Henry Cavill has the potential to break a negative Marvel Cinematic Universe cameo trend after his appearance as a Wolverine variant in Deadpool & Wolverine. After rumors started flying around that Cavill could be showing up in Deadpool & Wolverine as a version of the X-Men member, I became extremely excited about the possibility and what it could mean to the MCU's slate of films, if anything. Then came Deadpool & Wolverine's shocking cameos, which did end up including Cavill as Wolverine alongside Chris Evans' Johnny Storm and many more Marvel heroes and villains.
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Cavill was pitch-perfect as Wolverine, and the cameo has become one of the most popular aspects of the MCU movie, which has now been crowned the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. I think Cavill's Wolverine was great, and given the actor's status and skills for this kind of grittier character, there is a lot of untapped potential to be explored in future appearances. For that to happen, Cavill's MCU role would have to break a cameo trend that the Multiverse Saga has been establishing over the past few years.
I Don’t Want Henry Cavill’s Wolverine To Have The Same Fate As John Krasinski’s Reed Richards
The MCU Can Do Better With Its Multiverse Castings
Cavill's cameo as a Wolverine variant is a cut from the same cloth as John Krasinski's prior appearance as a Reed Richards variant in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I don't mean that story-wise, as Krasinski's Mr. Fantastic had a bigger role in that movie, which ended with his gruesome death, while Cavill's Wolverine only appeared in a brief cameo that ended with him punching Deadpool. The main comparison between the two multiverse additions is that the MCU turned to stunt casting for the roles.
I think both cameos could end up just being one-off stunt casting, given Pedro Pascal will play the MCU's Reed Richards, not Krasinski.
Prior to playing Mr. Fantastic in the Doctor Strange sequel, Krasinski had been the fan-favorite to give life to the MCU's Reed Richards for years. After the movie's release, it was revealed that the reason behind Krasinski playing the Reed Richards variant was Marvel wanting to make it a nod to the fans. Likewise, Cavill has been one of the most popular casting choices for the MCU's Wolverine for years. I think both cameos could end up just being one-off stunt casting, given Pedro Pascal will play the MCU's Reed Richards, not Krasinski, and I don't want that for Cavill.
I Would Love To See Cavil Play The MCU’s Wolverine
The Actor Could Take Over The Iconic Marvel Role
I don't want the MCU to start this trend of giving fans what they want only for a fleeting moment, with those characters never to be seen again. That throws away all the potential these castings have, as Krasinski would have done a fine job as the MCU's Reed Richards, for example. I hope Cavill can escape that forming trend, with the actor being one of the best possible choices to play the MCU's Wolverine. Cavill is 41 — 14 years younger than Hugh Jackman — and could easily play Wolverine for the next decade or more.
In his brief time as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine, Cavill nailed the character's attitude and looked just like the X-Men hero. The actor's time as Geralt of Rivia on Netflix's The Witcher also shows how much of a perfect fit Cavill would be for the MCU's Wolverine. That series had the actor play a character who was just as violent as Wolverine, also speaking very few words and having a no-nonsense attitude. Cavill also did all of his own stunts in The Witcher, which shows how adept at action scenes he is, another perfect trait for Wolverine.
I Think Cavill’s Wolverine Could Return In Avengers: Secret Wars
The Multiverse Saga's Finale Will Be A Major Event
There are a couple of ways for Cavill's Wolverine to break that stunt-casting trend. Avengers: Secret Wars seems like the perfect project for him to return. The Multiverse Saga's finale should include the largest cast ever for an MCU production, and such a major story could use high-profile actors like Cavill. A group of multiverse heroes could be focused on, with Cavill's Wolverine getting an actual arc as one of those characters, which I would love to see.
While I think Cavill has a bigger shot at returning as Wolverine for a multiverse adventure, I would still love to see the actor play the MCU's main version of Wolverine. To that end, Avengers: Secret Wars could see Hugh Jackman bow out of the role with one last mission, perhaps even teaming up with Cavill's Logan. There is rumored to be an MCU reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars and the new version of the franchise could see Henry Cavill's Wolverine be the one to stay on Earth-616, throwing away the MCU's budding stunt casting trend.