For the longest time, Kingsman and Rocketman star Taron Egerton's name has been linked with the part of Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The rumor sprouted after writer Mark Millar jokingly suggested that Egerton would be the next on-screen Logan on Twitter.
While Egerton denied any casting and insisted he doesn't even feel "like a Wolverine sort of guy," he didn't shut the door on joining the MCU in the future. Marvel Studios hasn't picked up the phone and called him yet, but somebody else did. Egerton has been cast in another comic-book property: Audible's audio drama adaptation of the Vertigo Comics series The Sandman, where he'll play the part of John Constantine.
The strange thing is, Egerton as the chain-smoking magic aficionado is the perfect casting that fans never dreamed of before now. In fact, it's such a good match that it would work just as well in a live-action Constantine film.
However, there's one problem: Matt Ryan's version of the Hellblazer. Even though the Constantine TV show was cancelled in 2015, Ryan's popularity in the role resulted in the revival of his character in the Arrowverse, where he's achieved even more success and praise from both critics and fans.
Ryan loves playing the role and even threw his hat in the ring for HBO Max's upcoming Justice League Dark series. He has the fanbase behind him and makes himself available for all Constantine opportunities, so it's a bit of a no-brainer for the powers-that-be to use him wherever they can.
What Warner Bros. and DC have shown, though, is that they don't like to mix the film and TV sides of their franchise. Crossover events like "Crisis on Infinite Earths" are the opportunities they use to provide quick fan service and merge the multiverses in one place, but it's highly unlikely that Ryan would ever portray Constantine in a big-screen adaptation.
Nowadays, comic-book movies demand big-name stars that'll sell the films to non-fans as well as those already familiar with the property. A recent example is Vin Diesel being cast as Ray Garrison in Bloodshot. Ryan might be familiar to fans of the Arrowverse and a talented actor in his own right, but he isn't quite a household name yet.
On the other hand, Egerton ticks all the boxes. He's a Hollywood darling, winner of a Golden Globe Award and one of the hottest rising talents in the business. Not only does he possess the star power to drum up interest in a Constantine film, he also has the necessary acting chops to convince as the character.
If you've followed his career, it's evident that he's a tonally diverse actor who's equally capable of tackling comedy, drama and even action. In many ways, his portrayal of Eggsy in the Kingsman series is a prototype version of Constantine -- cynical, humorous, but ultimately compassionate and heroic. It's as if Egerton was born to play this role.
Warner Bros. hasn't indicated that a new Constantine film is even being considered at the moment. Don't be surprised, though, if Egerton's performance in The Sandman audio drama makes a few executives ponder the possibilities.
Helmed by Dirk Maggs and narrated by Neil Gaiman, Audible's The Sandman stars the voices of James McAvoy, Riz Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis and Michael Sheen. The audio drama arrives July 15 and is currently available for pre-order.