15 Actors Who Could Be the Next Wolverine in the MCU

Wolverine comes with a long list of requirements that go beyond a set of metal claws. The character carries decades of comics history, a rough edge that never softens, and a physical style built on close quarters fights. Any contender needs a voice that can cut through a crowded room, the stamina to anchor action heavy stories, and the range to handle quieter scenes that reveal what is under the scowl.

With that in mind, here is a lineup of performers whose bodies of work show hardened roles, demanding stunt work, or deep character studies that match the grit and gravity fans expect. Each name brings a track record of physical commitment and screen presence across film or television, along with the kind of career choices that prove they can lead stories that mix intensity with emotion.

Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton led the action franchise ‘Kingsman’ with extensive fight choreography and fast paced set pieces, then shifted to musical biopic work in ‘Rocketman’ with a fully performed vocal turn. He added prestige limited series experience with ‘Black Bird’ where a contained setting put focus on psychological tension and resolve.

His filmography shows rapid pivots between physically demanding roles and character focused projects, and he has worked closely with directors known for stylized action such as Matthew Vaughn. Egerton’s background includes stage training and screen roles that require tight hand to hand work, which maps cleanly to a character who lives in confined brawls and sudden bursts of movement.

Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe built a long running franchise foundation with ‘Harry Potter’, then moved into lean genre projects like ‘Swiss Army Man’ and ‘Guns Akimbo’ that relied on physical performance and unusual tonal shifts. He carried anthology comedy across multiple seasons in ‘Miracle Workers’, showing comfort with quick transformations and accent work.

He also has extensive stage credits that emphasize discipline and stamina, including demanding runs that test voice and presence. Radcliffe’s post franchise choices created a portfolio of high commitment roles that mix intensity, humor, and endurance under pressure, all of which align with a character known for ferocity and resilience.

Antony Starr

Antony Starr headlines ‘The Boys’ with an unflinching portrayal that blends menace with tightly controlled movement and sudden violence. Earlier work in ‘Banshee’ put him through frequent close quarters fights, weapons training, and hard edged action beats that emphasized precision and explosiveness.

His career shows repeated turns as complicated figures who mask volatility with stillness, which comes through in controlled body language and clipped delivery. Starr’s screen history demonstrates the ability to convey brutality within tight frames, a practical fit for a fighter who spends most battles in grapples and scrambles rather than wide open brawls.

Alan Ritchson

Alan Ritchson anchors the series ‘Reacher’ with a build and fight style centered on short range strikes and throws, supported by training that keeps choreography clean and heavy. He previously portrayed Hawk in ‘Titans’ with aerial rig work and armored costumes, and played Aquaman on ‘Smallville’ which introduced him to superhero sets early in his career.

His credits also include ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ where he worked within ensemble action staging. Ritchson’s resume shows comfort carrying a production schedule that leans on physical scenes and repeat takes for stunt heavy sequences, which aligns with the demands of a character who spends entire arcs in bruising confrontations.

Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy brings a lengthy action profile through ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, the combat drama ‘Warrior’, and the dual role demands of ‘Venom’. He earned an Academy Award nomination for ‘The Revenant’ which required extreme location work and long physical takes in harsh conditions.

His performances often rely on distinct vocal choices and muscular physicality that stays grounded in tight camera work. Hardy’s training cycles for roles like ‘Warrior’ and preparation for heavy stunt collaboration create a practical base for a character defined by clenched intensity and close range impact.

Jack O’Connell

Jack O’Connell broke out with the prison drama ‘Starred Up’ where survival depended on relentless hand to hand scenes and clenched, economical movement. He followed with ‘Unbroken’, a survival story that required endurance focused preparation and an emphasis on grit over polish.

Television work such as ‘The North Water’ pushed him into severe environments with a focus on elemental struggle and sparse dialogue. O’Connell’s catalogue shows a consistent interest in physically taxing roles that prioritize reaction and instinct, a clear parallel to a fighter who is always one wrong move from the ground.

Dan Stevens

Dan Stevens demonstrated precise action form in ‘The Guest’ with knife work, grapples, and quick directional changes that rely on footwork more than spectacle. He then took on large scale performance capture and musical demands in ‘Beauty and the Beast’, showing range across different production modes.

He also headlined ‘Legion’, which mixed stunt frameworks with psychological complexity and abrupt tonal shifts. Stevens’ projects often require rapid transitions between calm and eruption, a valuable trait for a character whose switch flips in an instant when a threat appears within arm’s reach.

Luke Evans

Luke Evans carried sword and shield combat in ‘The Hobbit’ films and led the monster action of ‘Dracula Untold’ with wire work and heavy costuming. He has franchise experience in ‘Fast and Furious 6’, coordinating with large stunt teams and second unit schedules.

His background includes significant stage training and vocal performance, supporting breath control and presence during intense sequences. Evans combines physical conditioning with a steady on camera stillness that suits a fighter who prefers quick engagements and efficient exits rather than long distance theatrics.

Travis Fimmel

Travis Fimmel anchored ‘Vikings’ with repeated shield wall clashes, axe work, and dirty clinch fighting that translate to compact, bruising choreography. He starred in ‘Warcraft’, adapting to motion capture driven sessions and large scale fantasy staging.

He later appeared in ‘Raised by Wolves’ where survival themes required endurance and a weathered physical profile. Fimmel’s career highlights battlefield grit, a battered posture, and a comfort with practical stunt environments, all useful for a character whose body tells the story before a word is spoken.

Boyd Holbrook

Boyd Holbrook played the relentless antagonist in ‘Logan’ where gunfights and tactical movement required coordination with stunt teams and tight framing. He led creature feature action in ‘The Predator’ and contributed to adventure set pieces in ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’.

Holbrook’s television work in ‘Narcos’ and ‘The Sandman’ shows range from methodical investigator to supernatural adversary, both of which demand controlled physical beats rather than flashy moves. His roles regularly place him in grounded engagements that emphasize timing, which fits a combatant who wins exchanges by inches.

Sam Heughan

Sam Heughan has spent years in ‘Outlander’ executing period specific fights that mix blades, fists, and grapples with location based constraints. He added contemporary action with ‘SAS: Red Notice’ and comic espionage beats in ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’, building familiarity with varied stunt styles.

He also appeared in ‘Bloodshot’, working alongside effects heavy action and super powered choreography. Heughan’s experience balancing romance driven drama with sudden violence mirrors the tonal shifts that often sit inside stories featuring a brooding loner who is protective by instinct.

Charlie Hunnam

Charlie Hunnam led ‘Sons of Anarchy’ through seasons of brawls, chases, and close in fights that favored elbows, clinches, and improvised weapons. He took on large scale creature combat in ‘Pacific Rim’ and medieval swordplay in ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’.

His role in ‘The Gentlemen’ sharpened his calm under pressure screen presence within crime driven plots. Hunnam’s file of leadership roles under heavy stunt loads shows reliability for productions that require constant physical readiness and a rough edged demeanor that reads clearly on camera.

Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill delivered armored melee and grapples in ‘The Witcher’ with attention to footwork and blade control, then shifted to spy craft action in ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ that favored precise hand to hand techniques. He brought heavyweight momentum to set pieces in ‘Mission Impossible Fallout’ with practical stunt participation.

Recent work like ‘Argylle’ continued his rotation through action centered leads that balance choreography with deadpan focus. Cavill’s repeated commitment to training cycles and weapons handling informs performances that rely on power, timing, and economy, qualities central to a character who ends fights quickly.

Dacre Montgomery

Dacre Montgomery broke big with ‘Stranger Things’ where his arc leaned on volatility and sudden bursts of aggression. He carried a suit powered action role in ‘Power Rangers’ that demanded coordination with effects teams and stunt partners.

He has balanced film and television work with a focus on high energy characters and sharp physical turns. Montgomery’s screen history shows readiness for roles that call for explosive movement within tight frames and quick changes in tempo, elements that sit at the core of down and dirty brawling.

Jeremy Allen White

Jeremy Allen White led ‘The Bear’ with relentless kitchen choreography that required stamina, speed, and breath control under constant stress. He portrayed wrestler Kerry Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw’, undergoing intense physical preparation and movement training focused on grappling and impact.

Earlier, he carried long running character work in ‘Shameless’, building a foundation in grounded realism and resilience. White’s recent projects demonstrate a commitment to physical transformation and a willingness to live inside pressure cooker environments, a useful base for a fighter who treats every scrap as a last stand.

Share your own picks for the adamantium mantle in the comments and tell us who you would hand the claws to next.