Home Entertainment Hugh Jackman talks THE WOLVERINE; how it's a standalone adventure and unlike any other X-Men film before

Hugh Jackman talks THE WOLVERINE; how it's a standalone adventure and unlike any other X-Men film before

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Irrespective of what you may think of the Bryan Singer X-Men films or his previous solo cinematic outing, you can’t deny that when it came to the role of Wolverine, Hugh Jackman most certainly owned it. Who cared that he was a 6 ft 1 Australian being cast to play a 5 ft 2 Canadian, when the results were that amazing on screen.

And a lot of that believability came from Jackman’s clear passion for the character, a passion that’s given him the humility to clearly see where they went wrong on X-Men Origins: Wolverine and how to fix it now.

“We’ve deliberately not called it Wolverine 2 because we want it to be placed and feel like a standalone picture. With an all-new cast and setting it in Japan, it’s going to give us a whole new visual aesthetic. The approach to character means we won’t be overloaded with mutants and teams and the like, so it’ll be more character-based. I think in many ways it will feel like a completely different X-Men film.”

If by “different” he means “way better than X-Men Origins”, then you can definitely sign me up. That film was definitely weighed down by a number of completely unnecessary characters (why hello there guy from Black Eyed Peas who can’t act and is just taking up screen time), not to mention really silly plot developments just for the sake of spectacle.

In the comics, Wolverine’s more focused, solo adventures have often been his best, and the Frank Miller story line that this film is borrowing from so heavily is right up there with the greatest of them. All they needed was to see the potential there and find a way to get that Samurai badassness on the screen.

“I talked to Jeffrey Katzenberg (Dreamworks Animation CEO and producer of Jackman’s upcoming Rise of the Guardians) about Wolverine and that franchise.

“He was relating to his experiences on Shrek and said it’s really got to do with the strength of the idea – the concept of why that film exists must be strong, you can’t assume that the brand will bring people along.

“So we went to Christopher McQuarrie, who was involved in X-Men and The Usual Suspects. He’s a brilliant writer and he came up with a concept that was just phenomenal. I rang Jeffrey and he went ‘Great, now you have a good idea, just go for it.'”

For a while though, all they had was that idea and it looked like the film was not happening, with a neverending round of musical chairs being played by all the directors, before James Mangold finally stepped in to take charge.

“I’m just really glad it’s happening. For a while it’s felt like a rocky ride. I think it’s the best idea we’ve had, the strongest script we’ve had and that now we really have an opportunity to make something really great.

“I’ve been waiting for it so long now. I think half the material in my one-man show is about the wait for The Wolverine!”

Yep, that’s right folks, the guy who plays Wolverine, possibly the deadliest and most ferocious man in the entire Marvel universe, has a one-man Broadway revue show. And yet we still don’t mind. Besides, all that singing and dancing gave him great cardio. You know, for his killing sprees.

[Source: Total Film via The Coventry Telegraph]

Last Updated: August 14, 2012

3 Comments

  1. Hugh Jackman is a bloody legend!

    Reply

  2. Matthew Figueira

    August 14, 2012 at 11:28

    Excited for this 😀

    Reply

  3. Theunis Jansen Van Rensburg

    August 14, 2012 at 11:33

    Hugh Jackman is awesome in this role! Bring on the new Wolverine!!!

    Reply

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