Why Daniel Radcliffe Isn't Interested In Doing Any Remakes

Daniel Radcliffe in Miracle Workers TV series
(Image credit: (TBS))

Can you believe Daniel Radcliffe has been making movies for 20 years now? It all may have started at the age of 10, but the child star has seen what some actors hope to see in a lifetime. He played one of the most iconic characters ever before turning to indie darlings such as Swiss Army Man, What If and Imperium. So when it comes to Hollywood’s recent order of business to recycle old ideas in new ways, he sees right through it. In his words:

Most of the films that I love I don't think I would want to see remade. And I certainly don't think that I would want to be in the remakes of them.

The actor has stayed pretty clear of big-budget franchises since wrapping Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011, but he did play the Igor to James McAvoy’s Victor Frankenstein in 2015, though that venture completely bombed. However, this comment certainly puts a bit of a damper on those excited about the Wolverine rumors the actor was the center of months back.

Daniel Radcliffe is still laughing off the situation months back that inspired some incredible fan art of him as the X-Men character. Here’s what he said in the Yahoo! Interview:

There was that whole thing where I made what I thought was an obvious joke about - I think I said ‘Wolverine if he’d been strunk in a hot wash’ and people thought that was serious. Like I got on to set on this next job in Australia and they were like ‘you’re playing Wolverine, that’s awesome man!’ I was like no, no that was a joke!

In a Wired interview earlier this year, he was given popular Google searches involving his name and answered them. One asked if he was the next Wolverine, to which he answered sarcastically – poking fun at the stark difference in his and Hugh Jackman’s sizes. Of course it went viral and some of his coworkers were led to believe he actually signed on to the role.

With the X-Men now in the hands of Disney’s Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige recently revealed that another mutants movie is in the works. So now’s your chance Radcliffe! His answer:

I mean… maybe? But that’s the thing is… in the comics Wolverine is supposed to be really short.

It’s true. In the comic books, Wolverine is actually stands at a stalky 5’3, which is quite close to Daniel Radcliffe’s height of 5’5. Hugh Jackman on the other hand is 6’2. But then again, Radcliffe or anyone playing the next Wolverine has some massive claws to follow. Jackman’s performance as Logan was just iconically incredible and I’d guess Marvel Studios isn’t jumping to step on the legacy he’s only just left for the character.

Kingsman and Rocketman actor Taron Egerton was the most recent actor to be at the center of Wolverine rumors, though he shot them down, saying he doesn’t know if he’s “quite grisly enough”. Although the actor showed an interest in joining the MCU, it’s easy to understand Radcliffe and Egerton’s lack of eagerness to cast themselves after Jackman’s role.

Daniel Radcliffe next project is as animated spy, Rex Dasher in Playmobil: The Movie coming December 6.

Sarah El-Mahmoud
Staff Writer

Sarah El-Mahmoud has been with CinemaBlend since 2018 after graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Journalism. In college, she was the Managing Editor of the award-winning college paper, The Daily Titan, where she specialized in writing/editing long-form features, profiles and arts & entertainment coverage, including her first run-in with movie reporting, with a phone interview with Guillermo del Toro for Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. Now she's into covering YA television and movies, and plenty of horror. Word webslinger. All her writing should be read in Sarah Connor’s Terminator 2 voice over.