Dwayne Johnson’s Rumored X-Men Villain Role Could Signal a Shift for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in Upcoming MCU Phases

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ represents several milestones in the MCU. It marks Deadpool and Wolverine’s first entry into the cinematic universe and, as Feige noted, the beginning of a mutant era in the MCU.

While the X-Men are confirmed to be arriving in the upcoming live-action reboot, they’ll need a formidable villain to face. While we can only speculate on who that might be, recent rumors suggest that Wolverine could be heading down a dark path.

A few months ago, reports suggested that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was being considered for an MCU role around the same time his production company, Seven Bucks Productions, struck a deal with Disney. This deal means Seven Bucks Productions will collaborate across various Disney divisions, potentially featuring Johnson in prominent roles.

One of the projects rumored to involve Johnson is the X-Men live-action reboot, sparking fan speculation that he could be cast as Apocalypse, one of the most formidable villains in mutant lore.

So how does this relate to Wolverine? The storyline, which began in ‘X-Men ’97’ Season 1, might also play a role in the MCU. After Magneto stripped Wolverine of his adamantium skeleton, Wolverine was left in a desperate state. Without the metal, his healing factor struggled, revealing his bone claws and causing his body to revert to a more primal, feral form. This loss not only physically weakened him but also led to a psychological crisis.

Eventually, after several unsuccessful attempts to restore his adamantium skeleton, Wolverine encountered Apocalypse, who presented him with an irresistible offer.

Eventually, Apocalypse restored Wolverine’s adamantium during the “The Twelve” storyline. Capturing Wolverine, Apocalypse re-bonded the metal to his skeleton as part of a scheme to make him his Horseman of Death. Although Wolverine resisted the transformation, he recognized that Sabretooth, as Death, would pose an even greater threat. To prevent that, Wolverine fought Sabretooth for the position of Horseman. In the end, he regained his adamantium skeleton and claws.

This storyline is one of the most pivotal in Wolverine’s comic book history, and seeing it unfold in the MCU would be intense.

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