Dafne Keen needs to return as Laura in the MCU after her comments in the Deadpool & Wolverine featurette, Assembled: The Making of Deadpool & Wolverine. Dafne Keen's Laura is one of the more fresh-faced cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine, with Channing Tatum's Gambit being one of the newest additions to the MCU. Yet her debut in 2017's Logan - one of the most critically acclaimed comic book movies of all time - has had a lasting impact on both audiences and Dafne Keen herself to the point that her cameo still felt impactful.
Dafne Keen portrays Wolverine's biological daughter in Logan, created by Alkali-Transigen from samples of Logan's DNA. The two develop a deep bond through the course of the movie as Logan attempts to ferry her to safety across the Canadian border. Laura is initially portrayed to be wildly violent, more prone to Wolverine's berserker rage than Wolverine himself is throughout his cinematic appearances. We were woefully deprived of further character development, however, after Fox's X-Men franchise fell through - but now the MCU appears poised to bring her back to the fore.
Dafne Keen's Comments About Deadpool & Wolverine's Laura Make It Impossible To Not Want The Character To Return
Dafne Keen Is Deeply Connected To Laura
Deadpool & Wolverine landed on Disney+ last week alongside its behind-the-scenes featurette, which revealed how the movie was made through snippets of the set and interviews with the stars and filmmakers. These interviews revealed such things as Channing Tatum's surprise to see Gambit's comic-accurate costume and why the Scarlet Witch's effigy was featured in the resistance's hideout. Dafne Keen, now 19, opened up about reprising her role as Laura, sharing that portraying the character at 12 in Logan meant that she held a special place in her heart:
“Because I played her at such a young age she’s like embedded in me”
This is definitely a positive sign for Laura's return in future MCU installments. Most of the MCU's most beloved characters are portrayed by actors who feel an affinity for them, with Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool being a prime example. Keen's comments make it hard to argue that she shouldn't be afforded yet another chance to develop the character, given Deadpool & Wolverine was such a small - if impactful - window in which to show Laura's growth. Thankfully, it seems Deadpool & Wolverine set up this return.
Deadpool & Wolverine's Ending Already Set Up The Perfect Excuse To Bring Dafne Keen's Laura Back
Laura Now Lives In Earth-10005
After saving the multiverse from Cassandra Nova and her commandeering of the time ripper, Deadpool asks a favor from B-15 to extract the surviving resistance members from the Void. This resulted in Laurua joining Deadpool and Wolverine in Deadpool's universe, Earth-10005, seen sitting around a table with Deadpool and his friends in the final shots. It's practically certain that Deadpool and Wolverine will return to the MCU, most likely alongside multiple other characters in Avengers: Secret Wars.
This will also be where Keen's Laura is likely to make another appearance. Given the movie will no doubt be stuffed with cameos, it's possible that Laura's role will be small. There is also a small chance that she could reprise the role in one of the as-yet-unannounced projects nestled between the releases of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Regardless of where it occurs, I think Marvel would be wise to bring Laura back as an MCU mainstay.
I Think Bringing Dafne Keen's Laura Back Into The MCU Would Be Right For The Franchise
Laura Has Returned At A Particularly Opportune Moment
While Deadpool's assertion that Disney will make Hugh Jackman portray Wolverine "'til he's 90" is unlikely, it is hard for me to imagine another actor portraying the character. Dafne Keen is the right age to carry the torch and feature as a more unconventional representative of mutantkind, while also embodying the morally gray personas that typify some of the MCU's most compelling characters. She is also excellent in the role, having proved herself twice as a valuable asset to Marvel's cinematic franchise.
She has also entered the MCU at an opportune time. Several recent installments have been setting up the Young Avengers as the next generation of MCU superheroes to take over from their adult counterparts. While comic book precedent doesn't tie her directly to the Young Avengers when they first form, her reappearance in Deadpool & Wolverine has come at a conspicuous time as younger MCU heroes have begun banding together with Kamala Khan at the helm.
