Marvel fans will see Dafne Keen’s Laura/X-23 again in two more Marvel Cinematic Universe movies following her appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Insider Alex Perez of The Cosmic Circus has revealed that X-23 will return for the Avengers films. This means that the adoptive daughter of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine will be part of both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The two-part crossover epic will unite the heroes of the MCU against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and is scheduled to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, and May 7, 2027, respectively. Keen has shown interest in returning to the MCU as X-23, stating she felt they had “only scratched the surface with her since she’s such a complex character. She’s so cool, just from a fan’s standpoint.”
Before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, Keen made her debut as Laura Kinney/X-23 in the 2017 X-Men film, Logan. Her portrayal of the young mutant received widespread acclaim. There were plans for her to reprise the role in a solo film, but once Marvel Studios regained control of the X-Men, those plans were scrapped.
Kevin Feige Reveals Why They Spoiled X-23's Return
In the lead-up to Deadpool & Wolverine, Keen found herself repeatedly fielding inquiries regarding her potential return to the MCU as X-23. The actor, bound by secrecy, had to either evade the topic or fabricate her involvement. However, Keen harbored a desire to attend the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine, a notion that initially met with reluctance from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. The hesitation stemmed from the fact that her participation in the film had yet to be officially disclosed. Fortunately, as Feige shared with Variety, Disney proposed unveiling X-23 in the movie’s final trailer, highlighting “an emotional core of the movie.” Marvel acquiesced, thus allowing Dafne to attend the premiere, as Feige recounted.
In the movie “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Keen reprises her role as X-23 from “Logan.” She joins forces with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and a version of Wolverine played by Jackman as part of the resistance group fighting against the Void. The group also includes Elektra (played by Jennifer Garner), Blade (played by Wesley Snipes), and Gambit (played by Channing Tatum). In the movie’s third act, X-23 appears to be consumed by Alioth, but Deadpool is able to convince the TVA to save her and the rest of the resistance from the Void. This allows X-23 to reunite with Wolverine on Earth-10005.
What Else Has Dafne Keen Been in?
Between the movies Logan and Deadpool & Wolverine, Keen portrayed Lyra Belacqua in the series adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, Ana “Ani” Cruz Oliver in the 2015 series The Refugees, and Ana in the 2020 film Ana. She also played the role of young Padawan Jecki Lon in the Star Wars series The Acolyte, which was canceled earlier this week due to low ratings.Â
Deadpool & Wolverine is currently being shown in theaters.
