Now that Doctor Strange 2 has confirmed to have Professor X, it’s only a matter of time before Wolverine enters the MCU. Logan is a flagship Marvel character and his second coming was more or less inevitable. Here’s why we think a Wolverine series on the lines of Netflix’s Daredevil makes more sense rather than introducing Logan via a movie. A Wolverine series opens doors that an MCU Wolverine movie could never even hope to touch.
A Chance To Explore Wolverine Source Materials
No we are not talking about Wolverine’s origin story, which Fox has already driven into the ground with so many movies. In the comic books, Wolverine has had a long and colorful journey full of violence, heartbreak, loss, and bloodshed. For example, the 1988 issues of Wolverine from #48-55 put Wolverine against Weapon X’s newest and deadliest weapon. In Ultimate X-Men #41, Wolverine took on an impossible job of hunting down a mutant kid and doing something only he could – kill this innocent child because he had lost control of his powers. 1988’s Wolverine #90 contains the best ever Sabretooth vs. Wolverine fight of all time. In a movie, the MCU tends to skip over vital source material. The series could give it some more focus.
Darker & Grittier – The Wolverine Way
If you think Daredevil was violent enough for you, you have no idea how epic a Wolverine comic book is in terms of its dark and gritty nature. Because of the nature of Logan’s personality, he innately a violent creature. His life motto is – claw first, ask questions later. Matt Murdock at least tries to be civil in his ways because he is a lawyer, and by default a protector of the law. Logan hs no such qualms. He cannot give a darn about the law. You irk him, you get the horns (or in his case, claws). A Wolverine series would benefit from being darkly violent and sadistic, just like Daredevil is and Marvel’s Moon Knight will be.
Needs A Good Revival To Get Out Of Jackman’s Shadow
This task is easier said than done. Hugh Jackman holds the record of being the actor with the most appearances as a comic book character in a movie. And every time he has appeared as Logan, he has stolen the show. To create a Wolverine who can stand on his own, outside the long shadow Jackman’s legacy casts will be a herculean task. A 2 hour MCU movie may not be able to help the actor make a big enough impact. But if it’s a Wolverine series, then things change. You can slowly build the character from the ground up and show the character development. That way, the audience could cozy up to the new actor as they start relating to him with each subsequent episode.
MCU Shows Are The Norm Now
Some reports suggest that the MCU shows have been way more successful than many recently released MCU movies like Eternals and Black Widow. Online surveys suggest MCU fans are more inclined towards a regular dose of entertainment where they know when the next part is coming, courtesy of MCU’s pre-COVID multi-movie releases in the same year. Because of the pandemic, the movie making apparatus of Marvel Studios is not as robust as it used to be. That’s why a Wolverine series makes more sense. They would give Marvel fans a regular exposure to Wolverine’s adventures at weekly intervals. That’s why Loki and WandaVision were a hit. and it will work for Wolverine too.
Grounded Story Arc – Make Him A Street Level Hero
With Daredevil, The Punisher and the rest of Netflix Marvel shows coming to Disney+, there will be a surge in the popularity of street level superheroes. Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel will only add more fuel to the fire when they hit Disney+. Logan could lead the charge in a Wolverine series. Introducing Logan not as a larger than life leader of the X-Men but as a street level hero with a short fuse and hot temper is what the X-Man needs at the moment.
