Zac Efron To Play Wolverine Alongside Hugh Jackman?
Zac Efron is rumored to be playing Wolverine along with his old co-star Hugh Jackman.
Zac Efron is being very evasive about rumors he will be playing Wolverine in upcoming X-Men reboots from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to The Direct, the actor countered questions from Jimmy Fallon about the casting gossip with jokes and counter-questions. Audiences are anticipating new X-Men movies ever since Disney acquired Marvel, and Zac Efron has been one actor who fans wouldn’t mind seeing in the role.
Currently, the role of Wolverine has been dominated by Hugh Jackman since the release of X-Men in 2000, and the actor has signed on to reprise the role in Deadpool 3. That will be the tenth time he’s played the role over 22 years and with various supporting casts. This includes a few just about Wolverine, including 2013’s The Wolverine and the dark 2017 movie Logan.
However, this does not preclude the role from going to another actor in a concurrent movie, and the buzz is that Marvel Studios is looking to cast a “Zac Efron type.” “They could have just called me,” the actor said when asked about it by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. He added, “I think Hugh’s still doing that pretty well. I got to give it to him.”
Fallon pressed Zac Efron further, bringing up the fact that he co-starred with Jackman in The Greatest Showman. The High School Musical alum remained cheeky, responding that he’d have to talk to his former co-star. “I guess I had my foot in the door for that one,” he quipped.
Zac Efron is no stranger to working with Marvel Studios’ parent company, Disney. High School Musical became a popular franchise that put him to work both acting and singing, spawning two sequels and many music videos. Both he and Jackman also sang together for The Greatest Showman and made videos for that production as well.
The way this was addressed, and deflected, is interesting for a few reasons. Usually, such inquiries are approved in advance so Fallon even asking them lends them some legitimacy. Also, Zac Efron didn’t seem surprised by the line of questioning, and his evasion of giving a direct answer is also notable.
Zac Efron has expressed interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the past, and fans have a few roles they would like to see him play in the franchise. He was allegedly on the shortlist to play Adam Warlock, a role that eventually was given to Will Poulter. He was also rumored to play The Human Torch in a Fantastic Four film but is still waiting for a deal with Marvel Studios.
The Tonight Show interview, the online rumors, and the expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future all make a strong case for Zac Efron having finally found the right role, whether it is the invincible mutant or elsewhere in the world of The Avengers and Spiderman. It remains to be seen if there is actually any truth to them, but all signs seem to be pointing to the former teen heartthrob returning under the Disney umbrella in some capacity. Whether he has reached an agreement with Marvel Studios is a question fans are clamoring to have answered, and Zac Efron may have given us even more to anticipate.
