"Wolverine 2" confirmed; Logan heads to Japan

I actually wouldn't mind seeing this...as long as it isn't psychotically over-edited/rushed as "Wolverine". I actually wouldn't mind having Gavin Hood back as director...but please, can we get the X-Men franchise away from 20th Century Fox? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaasee...

Source: Firstshowing.net

Question of the Day: Are you more excited to see a G.I. Joe sequel or a Wolverine sequel? Let me remind you that the next Wolverine movie will see Logan venturing to Japan for some samurai training and Eastern philosophy. MTV caught up with Hugh Jackman recently at the Teen Choice Awards and talked briefly about the sequel, confirming pretty much what we already know. "Japan is where we're heading, [and] we're starting to work on it now. We're in the… first steps of developing that story." It was confirmed back in May after X-Men Origins: Wolverine opened that they'd be heading to Japan, so that's not big news.

"I think the fans love that saga. It's my favorite saga of the Wolverine stories," Jackman says. "That's a movie I've longed to make from the beginning, so that's where we're heading." After that movie hit earlier this summer, despite scathing reviews, most people seemed open to the idea of seeing Wolverine head to Japan because it was actually a good storyline. Frank Miller and Chris Claremont introduced the story arc where Logan heads to Japan back in 1990 in Wolverine #1-4. I think it's a great idea and I'm excited for this sequel. Now they just need to find a better writer and director - why doesn't Jackman announce them yet?

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "Star Trek" - REVIEW(s)

So, I actually did manage to see both of my other "must-sees" from the first half of May, and despite forewarning about one of them, neither ended up being a disappointment, although one is certainly miles ahead of the other:

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - This whole "origins" story arc has become something of a staple in superhero franchises, spurred by the critical and commercial successes of "Spiderman" (2002) and "Batman Begins" (2005). Now, after three massively successful films, the X-Men series returns to the roots of one of its iconic characters: John Logan AKA Wolverine. Of course, some series will do it better than others, and while "Wolverine" is definitely on the lesser end of the spectrum of origin stories, it's surprisingly far from the train-wreck that people have been labeling it as; it is in no way the next "Catwoman". Really, the film only suffers from a handful of problems, but unfortunately, they're problems that cover the entire story, or even beyond. The first is the pacing. At just and hour and 45 minutes, and with so much ground to cover, "Wolverine" hits the ground sprinting, and never really takes time to slow down. While there is a pretty cool time-montage showing Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Victor (Liev Schreiber) fighting through the American Revolution, the Civil War, both World Wars, and Vietnam, the first stage of the prologue, which actually has dialogue and "emotional trauma" is played at the same speed. This results in a setup that has young Logan say a few words to his dad before going to sleep, hearing a ruckus, finding his "father" dead, and sprouting his claws for the first time...all in barely 2 or 3 minutes. After an incident in Vietnam where Victor decapitates a commanding officer, the brothers are put before a firing squad which does little except "tickle" them. They are then introduced to Maj. William Stryker (Danny Huston, taking over the Brian Cox role from the original trilogy), who says he's "putting together a special team of people with special powers". That team consists of Logan, Victor, electricity-controlling Bolt (Dominic Monaghan from "Lost" and "Lord of the Rings"), fast talking swordsman Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), teleporter John Wraith (wil. i. am), Agent Zero (Daniel Henney), and Fred Dukes, AKA the blob (Kevin Durand). The mercenaries bust up a Nigerian...diamond mining ring? in order to secure a not so subtle I'm-sure-that-will-come-back-later plot point. After witnessing a massacre of innocent civilians, Wolverine quits, moves to Canada with his girlfriend Kayla (Lynn Collins) and works as a lumberjack...until Stryker shows up again. Things obviously take a turn for the worse when Kayla winds up dead, and Wolverine realizes that someone (I wonder who!?) is killing off the old members of the team (umm...Watchmen rip-off, anyone?). All of this happens in what feels like 30 minutes. That's a lot of stuff, considering the amount of time the supporting players receive. And here we come to problem number 2: character juggling. Yes, this is Wolverine's story, but honestly, why bother to throw in some of these cool characters if they're never going to be heard from again, or at least only shown in a limited capacity. Wade Wilson basically gets one blade-tastic action scene and then...GONE. Bolt uses his electro powers three times...GONE. Kayla shares a handful of really quick moments with Logan, and then she's GONE, which makes her death not as impactful as it should be (you'll probably just think "well that sucks", and move on). Even fan-favorite Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), who appears much later, only gets about two real scenes in the movie, one of which is completely pointless (why did he have to disrupt Wolverine and Victor/Sabretooth's New Orleans street fight???). On the other end of the spectrum is Stryker, who, instead of appearing too frequently, appears too often and too conveniently (at times it feels like that one Seinfeld episode where George seemed to pop up wherever Jerry was). So after all of this ranting, what could problem number 3 be? This is the trickiest one, and would have still been present even if the script hadn't felt so hopped-up on speed: William Stryker. No, not the character himself, but rather, the script's choice to focus on this part of Wolverine's early life. Since even most casual views (me included) know that Stryker shows up in a later part of the X-Men saga, it renders his part as an antagonist slightly limp: he can't die, and neither can Wolverine (well...duh) or Sabretooth. So while the dozens of fight scenes are actually well executed, there's never any true suspense; they are exciting enough, but not to the point where they inspire a sense of triumph or dismay in their outcomes. That said, the movie isn't a total waste. Fight scenes, though generally quite short, are usually well executed despite their lack of surprises in terms of victors, and the special effects, some of which seemed slightly wonky in the trailers, are actually solid throughout the film. Acting-wise, there are no bad performances; everyone clearly trying hard, even when they have so little to work with. Kitsch's Gambit hints at enough personality that make him deserving of a return where he might have a better showcase for his character, Reynolds nails the fast-talking Wade in his barely-10-lines of dialogue, and Schreiber has enough wicked charisma as Sabretooth to (mostly) cover-up some of his embarrassingly cliched lines ("look what the cat dragged in"...seriously?); they suggest that in better hands, these pseudo-cameos could have become a memorable supporting ensemble. Director Gavin Hood, more known for character driven films, does a solid job with establishing a darker tone, even when his efforts are undercut by the script and/or studio meddling. Sets look lived in, as opposed to overly polished, from in the research facility where Wolverine's bones become coated in adamantium, to the streets and alleys of New Orleans where Gambit resides. But at the end of the day, this is Jackman's show, and this is perhaps the movie's greatest strength. He has the looks and charisma to pull off this role even in the worst of circumstances, and as the film's only real lead, holds the often-rushed plot together, which is pretty impressive. So, at the end of it all, how does the film stack up? Well, it's no masterpiece, and I certainly wouldn't rush out to tell people to see it as soon as they can, but, as I've said before, it's no trainwreck. There are no head-bangingly awful moments, mostly thanks to the efforts of the cast, and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't entertained, or that I was bored. So really, Wolverine isn't so much a bad or terrible movie, as it is an average one that fails to deliver the on the level of Spiderman or Batman, but still manages to provide a decent movie-going experience. It's just that, in the comic-book movie canon, it's simply not one of the memorable entries.

Grade: C+

Star Trek - Despite any hints of an origin story, J.J. Abrams' reboot of the classic sci-fi TV series, shares that much in common with "Wolverine", but the similarities end quite shortly. The opening alone settles that, as a Federation star ship comes under attack by a massive Romulan vessel comandeered by Capt. Nero (Eric Bana). So, if that previous sentence made you think that I'm a "Star Trek" fan who knows the ins and outs of its universe, you'd be wrong. Before walking into the theater, I only had a loose idea of what the Federation is, and I'd never heard of this "Romulan" race, (same goes for the Vulcans). But that's part of what makes Abrams film such a roaring triumph; there is plenty to appeal to die-hard fans, but more than enough to bring in countless new fans. It's the first Star Trek movie for, well, anyone who loves a good time at the movies. There's not too much more I can talk about plot wise, because it's probably best if you go in knowing as little as possible, so I'll just stick to the other aspects. Re-casting the iconic roles of the original USS Enterprise crew had to be a daunting task, but everyone succeeds with flying colors. Chris Pine is fun as the rebellious, impulse-driven James T. Kirk, and is foiled perfectly by Zachary Quinto's Spock, a half Vulcan, half human who is constantly torn between his logic-filled upbringing and the emotions buried deep beneath the surface. Rounding out the delightful cast are Karl Urban as wise-cracking doctor Leonard McCoy, John Cho as sword-wielding pilot Hikaru Sulu, Anton Yelchin as Russian math wunderkind Pavel Chekov, Simon Pegg as Scotty, and Zoe Saldana as feisty Uhura. Quinto still turns in the most memorable performance, but thankfully, there are no weaklinks, and I can't wait to set sail with this cast again in the near future. Story-wise, what I CAN say, is that the structure is beautifully handled. The opening scenes with young Spock and young Kirk perfectly establish their adult personalities, and set up for their inevitable head-butting early on. Unlike in Wolverine, where events just kept happening, quiet scenes are actually allowed to breathe and grow, giving the film greater heft. What finally completes Abrams' space odyssey are the visuals, and they're glorious. Starships, exploding supernovas, space monsters, lasers, gun blasts, and set design are all gorgeously rendered. Much like Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings", the vision is very complete, and wonderfully detailed. This alternate future wasn't just thrown together casually; the crew put in a lot of work, and it shows. But even with all of its great effects and sets, Abrams never forgets story, character, or even humor, which is more than I can say for another recent set of sci-fi epics (I'm looking at you, "Star Wars"). I know that this is a totally cheesy way to end a review of this movie, but...I can't resist: I hope Abrams, the cast, and this film all live long and prosper. They wholly deserve it.

Grade: A-

Number of 2009 films seen: 14

Not surprising: 'Wolverine 2' gets the "go-ahead"

Although with all of these other potential projects and the return to Broadway, it's amazing to think that Jackman will find time to do it....

Source: Variety

Hugh Jackman and Seed Productions partner John Palermo are ramping up several projects for the "Wolverine" star.

Fox and Seed are in development on a sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which topped the domestic box office over the weekend.

The Seed partners have begun planning the sequel, which they are squarely focusing on the samurai storyline originated in the comic series, and whose Japanese locale was teased after the film's final credits. A writer has yet to be hired. Seed will produce.

Fox has just closed a deal to acquire "Personal Security," a spec script by Matt Lieberman. Jackman will star as a tough Gotham police detective forced into bodyguard duty for a spoiled teen heiress who is receiving kidnapping threats. Jackman and Palermo will produce with Tapestry's Michael Schreiber.

While Jackman has not set his next star vehicle, he has gotten revved up over"Drive," a Seed-produced adaptation of the James Sallis novel set up atUniversal.

Jackman will play a solitary man who drives race cars by day and getaway cars by night in Los Angeles. Jackman was energized by the latest draft written byHossein Amini, who turned in a script that Jackman said captured the tone of aSteve McQueen film.

Long-in-the-works "Carousel" is also now a priority at Fox 2000, after David Magee turned in a script that Jackman and Palermo said keeps the timeless spirit of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, but injects relevance for a contemporary audience. Jackman will play Billy Bigelow. On Jackman's wishlist for the role of Julie Jordan is Anne Hathaway, who dueted with him in the Oscarcast opening number. Negotiations have not begun with the actress.

Finally, Jackman, who won a Tony for "The Boy From Oz," hopes to return to the Broadway stage in early 2010 in the title role in "Houdini," with Jack O'Brien ("Hairspray") directing, Danny Elfman writing the music, andDavid Yazbek ("Dirty Rotten Scoundrels") writing lyrics. The book was first written by Kurt Andersen, but the producers are aiming for a rewrite. Jackman and Palermo will produce with Scott Sanders and David Rockwell.

The Fox-based Seed label has grown in size to include execs Amanda Schweitzer, Kathryn Tamblyn, Allan Mandelbaum and Joe Marino, with Alan Free operating the Sydney-based production office whose goal is to mount modest-budget films to harness local talent in Jackman's home country.

Final trailer for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"

Kick-ass new character Tv-spots for "Wolverine"

2nd Quarter Preview: April, May June

With the first fourth of the year already behind us, we're finally starting to move away from start-of-the-new-year schlock, and into late spring/early summer, which means one thing: big budget action flicks. However, while the likes of "Star Trek" and "Wolverine" are just about certain to storm the box office, this list isn't populated entirely by typical big budget summer fare, and the number one choice is going to surprise most people, because I've only posted one or two things about my #1 most anticipated film of early summer. Without further adieu, the 12 to keep an eye over the course of April, May, and June....

12. Cheri (June 26th - Limited) - Think that summer movies are filled with too many explosions and not enough witty banter and pretty dresses? Then "Cheri", starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates, might just be your cup of (very sophisticated) tea. Set in 1920s Paris, the plot centers on Cheri (Rupert Friend...that's right..."Cheri" is a man), the son of a courtesan, must deal with the end of his relationship with an older woman (Pfeiffer) who educated him in the ways of love. Even if the movie sucks, it will still be worth a look for those of us who can't fathom how Michelle Pfeiffer still looks sexier than most "hot" 20 year old starlets (I'll take Madame Pfeiffer over that Lady Gaga wench any day, thank you very much).

Anticipation Meter: 6/10

11. The Brothers Bloom (May 15th/29th?? - Limited) - The twice delayed "Brothers Bloom" has finally secured a solid release date...so the marketing says. Let's hope that's a good thing, because I've been curious to see Rian Johnston's crime/spy/thriller/comedy for a while now. Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffallo play the titular brothers, who team up with their explosives expert (Rinko Kikuchi from "Babel") and a New Jersey heiress (Rachel Weisz) for one last con. Plot details have been (thankfully) kept relatively under wraps, despite the repeated delays, which is good, because "Bloom"'s plot seems like the sort of well-executed spy-farce packed with plot twists and double crosses (just like the delightful "Duplicity"). It will also be interesting to see Weisz, Brody, and especially Kikuchi (who irritated me to no end in "Babel") try their hands at comedy. Hopefully the casting risk pays off...

Anticipation Meter: 6.5/10

10. Angels and Demons (May 15th - Nationwide) - After the debacle that was "The Da Vinci Code", this prequel-turned-sequel has to be a step up...right? With Tom Hanks' hair looking considerably less awful (it's still an eye sore, however) and a plot more suited for a summer blockbuster (running around! assassins! car chases! explosions!), "Angels and Demons" has the potentially to transfer to the big screen much more smoothly than its predecessor, because it doesn't rely on a bunch of (mostly fake) facts to create the suspense/plot twists. Oh, and a quick message to the Vatican from one Catholic to another: regardless of whether you boycott this movie, people (yes, Catholics too...and probably lots of them) will still see this movie, so stop bitching about it, and go back to preaching the gospel and helping people. Also, will someone in the Vatican (anyone will do...most of you guys in there are superbly educated) please get the pope up to speed on condoms? Thanks.

Anticipation Meter: 6.5/10

09. Up (May 29th - Nationwide) - Perhaps the marketing team for "Up!" should be fired. With all the fantastic reports from test screenings, it seems odd that the trailers feel so...limp. The humor doesn't stick, and animation aside, it looks like a giant step below "Ratatouille" and "WALL-E" in terms of sophistication. Even the one or two clips released online aren't terribly impressive (one is downright "blah"). Is it just a case of bad trailers and seeing clips out of context, or does Pixar have another "Cars" on their hands?

Anticipation Meter: 6.5/10

08. The Soloist (April 24th - Nationwide) - Another delayed project from 08, this one is particularly note worthy for being a former Oscar hopeful. Directed by "Atonement"'s Joe Wright, "The Soloist" tells the true story of LA reporter Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) who stumbles upon a blind cello prodigy (Jamie Foxx). Lopez decides to write a story about the prodigy, and tries to help him achieve his dream of playing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Thrown into the mix is Catherine Keener, playing yet another semi-likeable bitch (you're awesome Ms. Keener, but it's getting old), this time in the form of Lopez's co-worker. The trailer screams "schmaltz", so here's hoping that someone as skilled as Wright can make the story moving, without resorting to shameless heartstring-tugging. It should also be interesting to hear Wright collaborator Dario Marianelli's score; music for modern day stories isn't exactly his forte, so I'm interested to hear what he comes up with.

Anticipation Meter: 6.5/10

07. Terminator: Salvation (May 21st - Nationwide) - It's awkward to admit, but I've never seen any of the Terminator movies completely, though I do know a solid amount about the plot details. However, judging by the trailer, "Terminator: Salvation" has plenty of unresolved plot threads from the Terminator saga that will engage series fans, while also offering a basic overarching plot to draw in neophytes (humans vs. robots, apocalyptic setting, fate of mankind at stake, etc...). While the cast boasts Christian Bale as John Connor, the person I'm most interested to see is the as-yet-unrevealed Serena, apparently something of a villain, played by the always delightful Helena Bonham Carter.

Anticipation Meter: 7/10


06. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 29th - Nationwide) - Just like with "Angels and Demons", I wasn't terribly fond of the predecessor to "Revenge of the Fallen". The first Transformers movie felt largely inert, with annoying attempts at comedy, and a surprisingly sluggish, action-free set up (though the big finale, ridiculous though it may be, was pretty spectacular). Hopefully, with all of Michael Bay's "characters" (I use that term very, very lightly) set up, he get stop trying to be a serious filmmaker and get right to the good stuff: big-ass robots beating the hell out of each other. With the addition of a slew of new Transfomers (both good and bad) ranging from a speedy tiger-like contraption, to a stadium-sized one who makes all others look like flies, "Transformers 2" has all the potential to be the biggest, loudest, dumbest, and certainly most explosion-filled sequel of the year. If done right, it will be the perfect summer action flick: a fun and exciting spectacle that allows you to check your brain at the door and enjoy the ride.

Anticipation Meter: 7/10


05. Star Trek (May 8th - Nationwide) - I've never been much of a "Star Trek" follower either, and for the longest time I didn't give a damn about JJ Abrams' reboot of the classic sci-fi show. And then that 2nd trailer came out. I've been excited ever since. With special effects slick enough to give "Transformers 2" a run for its money, and stunning worlds and action sequences, "Star Trek" seems to have done the impossible: updated a campy TV classic into a modern, relevant sci-fi epic.

Anticipation Meter: 7.5/10


04. State of Play (April 17th - Nationwide) - It's no easy task having to condense a complicated TV miniseries into a 2 hour movie, but judging from the trailers, director Kevin Macdonald and crew may have done just that. When a young Washington DC clerk/assistant is shot in a dark alley, it sets off an investigation not only from the police, but by a very determined reporter as well (Russell Crowe). Turns out, the young woman was having an affair with Crowe's former friend, a current senator (Ben Affleck) who's been investigating a suspicious company. As the case is dragged on further, Crowe and his fellow reporter (Rachel McAdams) start to hunt for the truth, even when the police, and their own boss (Helen Mirren) tell them that they should keep their noses out. All of it leads to "something" that's infinitely more complex and connected than anyone ever suspected. Hollywood has been in short supply of political thrillers that manage to be intense without relying on a car chase every five minutes, and "State of Play" might just be the movie to fill that void. With its stellar cast and gripping source material, it could be a nice late-spring surprise (the fact that it's being released around the same time as 2005's well-executed "The Interpreter" seems like a good sign as well).

Anticipation Meter: 8/10



.03 Wolverine (May 1st - Nationwide) - The comic book movie has enjoyed something of a renaissance this decade. First it was the success of the Spiderman franchise, and then Christopher Nolan's brilliant, brooding reinvention of Batman. On the flip side, there were the X-Men movies, which, while successful, never really got to the same level as the previous two series. The first two were incredibly fun, yes, but at times too cheeky, and overstuffed with characters, many of whom were teenage brats. By the time Brett Ratner's "X-Men 3" rolled out in 2006, the franchise seemed a bit stale. In a surprisingly smart move, 20th Century Fox decided to drop the cast of regulars (save for Hugh Jackman of course) to focus on the origin story of the quintessential X-men mutant: Wolverine. Jackman, though about a foot too tall, is still the perfect fit for Wolverine, and with a movie entirely dedicated to his character's story, he should have more room to shine. The reports that Jackman and director Gavin Hood wanted to make the film more dark and less family friendly are also encouraging, just as long as Hood and crew don't completely leave out the sense of fun (judging by some of Liev Schreiber's one liners, it would seem that the humor is intact). But if you're afraid of suffering from seeing too much Wolverine, there will be plenty of other fun characters to make things go "boom". There's Schreiber's Sabretooth, who becomes Wolverine's arch nemesis, John Wraith (Wil. i. am) who can become invisible, Emma Frost (Tahya Tozzi) who has control over ice, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), who's something of a gravity defying, twin blade whirling ninja, and Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), who has the power to charge inanimate objects with energy, which can turn even playing cards into deadly weapons. So while this may be Wolverine's story, don't expect Jackman to hog the screen the whole time; he'll have plenty of on-screen company to keep things interesting.

Anticipation Meter: 8/10



02. Away We Go (May 29th - Limited) - The cheap, "Juno"-riffic poster aside, Sam Mendes' immediate follow-up to the so-so "Revolutionary Road" is a dark drama/comedy for adults, that, even if it's only half as good as its trailer, will still be a winner. Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are going nowhere in their lives until Verona suddenly becomes pregnant. Seeing no point in sticking around their dilapidated house, the couple sets out across America to try and find a suitable place to start their family, while encountering family members and friends along the way. The cast alone is enough of a reason to see it (Krasinski, Rudolph, Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Daniels, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and queen-of-the-scene-stealers Allison Janney), but the fact that it's written by Dave Eggers (who wrote the tragic, yet sometimes painfully funny A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) and his wife is an added plus. The man has a way with dialogue, and with Mendes behind the camera, we could have something really special on our hands.

Anticipation Meter: 9/10



01. The Limits of Control (May 1st - Limited) - "Away We Go" may have the funniest trailer of the year so far, but nothing comes close to matching "The Limits of Control"'s trailer in terms of sheer intrigue. Part independent drama, part bizarre espionage tale, it's hard to elaborate on the plot, because the trailer gives so little away, all while making you think, "I HAVE to see this movie!!" Though Isaach De Bankole, as the guitar playing main character, may not be a household name even among art-house theater goers, there's plenty of other big names to round out the ensemble: Bill Murray, John Hurt, Gael Garcia Bernal, "The Visitor"'s overlooked Hiam Abbass, and Tilda Swinton, sporting some costumes 10 times more bizarre than anything she's ever worn on the red carpet. Perhaps what makes the film so intriguing, stellar cast aside, is that it is a small film that still looks very polished, but without looking like it has compromised any of its individuality. And these days, that's hard to come by, which is why even seeing the trailer for films like "The Limits of Control" is enough to make you realize that, yes, there is still room in Hollywood for creativity to grow freely.

Anticipation: 9/10

"Wolverine" director to movie-goers: dispute rumors are false

I hope this is true, and that he's not lying through his teeth just to make it seem like everything is alright. The darker this movie is, the better (and after their poor financial intake in 2008, you'd think that Fox would be smart enough to stop interfering/creatively stifling their projects by now....)

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

'Wolverine' helmer clears the air

As Fox deals with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" bouncing around the Internet like emails promising Nigerian fortunes, it's easy to forget an earlier controversy surrounding the movie: namely, the alleged battle between director Gavin Hood and Fox studio topper Tom Rothman over how dark the movie should be.

Blogs and fan sites last summer were rife with reports of clashes on the set, with some suggesting that Rothman was pressuring the director to make X4 a lot less dark and a lot more kid-friendly. But in a new interview Hood did with THR's Matthew Belloni for our new summer movie web portal, the director swings his steel claws at the fanboys, calling the reports "upsetting" and saying he has "never had a stand-up argument with Tom Rothman" beyond the usual studio-director back-and-forth.

New "charaters" TV spot for "Wolverine"

New trailers for "Wolverine" and "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"!

The Harry Potter trailer is spectacular (even though HBP was my least favorite book, the fact that David Yates is at the helm again can only mean good things, and it all looks so grim) and the Wolverine trailer makes the movie look like a lot of fun.

New promo pictures and poster for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"

Maybe they ought to retitle the film as, "Hugh Jackman is better than you, and here's why..."

TV spots 2 & 3 for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"

1st TV spot for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"

New posters for "State of Play" and "Wolverine"

"Wolverine" heads for re-shoots

There's only room for one man's scruff in this town....

Source: collider.com

Written by Matt Goldberg

UPDATE: Since the publication of this story, two things have happened. 1) More people have come out to tell us that it is 100% correct; 2) Hugh Jackman has sent an e-mail to Harry over at AintItCool echoing Fox's comments to us about these re-shoots always being planned and to deal with certain weather conditions. While we're sticking with our story, we wish Fox and Mr. Jackman all the best. We love the character of Wolverine and think that the first two "X-Men" movies are a blast. We want "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" to be terrific, whatever the weather may be.

Sources have informed us that Fox is conducting extensive re-shoots for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", some or all of those re-shoots in Vancouver. And by "extensive" we're not talking about a few days of pick-ups. More curious was the studio considered bringing in a few journalists to cover these re-shoots. Now usually re-shoots such as this are done quietly. Studios don't want you to know they done fucked up and can't get their shit together in the editing room.

As for the production, everyone (and by "everyone", I mean the world of online film journalists) knows that Gavin Hood was not getting to make the movie he wanted while on set. There have been reports of Fox basically going around Hood and micro-managing like they always do. Example: some sets were re-painted because it's what the execs wanted, not what Hood wanted.

There have also been many leaked reports that Richard Donner was on the set in some capacity while they were filming. Some in the online world have speculated that Mr. Donner was doing more than just standing around, casting long, adoring gazes at Taylor Kitsch (although he can hardly be faulted if that was the case). We can neither confirm nor substantiate these claims about Donner since we weren't there and we don't know. But with Gavin Hood helming the re-shoots, Fox and Hood must have come to an understanding and are clearly trying to salvage one of the summer tent-poles of 2009. Let's hope that Fox is spending all this money to finally give fans the movie that they've been clamoring for.

Official (ie: high quality) trailer for "Wolverine" (2009)

I'm sure it won't be as good as, say, The Dark Knight, but it looks like a fun ride none-the-less. Jackman really is perfect for the role...

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE HD

Poor quality trailer for "Wolverine (2009)

This was taken by someone at this year's Comic-Con, which explains the uneven camera, poor sound, and wild screaming. The trailer will be officially released tomorrow, but if you can't wait 24 hours, here it is ahead of schedule...

Five new images from "Wolverine" (2009)

"Wolverine" Comic-con footage now online!

This was taken by someone at the screening with a handheld camera, but you still get a decent look at the footage. Watch it while you can before the studio takes it down!

First footage from 2009's "Wolverine" screened at Comic-Con 2008

Moving from one Hugh Jackman vehicle to the next, we have news that early footage from the 2009 film "Wolverine" showed footage at the convention. The film (directed by the Oscar winning director behind foreign language film winner "Tsotsi") is an origin story that tells how Logan became the kickass X-men that series fans all know and love. However, that doesn't mean that Jackman will be hogging all the screen time and fancy stunts; the cast also includes Liev Schreiber (aka Mr. Naomi Watts) and Ryan Reynolds (Mr. Scarlett Johannson). I've never been a huge X-men fan, but this seems like it could be worth waiting for. Unfortunately, no videos have surfaced (though perhaps within the next few days....??) but there is a nice description courtesy of a reporter from ComingSoon.net:

At the end of the 20th Century Fox presentation where they showed new footage from The Day the Earth Stood Still and Max Payne (more on that exciting footage coming soon), the studio who has produced the most Marvel comic book movies so far pulled a surprise on the packed audience by bringing out Hugh Jackman, who had just gotten off a plane from Australia where they had just finished filming X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Written by David Benioff and directed by Oscar-winning director Gavin Hood (Tsotsi), the movie had been cloaked in secrecy except for a few scattered pictures that have leaked out, and Jackman was really excited about debuting some of the first footage at Comic-Con, since they weren't able to bring any of the "X-Men" movies there. He thanked everyone in the audience for helping make comic book movies so big in the past few years as well as going to see the three "X-Men" movies because it's the fans who helped make Jackman's career.

Jackman introduced Len Wein, the creator of Wolverine, who was in the audience, but that wasn't enough for Jackman, as he jumped off the stage and ran over shake Wein's hand and thank him for creating such a great character. Once he was back on stage, Jackman gave a really heart-felt speech to Wein saying, "I waited a long time to thank you personally and I wanted to shake your hand, mate. It's one of the best comic book characters ever created and as an actor, it's a challenge to play and I've just done it for the fourth time, and I still feel there's more to find out and that's down to you, from your great mind and heart creating a great character."

Jackman promised that the movie is "big, action-packed and bad-ass" and that we'll see a lot of "berzerker rage" in it, before showing the footage that was cut together especially for Comic-Con, even though he promised that it would look even better when the movie comes out next May.

The footage went by so fast that it was impossible to catch everything the first time--and they only showed it once unfortunately--but it begins with Jackman's Logan and Liev Schreiber's Victor Creed dressed in military gear in a detention cell where they're being interrogated by the younger Major William Stryker, played by Danny Huston. He says, "You were sentenced to death for decapitating a senior officer. Your sentence was to be carried out by a firing squad at 1000 hours. How'd that go?" Then Wolverine said, "It tickled." We see the two of them put in front of a firing squad who shoots at them, but they escape and we see Logan walking away as the building explodes behind them.

Stryker continues asking them if they're tired of running and denying their true nature and tells them he's putting together a "special team with special privileges" referring to the early stages of Weapon X or Alpha Flight. As he says this, we see brief glimpses of all the other characters in the movie, including Taylor Kitsch's Gambit, who looked amazing in action, Lynn Collins as Silverfox, Kevin Durand as The Blob, and even a short glimpse of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool.

Most of the non-action scenes in the footage were dialogue sequences between Jackman and Schreiber with them talking over whether to take up Stryker's offer, and this is obviously what's going to lead to the long-time friends having a difference of opinions that leads to their age-old conflict. Logan says to Creed something about wanting to make a difference and asks how he'd like to get started, at which Creed tells Logan, "We didn't sign up for this. Who do you think you are? This is what we do! Become the animal."

From there, we get a few scenes of the experiments done to Logan to turn him into Wolverine, which looks like it was designed after the classic origin tale told in Barry Windsor-Smith's "Weapon X" story with him bursting out of the vat with the adamantium spikes coming out of skin. There was also a brief glimpse of Logan as a boy in a kimono with his claws extended which harks back to images from "Origins" and Frank Miller's take on the character's roots in Japan.

We see a few quick bits of Wolverine fighting some of the characters, including the Blob and Gambit, but the best moments are when he's taking on Sabretooth (of course)--sorry, Tyler Mane, but I think Liev Schreiber is going to make a lot better Victor Creed--and the clip reel ended with Wolverine hanging from the top of the helicopter while it's flying through the air.

Even though the usual claims were that this was unfinished footage, it looked good enough to make a pretty kick-ass trailer and fans of the character should be happy if the movie delivers on what we were shown.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens on May 1, 2009, and Jackman mentioned that they'll be presenting more footage and have a full panel for the movie at Wonder-Con in February.