative powers as Wolverine, and although she was initially raised as a murderous weapon, she eventually becomes a hero through her father-daughter relationship with Logan. She temporarily takes over as Wolverine when Logan dies in the comics.
X-23 on the big screen
Laura Kinney finally appeared in the 2017 film Logan. Dafne Keen portrayed the younger version of the character, where Laura appeared as an 11-year-old to strengthen the father-daughter relationship between her and Wolverine.
The film doesn’t change the character’s origin story much. Laura was initially intended as a weapon, but a nurse named Gabriela López escaped and brought her to Logan so they could cross the Canadian border safely. Gabriela dies, and Logan reluctantly takes Laura, discovering that she is his “daughter.”
Laura proves to be an excellent fighter, but she is still a child. Logan dies while protecting her and the other mutant children, telling her that she doesn’t need to be a weapon, giving her a chance at a life she never got to experience. Laura buries Logan in the woods and turns the cross into an X-shape. The film Logan received excellent reviews, and although Hugh Jackman’s performance was praised the most, Dafne Keen’s character Laura was also a standout for viewers. Even though Logan marked the end of the Wolverine story, there were rumours that the franchise and legacy could continue through Laura, who could be the new Wolverine.
What is Laura doing in Deadpool & Wolverine?!
Dafne Keen’s return as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool & The Wolverine has been rumoured since the film was announced. Dafne Keene has so far remained silent about her role in the movie and even lied to the press, as Andrew Garfield did about his participation in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, how can the character appear in the film?
It looks like the Wolverine version in Deadpool & Wolverine is talking to Laura, who might be the same one from Logan, just older. Dafne Keen is now seven years older than when Logan was released. This way, she can play a more comic book-authentic version of the character. Viewers will see what happened to Laura after the events of Logan, and just as she inspired the Wolverine in her universe, she can do the same in this other, broken-down version of the Wolverine. Knowing that Deadpool & Wolverine will feature many different versions of Marvel heroes from the Multiverse, not just the MCU and Fox’s X-Men movies, Laura may be part of the “Void Resistance” teaming up with Deadpool and Wolverine to take on Cassandra Nova.
The inclusion of Dafne Keen in the film partly suggests that 20th Century Fox was considering an X-23 film after the success of Logan.
Still, that same year, Disney began negotiations to acquire 20th Century Fox. By 2019, when the acquisition occurred, all X-Men films in development had been cancelled. That seemed to be the end of Dafne Keen’s short time as X-23, but what fans didn’t know was that the “Multiverse Saga” was right around the corner, opening the door for her return. Since most of Deadpool & Wolverine takes place in space beyond time, where timelines are truncated, we see a kind of metatextual commentary.
Depending on how the movie plays out, this could set the stage for Laura’s return in the “Multiverse Saga.” There are also rumours that Avengers 5 will be remade into Avengers vs. X-Men, where Laura could wear her own Wolverine costume. Laura officially became a Wolverine in the comics in 2015, two years before Logan came out. Avengers: Secret Wars is also rumoured to be a big multiverse epic. Laura and other Fox X-Men characters may also appear in that film. Laura may even appear in the cast of the MCU X-Men movies. Since the press tour for Deadpool & Wolverine emphasized a lot that Hugh Jackman only has one Wolverine, Marvel Studios might be trying to shake things up in their X-Men movie by including X-23 as a Wolverine. Deadpool & Wolverine will be released in cinemas on July 26.
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