Director James Mangold is accelerating his attempts to lock in the cast for the new Wolverine film, which Hugh Jackman keeps insisting is his last hurrah as Logan. And there's an unexpected development on the casting front, as Stephen Merchant will be part of the movie.
His casting follows on the heels of Richard E. Grant's casting as a mad scientist in the film, which remains mostly cloaked in secrecy. Boyd Holbrook is on as Wolverine's main nemesis and Patrick Stewart will be reprising his familiar role as Professor Charles Xavier in a story that seems likely to draw from Logan's later days, if rumours pan out.
As for Merchant? Deadline's report offers no clue as to what he might be playing, but we don't see him as likely to be a big threat for Logan, unless he's the surprise additional villain? More likely he'll be bringing his comic abilities to the movie, but we'll wait and see.
Mangold plans to start shooting soon as the film carries a March 2, 2017 release date.