Hugh Jackman Talks X-Men 4, The Wolverine And The Possibility Of Starring In First Class Sequel!

The actor reveals that he's doubtful about starring in a fourth X-Men movie, but offers updates on James Mangold taking over from Darren Aronofsky as director of The Wolverine, explaining the script rewrites and more...

Follow Josh:
By Josh Wilding - 9/26/2011
Talking to The Playlist while promoting his latest movie, Real Steel Hugh Jackman has let slip a ton of details on The Wolverine and much more. To read the interview in full (where you'll be able to hear more from the actor on why he has stuck with the character all these years) be sure to click on the link below to head on over to the site.

On The Current Status Of The Wolverine:

"If it wasn’t for ‘Les Mis,’ we’re ready now. Now that Jim [Mangold]’s on board, we’re ready to go. For ‘Les Mis’ to work, we would have had to start “Wolverine,” basically, yesterday. So when we needed to press the button, we weren’t quite ready. So it will happen straight after."


On Why Darren Aronofsky Dropped Out Of The Wolverine:

"His personal life precluded him from making the movie. I asked him to do ‘X-Men 3,’ I asked him to do ‘Wolverine’ one and he said, ‘It’s not so much for me.’ And then he read this and said, ‘Man, I’m in. This is the best comic movie script I’ve ever read’ and he’s been dying to do one for a long time."


On What Makes James Mangold The Right Choice To Direct:

"Many directors wanted to do this film, I’m happy to say, because of the strength of the script. When he came in he just had such a clear vision of where this movie should go. He had the best take. He’s done many, many genres. I look at ‘3:10 to Yuma,’ and when he started talking about ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’ I was like, ‘Okay, now we’re on the right track.” He had a couple of things which, I think, even in Darren’s version of the script, hadn’t been solved that he just knew he had the key."


On The Reasons Behind The Script Rewrites And Tone Of The Movie:

When a director takes over any script, they need to make it their movie. So Jim hired Mark to help him make the movie his own. Darren had worked on the script himself and taken it in a certain direction that was right for him. And that would have been a great version of the movie. I’ve seen Jim’s version now and, you know, Jim saw things that weren’t working for him that were working for Darren. And I’ve got to hand it to Fox and to Jim, it’s easy when you start with the best script we’ve had from Chris McQuarrie. Which is why Darren signed on. So once you have that, that’s 80, 85 percent of your movie.

"It’s a little darker and, I think, a little more true to the character. If you read all of [the Japanese saga] there is a lot of it that is a little disparate and some of it’s got X-Men in it. There’s a wedding and all that. So we take license with that."


On The Chances Of X-Men 4:

"I don’t see it. I can only see one movie ahead. I'm pretty sure I’m well into the second half of this match. I don’t know exactly when the end is, but I only go one at a time. If this is the last one, fingers crossed, man, I just hope we finally get that hole in one."


On Whether We'll See Him In X-Men: First Class 2:

"If they come up with as good of an idea as last time. Yeah, I could see it."





Image and video hosting by TinyPic



Source: indieWIRE
DISCLAIMER: This article was submitted by a volunteer contributor who has agreed to our code of conduct. ComicBookMovie.com is protected from liability under "safe harbor" provisions and will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. For expeditious removal, contact us HERE.
5
LIKE!
61 Comments
1 2
BooYah - 9/26/2011, 2:12 PM
I actually want X-Men 4. The Last Stand didnt do the trilogy justice, it needs a real ending. Cyclops wasnt for sure dead, Proffessor X is alive in the after credits scene, and Magneto still has his powers.

Make it happen Fox!
PsyBoy - 9/26/2011, 2:13 PM
He is awesome and seems to have a realistic view of the X-Franchise.
StrangerX - 9/26/2011, 2:14 PM
They keep saying how great this script is it better be [frick]ing awesome!!
BlueMex - 9/26/2011, 2:15 PM
^ dont we all, aswell as the rest of the clan. (ghostrider,fantastic four, daredevil etc.....)
tweeeeenkies3 - 9/26/2011, 2:15 PM
NO MORE WOLVERINE IN MOVIES!!! I am tired of it. He is not that special. Hugh jackman isn't even a great actor. I really hope he is not in it
DoomXfactor - 9/26/2011, 2:20 PM
Fracking Aronofsky...he would have made an epic movie
revloveR - 9/26/2011, 2:26 PM
the only time I've enjoyed logan on screen was in that cameo for first class. the leather suited shit never did it for me. and x-men origins was abortion.
Superman8 - 9/26/2011, 2:29 PM
i wanna see him in the traditional yellow/blue wolverine costume just once. even if its just a well done fan made picture.

pretty please.
NOLANITE - 9/26/2011, 2:29 PM
Fracking Jackman. he can never make an epic movie.
Fracking Nolan. he would've shit out an epic movie.
Fracking Vaughn. he would have made this an epic movie.
Fracking marvel. why cant they just claim bankruptcy and
burn in hell.
Fogs - 9/26/2011, 2:45 PM
NOLANITE - DC's closer to bankrupcy than marvel, dude. But I'm not cheering for it. Before that I want Marvel to buy DC, get rid of the stupid characters (aquaman) and make a single, awesomely perfect universe once and for all.

About the news, Jackman is talking shit. I wish they could pull out a nice x-men movie but that's unlikely, since 1st class isn't as good as it was 1st time I've seen it and even then it was a exception.

X1 - regular, close to shitty since didn't age well
X2 - good
X3 - Shitty movie
XMO:W - Uttering crap
CM:FC - good
gffrycole - 9/26/2011, 2:45 PM
@NOLANITE
tolling douche. marvel OWNS
Deadshot - 9/26/2011, 2:46 PM
I want a real Wolverine not this hugh jackman bull, Wolverine is suppose to be a short guy in yellow with a mask not a 6 foot 2 guy running around in a leather jacket.
Fogs - 9/26/2011, 2:47 PM
I meant XM:FC, you know that. BRING BACK THE EDIT BUTTON PLEASE!
NOLANITE - 9/26/2011, 3:05 PM
Eh yeah i dont see DC going bankrupt anytime soon. Maybe after the Total jacked up non-sense of a movie (avengers) comes out, marvel gets punked around by disney and they just make utter garbage of films.
agentofshield - 9/26/2011, 3:08 PM
I shall agree with my main man steve & my pres. Booyah.

WE NEED A REAL X-MEN MOVIE!!!!

Not fux.. i mean fox...
... you know... cause the fux it up? haha. get it?
GLprime2814 - 9/26/2011, 3:18 PM
First class was great but I want current versions of Xmen not their teeny counterparts I mean havoc it cyclops younger bro, so if they introduce corsair he could b old as shit
Bizo - 9/26/2011, 3:27 PM
Awesome article on X-Men movies I had to read for film class, I definitely recommend it: http://sophisticatedamerica.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love.html
zachman2013 - 9/26/2011, 3:29 PM
Hugh Jackman saves all the x men movies...first class was an exception because the script was so great.
He IS wolverine
soberchimera - 9/26/2011, 3:57 PM
Gah! Why are they remaking Les Miserables? What was wrong with the Liam Neeson version? Stop postponing this shit!
TayDee - 9/26/2011, 4:22 PM
Hugh Jackman plays a damn good wolverine, its just the fact that fox owns him and the scripts have been shitty
jasonicus - 9/26/2011, 4:41 PM
Keep him out FC2. Timeline is screwed up enough.
aaronite1999 - 9/26/2011, 4:44 PM
I really hope they find a way to make a less expensive X-Men 4 - it's obvious to me that these quasi-X-spin-offs are all about reducing the huge budget that X3 had (ie: by using cheaper actors).

Trouble is, they also make less of an impact, being full of less-loved characters (ie: Blob, Banshee etc etc).

I think they should just recast the actors that are too expensive (ie: Berry) and stick with the more popular line-up of characters.
pointman - 9/26/2011, 4:44 PM
Jackman only knows what he is TOLD about wolverine. He has had TEN friggin YEARS to get the character right, and HASNT! And as a result, we see the books following the movies trying to make the character more like jackman instead of the other way around, which doesnt work and is why the xbooks and the wolverine books have been in decline for years now minus enemy of the state and old man logan. So if we bitch about it, we are called fanboys............fine with me. If you defend it then..............you work for fox.
gost - 9/26/2011, 4:51 PM
As Jasonicus mentioned timeline is screwed so it doesn't mater if he's in First ass 2 or if they had Cable in it.
eatmyhit - 9/26/2011, 4:54 PM
@Nolanite so are you saying Jackman can never and has never been in a good film?

He may not be the perfect fit but you can't question Jackmans loyalty and commitment to the role and to be honest i can't see who else could play him!
superpooper - 9/26/2011, 5:07 PM
Check out yer boy Hughie "Jagoff" Jackman in "The Boy from Oz". There's your Wolverine people. No wonder Singer cast him. The guys a poof. You know, people bash Fox for how it has handled Marvel characters in its movies, but as far as I'm concerned the casting of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine was by far the biggest atrocity Fox has visited upon comic book fans everywhere, in particular Xmen fans. We wanted Wolverine and they gave us some Broadway Riverdance BOYBAIT poofball. PLEASE. We've had ENOUGH. NO ARONOFSKY=NO MORE CHANCES JAGOFF!! GET THE [frick] OUT OF HERE YOU [frick]ING MORON!!
AlexDeLarge87 - 9/26/2011, 5:07 PM
Im interested of Wolverine´s japan movie
but X-Men 4 please for the love of god dont make it worse than it already is by starting to make more of them!
BlindLemonShemp - 9/26/2011, 5:13 PM
Ill trust any director that looks at Wolverine and immediately thinks Outlaw Josey Wales... officially 100% psyched for this movie now!!
eatmyhit - 9/26/2011, 5:13 PM
@superpooper What do you think most actors did during drama or stage school they pranced around and sung! But his married with two children so he must be a poof! I'm sorry but your whole childish rant screams of someone who is either uncomfortable with there sexuality or is in the closet!
xXkryptoniteXx - 9/26/2011, 5:14 PM
Bryan singer for xmen 4 and no wolverine for xmen 1st class sequel. I don't even count xmen origin as part of the time line since it doesn't belong to the continuity no more.
superpooper - 9/26/2011, 5:15 PM
@pointman Good point...the fallout from the Jagoff/Wolverine casting has definitely polluted the character and I dont think anyone could deny that. This is NOT a good thing. Citing "Schizm" as an example, we're edging toward a "kinder gentler" Wolverine and that is a very slippery slope for a character so many of us hold very dear. If I had to choose between a Jackman Wolverine or NO WOLVERINE IN FILM PERIOD, I'm afraid I'd have to choose the latter.
GUNSMITH - 9/26/2011, 5:17 PM
SINGER KILLED THE NEED FOR MASKS...I HATED THAT AND STILL DO. WAY TO BE COVERT.."HEY WE'RE MUTANTS, REMEMBER MY FACE SO THAT WAY WHEN YOU SEE ME IN PUBLIC YOU CAN BEAT ME WITH A ALUMINUM BAT."
superpooper - 9/26/2011, 5:22 PM
@eatmyhit Really? Action stars? Think again dude. Schwarzennegar (?), Eastwood, Stallone, Willis...none of them did that shit. And I'm not saying you can't be gay and play a straight...just do a good job. You may like this version of Wolverine but it's NOT the comicbook and that's a fact. The comicbook version is the one we want to see, and we have yet to see it.
SolidSnake007 - 9/26/2011, 5:26 PM
Enough Jackman...... Please. Just let it go man. The character of Wolverine will outlive you so just give it up. There will be a better Wolverine to come. Now lets go find him. One that the fans will accept.
AlexDeLarge87 - 9/26/2011, 5:27 PM
GUNSMITH@ "...Or give my description to Sentinels so that they can hunt me down!;)"
eatmyhit - 9/26/2011, 5:27 PM
@superpooper Erm actually both Willis and Stallone did plus stallone even directed a dance movie!! And i never actually said i like this version of Wolverine but i gave Jackman credit for sticking about and his commitment to the role!
pointman - 9/26/2011, 5:39 PM
Good to see that being called a fanboy isnt keeping you guys down. That term always confused me. Arent the "fans" the reason the movies are being made in the first place? It makes so much sense to alienate your core audience by screwing up the characters. I just love seeing jackmans show tunes singing self get his ass handed to him playing wolverine in every single xflick. He heals, we get it. Wolverine is supposed to be one of if not the deadliest men on the planet. Trained soldier, ninja, agent, samurai ect ect. Get it fox???
superpooper - 9/26/2011, 5:41 PM
^^ Lol...dude, just go watch a clip of him in "the boy from oz" and tell me if this is who you would've cast as Wolverine...that's all I'm saying. There's drama class and stuff you have to do and then there's super flamboyant "hello frisco" type roles that one can CHOOSE to do and RELISH in doing, like your boy Jackman. It would take a really "sympathetic" (hint hint) director to cast someone such as this in such an otherwise testosterone fueled role. He may not be an "out" homosexual...but he sure does fit the uniform...lol
pointman - 9/26/2011, 5:43 PM
^^ amen brutha! I just waiting for jackman to go into the "french mistake" from blazing saddles any minute now!
superpooper - 9/26/2011, 5:51 PM
@eatmyshit And I just love the syllogistic argument that if I do not approve of casting a (possibly) gay man as Wolverine than I must be a CLOSET HOMOSEXUAL! Please dude, do you know how stupid that sounds? Let me clarify, I don't have any problem with homosexuals. I don't think anyone does these days. JACKMAN SUCKS AS WOLVERINE. That's my opinion. Sorry. Even if he's straight as an arrow he still sucks as Wolverine. Nothing changes that.
nowtheresaBATman - 9/26/2011, 5:55 PM
Mel Gibson for an OLD MAN LOGAN movie. Berserker Fury anyone?
PaulRom - 9/26/2011, 6:04 PM
Truer to the character? I'm in.
dancingmonkey08 - 9/26/2011, 6:12 PM
make this next movie the final Hugh Jackman-starring Wolverine for a long time (hopefully it will go out on a high). Hugh is getting too old for the role after this next movie

I dont want to see another movie appearance for Wolverine until a potential Marvel Studios X-Men reboot in about 20 years

Let Fox keep going with their First Class franchise & maybe the Deadpool movie until the franchise becomes unprofitable and it goes back to Marvel

Oh and NO [frick]ING X4, people have to accept that X3 killed the original franchise, First Class all the way
Julesimanerd - 9/26/2011, 6:22 PM
Jackman is still Wolverine for me, and he always
Julesimanerd - 9/26/2011, 6:23 PM
*will
GLGeek - 9/26/2011, 6:55 PM
At this point in the X-Men film franchise, what studio wouldn't see the appeal of the original First Class? Even Fox must see the appeal. So the name "First Class" is gone. Call it X-Men Core and give us the original 5. Scott, Jean, Hank, Bobby, and Warren. Throw a new version of the Brotherhood at 'em and keep Magneto out just so he doesn't get over-used (I love him enough to keep him special). C'mon, I'm begging here.
TheGambitFreakIsBatmanOfCBM - 9/26/2011, 7:09 PM
Imagine a time in the film Industry where Fox sells the rights back to Marvel, and they make a new movie. I want Christian Kane, I mean I love Jackman, but by the time Fox realizes their beating a dead horse with a stick, he'll be to old. And Kane screams Wolverine.

19163071.jpg-r_760_x-f_jpg-q_x-20090903_025548

leverage_christian-kane-3_ph-michael-muller

1522706-christian_kane_as_wolverine_super
Nexus6 - 9/26/2011, 7:14 PM
i think colin farrell would make a good wolvie if he started concentrating on actually acting again!and yeah, mel gibson for old man logan!
EarOne - 9/26/2011, 7:29 PM
man, Jackman really wants to MILK every little drop outta this character, doesn't he? well, why not...especially since he hasn't been able to score another franchise. he better hopes his real steel hits the jackpot.

personally, i'd rather see him in X4, concluding THAT story and just LEAVE Wolverine alone and give it to somebody else in a reboot, a much closer to the classic comics adaptation, perhaps. a much shorter and much grumpier and sassier Logan.
superpooper - 9/26/2011, 8:36 PM
I really miss the days before Wolverine became so popular. Before it became "Wolverine and the Xmen" more or less. The character was so much cooler when he was the one member of the Xmen who was willing to put in the dirty work. He wasn't trying to be a leader, Hell...he was just doing what he did best. Now he's the center of a friggin soap opera. It's just too much. I liked him more as supporting cast the then as the star. That's where the Xmen franchise failed so miserably with him. One could say that financially the movies did what they set out to do, but in my opinion they could have been so much more. Oh well.
1 2

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

.