X-Men: Apocalypse director Bryan Singer has hinted a female Wolverine could be in the works

Hugh Jackman's got to hang up those adamantium claws at some point.

With Wolverine 3 now established as Jackman's last outing in the role, at least, according to the actor himself; Fox will undoubtedly be looking for ways to keep X-Men's most iconic character thriving on screen. The most obvious route is simply to replace Jackman with another actor, yet it appears as if the studio may be taking a far more interesting perspective on the superhero's future.

X-Men Apocalypse's director Bryan Singer recently told Fandango that he has pitched to Fox an X-Force film which includes the female version of Wolverine, X-23. In the comics, Laura Kinney is a clone of Wolverine who takes over both the name and costume after Logan dies.

An X-Force film has been in the works since 2013, looking to adapt the New Mutants comics; which feature an edgier, more violent crew of superheroes. It was quickly shunted aside after Deadpool's gargantuan success grabbed focus, losing its ground to the developing fourth X-Men instalment, Deadpool 2, Wolverine 3, and the YA-slanted New Mutants film.

Yet, it now appears as if the film is still moving forward, with Singer revealing; "Simon [Kinberg, X-Men: Apocalypse writer] is in the earliest script stage, so that’s kind of where that stands, and we’ll see how it evolves."

This may also lend some weight to rumours X-23 would pop up in Wolverine 3, potentially to ease the handover between the two characters.