Which Characters Could Appear and Be Mentioned in Marvel’s Wolverine

In a week’s time, one of this autumn’s major releases will launch—Marvel's Wolverine, a new title from Insomniac Games. Unlike the Spider-Man games, the studio’s new project, centered on Wolverine, will not feature an open world but will focus on the classic clash between good and evil; however, as seen in numerous gameplay trailers, Logan and his partners’ methods are often employed in an extremely brutal combat system. This is yet another – and perhaps the key – feature that separates the upcoming PlayStation exclusive from the Marvel’s Spider-Man series.

As is often the case with Marvel-related projects, Insomniac’s new game will feature a number of characters from the comics—a fact confirmed by the game’s active marketing campaign. It is known that players will be able to explore the stories of Jean Grey, Mystique, Omega Red, Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, and others, with Bolivar Trask serving as the antagonist. However, fans are expecting other, previously unannounced characters to appear (or be mentioned) in order to expand the universe and link it, at least in part, to Marvel’s Spider-Man. Below, you’ll find out which heroes and villains might appear or be mentioned in Marvel’s Wolverine.

Maverick and John Wraith – Mentioned

Perhaps we should start with the lesser-known characters—Maverick and John Wraith—but they may well be significant in the context of the game. As is well known, the X-Men do not yet exist in Marvel’s Wolverine; instead, Logan, Mystique, and Sabretooth are members of the so-called Team X. Maverick and John Wraith were members of this very team in the Marvel comics, and it is possible that the developers will somehow reveal that their in-game counterparts were also members—or, conversely, lay the groundwork for this to happen in the future.

Daredevil – Appear

Nightcrawler and Jubilee – Mentioned

Last month, details also emerged about some of the cut elements from Marvel’s Wolverine. Perhaps the most interesting detail is that the game was originally set to feature Nightcrawler, known from the X-Men films, as one of Logan’s allies; he was subsequently replaced by Jubilee, but she was also cut and replaced by Tyger Tiger. As both characters were considered to be existing heroes, hopefully Insomniac hasn't scrapped them entirely, and at the very least, they’ll be mentioned in some form or another.

Sunfire – Appear

Another possible candidate to appear in Marvel’s Wolverine as Logan’s ally is Sunfire. In the comics, this character was particularly popular in Japan, and given that part of the game is set there, his appearance (or at least a mention of him) makes sense. This is especially the case given that the comic prequel to Marvel’s Wolverine, released this July, confirmed Sunfire’s existence in this universe. Meanwhile, fans have spotted what could be the first glimpse of Sunfire in the game; he may have appeared in a recent trailer released on State of Play, but Insomniac has not yet confirmed that it is indeed him.

J Johan Jameson – Mentioned

J. Jonah Jameson is, first and foremost, a character associated with Spider-Man, but Insomniac Games has used him differently. In the Marvel’s Spider-Man games, he is portrayed not as the editor of the Daily Bugle, but as a paranoid radio presenter whose voice can be heard when Spider-Man is exploring the city. It is possible that, in the world of Marvel’s Wolverine, people know more about him than we might think, and he may be mentioned, for instance, in one of the newspapers or while listening to the radio.

Tanya Trask– Appear

However, the character whose appearance would make sense from the plot perspective of Marvel’s Wolverine—and would even lay the groundwork for the future—is Tanya Trask, the daughter of the main villain, Bolivar. In the Marvel comics, she has a rather complex but interesting backstory: initially, she appears as an elderly woman known as Madame Sanctity. It is also intriguing that she is a mutant, while her father hates mutants and seeks to destroy them. So far, Insomniac has not confirmed her appearance in Marvel’s Wolverine, but such a move would be interesting in terms of the development of the father-daughter relationship, a potential alliance with Logan, and Tanya’s education at Charles Xavier’s school—if a full-fledged X-Men game from the studio ever sees the light of day.

Mary Jane – Appear

Perhaps the most controversial character in the Marvel’s Spider-Man games is Mary Jane Watson—the missions featuring her alone are proof enough of that. However, as with J. Jonah Jameson, the developers have portrayed her somewhat differently: in the game, she is a professional and independent investigative journalist. Given that the plot of Marvel’s Wolverine will center on a story involving a race other than mutants, Mary Jane might be overcome by an overwhelming curiosity to find out everything first-hand – for instance, by visiting Madripoor or even meeting Logan, say, in a post-credit scene. Such a move could also tie the game in with the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man—especially as Insomniac has confirmed that Spider-Man will not appear in the new project.

Deadpool/Wade Wilson - Mentioned

Finally, it is worth mentioning a character who is often associated with Wolverine – Deadpool. And although his presence in Marvel’s Wolverine seems unlikely, the possibility of a reference to his human alter ego—Wade Wilson—cannot be ruled out, as Insomniac did, as mentioned above, in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 by including the law firm Nelson & Murdock. But Deadpool himself, one way or another, is certainly worth making an appearance in an Insomniac game at some point—a desire shared by Yuri Lowenthal, the actor who voices Peter Parker, who is keen to see the Merc with a Mouth in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3. Who knows, perhaps Marvel's Wolverine will be the first to take a step in that direction.

As previously reported, the embargo on reviews of Marvel’s Wolverine lifts on September 10; that is when we will find out whether Insomniac has managed to deliver a high-quality product, and perhaps further details will be revealed concerning whether we can expect any exciting cameos in the game. The game launches on September 15, exclusively on PlayStation 5.