With the popular 
X-Men character Wolverine getting ready to enter the MCU, should Marvel Studios cast someone shorter for the role? A call for a more comic book accurate Wolverine has gone out, and while the prior casting of actor Hugh Jackman as Wolverine for the
X-Men franchise is generally lauded, much of the conversation regarding the next Wolverine actor is centered around the character’s height.,Standing at 6 feet, 2 inches tall, Hugh Jackman is substantially taller than his comic book counterpart. The actor played Wolverine in nine movies within the 
X-Men franchise, including cameo appearances and his own solo spinoff starring vehicles, over the span of 17 years. Nothing is ever done to address his height in the movies, instead opting for the right look and feel for the character in the adapted film medium.,Related: X-Men: How & Why Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Looks Different In Each Movie,Hugh Jackman’s performance as Wolverine is proof-positive that film adaptations don’t need to exactly match their comic book sources to be good, beloved, and iconic. Jackman’s casting as Wolverine taught Kevin Feige an important lesson about following the spirit of the source material. Notably, the Wolverine in the comics is also frequently masked and/or depicted in his famous yellow jumpsuit, yet neither of these appears in any of Jackman’s Wolverine films either. So why should his height be an issue?,Canonically, Wolverine is 5 feet, 3 inches tall. He’s never shown as particularly handsome. He’s burly and muscular and hairy. Wolverine oozes traditionally masculine features and was modeled to be something like the animal that is his namesake. While a few of these describe Jackman, one probably couldn’t pick him out of a lineup if given the description of the comic book Wolverine.,This all begs the question of whether Wolverine’s size lends anything to the character itself. If being short truly codifies the character, Hugh Jackman’s legacy as Wolverine would be a disaster. A taller actor could be cast without scrutiny so long as they fit the spirit of Wolverine. It’s notable that Jackman was a relative unknown at the time he joined the ensemble of the original
X-Men movie and news of his casting was met with controversy. But preliminary casting concerns go away, and fans eventually react well to stellar performances that feel like the character they love — whether they look just right or not.,If Marvel truly wants to lean more into the comic book portrayal of the character, there are numerous filming techniques to change the perceived height of an actor on screen. The actor Elijah Wood isn’t as short as a Hobbit is supposed to be, but forced perspective led to his portrayal of Frodo Baggins in the
Lord of the Rings movies appearing proper size. While it really shouldn’t matter — assuming the casting choice for Wolverine is good — it would be doable to mock up a shorter-looking Wolverine with a taller actor.,Related: Deadpool 3 Should Have The MCU’s Real Wolverine (To End Jackman Feud),A number of names have been jokingly floated for the role of Wolverine in the MCU — including Zach Galifianakis and Patton Oswalt, according to the writers of
Deadpool 3. Meanwhile, fans have called for such choices as Karl Urban and Daniel Radcliffe. But there is no word on any solid casting choices yet.,If Hugh Jackman’s casting is any indication, it might be best for Marvel to go with a relatively unknown actor and let them make the role their own. While Fox didn’t exactly plan this for Jackman, it worked out incredibly well for them. Similarly, before being cast as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Tom Holland had a number of credits to his name, but he was far from being a superstar. Getting someone for Wolverine who has yet to become a household name would allow the part to grow with them.,Wolverine doesn’t need to be short to be Wolverine. He doesn’t need to look feral or unattractive. He doesn’t need to wear a mask or a yellow and blue jumpsuit. The MCU’s Wolverine simply needs to be the character whom audiences have grown to love. Like Kevin Feige acknowledged about Fox’s casting of Hugh Jackman in
X-Men, it doesn’t matter if a character is the exact replica of their comic book counterpart. With Jackman’s Wolverine dying in
Logan, it’s time for someone new to pick up the reins. What will matter going forward is that an actor is able to capture the spirit of the character and translate it to the audience. So long as whoever gets cast as Wolverine in the MCU is able to pull that off, they’ll do just fine.,Next: Is Hugh Jackman In Deadpool 3?