BY MATT TUCK
Wolverine may be coming to the MCU by way of Disney+ if the latest rumor is to be believed.
THE LATEST
Take it for what it is worth, but the latest gossip has it that Logan will be introduced into the MCU before we see the rest of the X-Men. The word on the internet is that one of the ideas on the table at Marvel Studios is to present Wolverine in his own Disney+ series. The rumor goes on to say that the show would chronicle the history of Logan (aka, James Howlett) on his path to becoming Wolverine. There is even speculation that the first season would focus on the Weapon X program, and that could open the door to a range of possibilities as well.
In the past, we would all scoff at the thought of an A-list character like Wolverine being relegated to a television or streaming series. As we have seen with the movie-level production quality of The Mandalorian, WandaVision, and now The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Disney+ is much more than the old Disney Channel. The company is committed to a large budget for their streaming shows, and they have been worldwide phenomena. To suggest that Wolverine would be introduced to the MCU through his own Disney+ series is feasible.
BUILDING THE INTRIGUE
Ever since Disney gained the film and television rights to both the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, the theories have been rampant. Why wouldn’t they? These are two of the most popular franchises in all of comics with millions of fans worldwide. Well before there was even gossip about Disney buying Fox, fans have wondered what it would be like if either property were to join the MCU. Here we are on the cusp of it becoming reality, which breeds fan theories are rumors.
Now that we are firmly in the MCU’s Phase Four, fans are ready for any clue that the X-Men are on the way. One of the more persistent rumors has been that Rogue would introduce the MCU to mutants in Captain Marvel 2. Then there was the excitement surrounding Evan Peters’ casting as Quicksilver in WandaVision that eventually was nothing more than cheap trolling.
The latest allusion to Wolverine has been the Madripoor setting in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In Episode Three, Sam, Bucky, and Baron Zemo travel to the fictional island country, which just so happens to be part of Wolverine’s lore. To make things even more tantalizing, they even visited Logan’s favorite hangout, the Princess Bar. There was talk of the unseen owner of the bar, which raised eyebrows. In the comics, Wolverine, under his “Patch” alias, is a silent co-owner of that very establishment, leaving fans to wonder if the series was referencing Logan.
WOLVERINE IN FATWS?
After still feeling the burn from WandaVision’s massive letdown, fans are cautiously optimistic when it comes to those Disney+ Easter eggs. The series promises something major is coming to the MCU in Episode Five, and it stands to reason that it could be Wolverine or a direct reference. Considering how those theories fell flat at the end of WandaVision, the best thing to do is wait and see.
The Madripoor connection could be the opening Marvel Studios needs to introduce an all-new Wolverine to its audience. I have theorized before that, in an attempt to steer away from Fox’s previous films, Wolverine would be introduced independently from the X-Men. One way to do that would be to have Logan don the “Patch” moniker he specifically uses in Madripoor, which we first saw in 1988’s Wolverine #1. This would make for an easy connection between Wolverine and Nick Fury, considering Logan’s reputation as an assassin for hire. After all, he is the best there is at what he does.
EXCITING TIMES
Who knows if Wolverine will get his own Disney+ series? Once again, I cite the Feige Rule, which states that it doesn’t mean anything until Kevin Feige confirms it. Still, this does appear to be a plausible idea, and it will be interesting to see where it leads. Even if it goes nowhere, the ride is no less fun.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is also a teacher, freelance writer, comic collector, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog.