In a recent interview with ComingSoon.net, X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn recalled plans for a Wolverine solo movie set in the 1970s. For the starring role, the filmmaker mentioned that he’d considered Tom Hardy, who’s since lent his talents to such comic book movies as The Dark Knight Rises and Venom. Of course, we now know that Vaughn’s plans never came to fruition, but if you’d like an idea of how Hardy might’ve looked as the adamantium-clawed mutant, this new fan art from Mizuriofficial offers a stylish illustration.

After Hugh Jackman made the role of Wolverine his own for seventeen years, you may have a hard time picturing anyone else in the part. Still, while any casting announcement for such a beloved character will inevitably be met with some backlash (just look at the divided response to Robert Pattinson’s Batman gig), Disney could certainly do a lot worse than making Hardy their new Logan.

All the same, we wouldn’t bet on Hardy being the one to wield the claws. For one thing, the Mad Max: Fury Road star is a whole decade older than Jackman was when the first X-Men came out. And seeing how Marvel Studios likes to play the long game, you can imagine that they’ll be looking for someone a little younger.

Either way, it’s unlikely that the next Wolverine will be announced anytime soon, especially when the current incarnation of the X-Men franchise has yet to conclude. Even Vaughn recently speculated on the ReelBlend Podcast that the series will probably be “put on ice for a little bit.” And going by recent comments from Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, that’s exactly what Disney has in mind. Regardless, we’ll find out how Fox’s take on the mutant saga comes to a close when Dark Phoenix hits theaters on June 7th.

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