Wolverine 2

Mark Bomback to Re-Write THE WOLVERINE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 1st, 2011 at 2:27 pm

Screenwriter Mark Bomback (Jack the Giant Killer, the upcoming remake of Total Recall) is set to re-write Christopher McQuarrie’s script for James Mangold’s The Wolverine.  According to Variety, the story still revolves around Wolvie heading to Japan where he falls in love and fights the country’s criminal underworld with nothing but a healing factor, super strength, an adamantium skeleton, and razor-sharp retractable claws (Am I the only one who thinks Wolverine is overpowered?).  The entire cast will be comprised of Japanese and Japanese-American actors except for the new character “Viper” who’s the white secretary for Japan’s Minister of Justice.  I guess the Japanese government is cool hiring people who sound like they should be in a biker gang.  As we previously reported, filming will take place in Vancouver but Variety reports the film will also shoot in Tokyo.  Filming will begin next year after Hugh Jackman wraps on Les Miserables.

Bomback’s previous credits include Live Free or Die Hard, Unstoppable, Godsend, Deception, and the remake of Race to Witch Mountain.  I try not to hang bad movies on the screenwriter since blockbuster films have so many uncredited scribes, but that filmography does not inspire confidence.

THE WOLVERINE Production Pushed Back from Fall 2011 to Spring 2012

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: August 24th, 2011 at 8:10 pm

The Wolverine is having trouble becoming a movie.  Last fall, Darren Aronofsky signed  on to direct a March 2011 shoot, at which point you got excited about the sequel.  When March came around, Aronofsky dropped out, and you gave up all hope again.  Hugh Jackman promised they’d get The Wolverine in front of cameras by October, and the city of Vancouver was preparing to welcome the crew in November.  About that last point: Christopher McQuarrie’s script takes place mostly in Japan.  The bulk of filming was also scheduled for Japan, but the massive March earthquake complicated things, necessitating a greater reliance on Vancouver.  Deadline hears “weather-related considerations” could pull Fox out of Japan altogether, which is unfortunate.  Moreover, the fall start looks increasingly unlikely, in part to allow Jackman to film Les Miserables.

The delay won’t cripple development.  Despite critical evisceration, X-Men Origins: Wolverine earned nearly $400 million worldwide.  Fox wants a sequel, but director James Mangold may not get the chance to film until spring 2012, and he may not be able to shoot on location as much as we hoped.

Vancouver Folks: THE WOLVERINE and MAN OF STEEL Will Shoot in Your City

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 18th, 2011 at 8:06 am

I don’t think this news really matters to anyone outside of Vancouver (who are probably so used to seeing films shot in their city that it doesn’t phase them much anymore), but for anyone that cares, The Wolverine and Superman will be shooting in the everycity.  The Vancouver Sun reports that the Wolverine sequel will be shooting in the city from Nov. 11 to March 1, 2012 at Canadian Motion Picture Park in Burnaby, a location that also played host to scenes from Twilight, Supernatural, and Fantastic Four.  The five month shoot in Vancouver indicates that the original plan to film the movie in Japan is probably out.

Man of Steel is also setting up shop in British Columbia and will be filming from September 21 – January 21st.  There will be a casting call this weekend and they’d especially like some people with “older character faces and those who could be passed off as loggers for Nanaimo and commercial fishermen in Ucluelet.”  Click here for details on how to apply.  Other films currently shooting in Vancouver include Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 and Robert Redford’s The Company You Keep.

Director David Slade Talks DAREDEVIL and THE WOLVERINE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 21st, 2011 at 10:28 am

Director David Slade has taken to the Twitter machine to talk about Daredevil and Wolverine.  Slade recently became attached to direct Daredevil, but Darren Aronofsky’s sudden departure from The Wolverine has led to speculation that Slade could take the helm since he was one of the lead contenders for the gig.  Slade has now clarified not only his plans for Daredevil but also his current status in regards to The Wolverine.  Speaking about Daredevil, Slade tweeted:

So without breaking confidentiality, yes Daredevil, we have a great outline for a very strong character driven take on Mr Matt Murdock. It will bare no relation to the previous Daredevil movie in any way. We are at early planning stages and have not yet discussed any cast.

Hit the jump for more on Daredevil, as well as what Slade had to say about The Wolverine.

Darren Aronofsky Drops Out of THE WOLVERINE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 17th, 2011 at 10:24 am

Darren Aronofsky has exited the director’s chair on The Wolverine.  The sequel to 2009′s X-Men Origins: Wolverine was supposed to see Logan taking what he does best (stabbing) to Japan.  Filming was rumored to begin this month for a 2012 release date.  However, Fox has now sent out a press release stating that Aronofsky didn’t want to spend a year out of the country and away from his family.  While the “spend more time with family” excuse usually is a smokescreen for behind-the-scenes machinations, Aronofsky recently divorced from Rachel Weisz and there may be a custody battle over their son.  Also, as you may have heard, there was recently a giant earthquake in Japan and now may not be the best time to shoot a movie there.

Hit the jump for the press release, which includes a statement from Aronofsky and from Fox.  I’ve also included my thoughts on Aronofsky leaving the project.

Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures Signs Two-Year Deal With Fox

by Ben Brown    Posted: November 18th, 2010 at 2:33 pm

It’s a good time to be Darren Aronofsky. With highly-acclaimed Black Swan set for release next month, as well as the news of his signing to direct the comic adaptation The Wolverine, the man is stirring up quite the buzz-storm for Fox. That makes the following news hardly surprising.

A press release issued today by Fox states that Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures has signed a two-year deal with the studio, essentially securing his future endeavors financially. To check out the official press release, hit the jump.

WOLVERINE Sequel Titled “THE WOLVERINE”; Matthew Libatique Will Be the Cinematographer

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 13th, 2010 at 8:01 pm

Great news on the sequel to Hugh Jackman’s solo spin-off of the X-Men franchise today. Director Darren Aronofsky tells Drew McWeeny at Hitfix that the official title of the film will be The Wolverine. Jackman recently said this film will be “very different” from the first film, and Aronofsky seems to validate that point.  The director emphasized that The Wolverine isn’t a sequel in the conventional sense, referring to the movie as a one-off.

Hitfix also reports that Aronofsky’s frequent collaborator Matthew Libatique will shoot the picture.  Libatique coming aboard to be the cinematographer is very good news indeed. He shot both Iron Man films and recently finished work on Jon Favreau’s upcoming western/sci-fi epic Cowboys & Aliens. This being Aronofsky’s first foray into relatively commercial/tentpole fare, Libatique’s experience should be a fantastic asset.  Hit the jump for more info on The Wolverine.

Main Characters and Minor Plot Points Revealed for WOLVERINE 2

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 28th, 2010 at 4:31 pm

New details have emerged regarding Christopher McQuarrie’s script for Wolverine 2.  As we suspected, the Japan-set sequel will be based off Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s 1982 arc that sent Logan to the Land of the Rising Sun.  In order to avoid spoilers, we’ve put the new plot details and character descriptions after the jump.

Hit the jump to learn more about Wolverine 2, which is being directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Hugh Jackman.  Shooting is scheduled to begin in March 2011.

UPDATE: 20th Century Fox has asked us to take down the article.  Sorry if you missed it.

Darren Aronofsky to Direct Max Berry’s MACHINE MAN

by Jeff Ames    Posted: October 26th, 2010 at 4:07 pm

Critically acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky is set to direct the upcoming motion picture adaptation of Machine Man, based on Max Barry’s online serialized story. The production will reunite Aronofsky with Mark Heyman, who co-produced The Wrestler, and is currently penning the Machine Man screenplay. Mandalay Pictures will produce the film.  Here’s what Variety has on the film:

A gadget geek and engineer working at a forward-thinking tech firm decides to systematically replace his weaker fleshy parts with high-end titanium performance upgrades of his own design. But he isn’t the only one with plans for his superior parts.

Barry wrote the story in serialized form, unveiling one page at a time from March 2009-December 2009 and the entire story will be published as a novel in Spring 2011.  Aronofsky will direct Machine Man after Wolverine 2, which will shoot this March for a 2012 release. The prolific director has been linked to various films recently, notably Superman: The Man of Steel, Tales From the Gangster Squad, and Preacher. He will unveil his highly anticipated Black Swan in December. Hit the jump for more.

Hugh Jackman Promises WOLVERINE 2 Will Be “Very Different”

by Jeff Ames    Posted: October 19th, 2010 at 12:41 pm

With word that acclaimed filmmaker Darren Aronofsky is set to direct the sequel to the atrocious X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it’s time to turn our attention over to analyzing what we can expect from the follow-up.  Hugh Jackman, on site last night at Elton John’s Enduring Vision gala, gave Vulture the latest scoop on the project. “This is, hopefully for me, going to be out of the box. It’s going to be the best one, I hope,” he said, and then paused. “Well, I would say that, but I really do feel that, and I feel this is going to be very different.”

Jackman also doesn’t feel that the typically dark Aronofsky will clash with the comic book material stating, “”This is Wolverine. This is not Popeye. He’s kind of dark. But, you know, this is a change of pace. Chris McQuarrie, who wrote The Usual Suspects, has written the script, so that’ll give you a good clue. [Aronofsky’s] going to make it fantastic. There’s going to be some meat on the bones. There will be something to think about as you leave the theater, for sure.” Does that mean we can expect something more akin to The Dark Knight? Hit the jump for more.

Darren Aronofsky to Direct WOLVERINE 2; Filming Slated to Begin in March

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 17th, 2010 at 8:34 pm

Last week, we reported that director Darren Aronofsky was close to taking the helm of Wolverine 2.  Now, Deadline is reporting that the deal is so far along that they’re already planning to shoot the sound-stage portions in New York so that Aronofsky and Hugh Jackman don’t have to inconvenience their families.  However, once the shooting in New York is finished, the production will move to Japan (where the sequel is set) for the bulk of the filming.

Deadline also reports that shooting is scheduled to begin in March in order to allow Aronofsky time to do the necessary press and awards-season obligations that will come when his new movie, Black Swan, opens on December 3rd.  Hit the jump for a recap on what we know about Wolverine 2 thus far.

Darren Aronofsky Moves Towards WOLVERINE 2; Won’t Direct TALES FROM THE GANGSTER SQUAD

by Bill Graham    Posted: October 12th, 2010 at 1:05 pm

There are some mixed emotions in the air today. Most people want a great Wolverine film, but the last stand-alone film with the mutant’s namesake was an utter disaster. I won’t even bother mentioning the name. However, Hugh Jackman seems hell-bent on making a quality film with the character that made him a star, and it appears he may be reuniting with The Fountain director Darren Aronofsky to make that second film a success. Aronofsky has turned down Warner Bros. Tales from the Gangster Squad, according to Deadline, and he is nearing an agreement with 20^th Century Fox for the Wolverine sequel that will take the eponymous character to Japan. For more on the potential deal and why I think this is a good thing for Aronofsky and us, hit the jump.

Darren Aronofsky Offered WOLVERINE 2 and TALES FROM THE GANGSTER SQUAD

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 6th, 2010 at 7:42 am

Darren Aronofsky’s name has been mentioned as a possible contender to direct major comic adaptations including Superman: The Man of Steel, Wolverine 2, and Preacher.  However, earlier this week Zack Snyder officially got the Superman gig and now Vulture is reporting that Aronofsky is now seriously considering Wolverine 2.  Apparently, Aronofsky was highly-interested in doing Superman, but wanted more time to work on the story.  It’s looking like Warner Bros. loss in Fox’s gain as Aronofsky aims to reunite with his Fountain star Hugh Jackman.  As we’ve previously reported, the script for Wolverine 2 is being handled by Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) and would send Wolverine to Japan.

But Warner Bros. isn’t willing to let Aronofsky go without a fight.  Hit the jump to learn about the studio offering him Tales from the Gangster Squad.

Is Darren Aronofsky in the Running to Direct WOLVERINE 2?

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 30th, 2010 at 3:26 pm

A couple weeks ago, we reported that director David Slade (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) was the likely choice to helm Wolverine 2.  However, Deadline is now reporting that a far more interesting choice is in the mix: Darren Aronofsky.  Hugh Jackman reportedly spoke with Slade over the weekend and has been speaking with Aronofsky.  We previously reported that Robert Schwentke (Red) was in the mix, but he has apparently opted out and is looking at R.I.P.D. (starring Ryan Reynolds) or Robert Ludlum’s The Osterman Weekend as possible follow-ups.

As you may recall, Jackman previously worked with Aronofsky in The Fountain. However, Deadline believes that Slade has the edge with the studio since he has demonstrated he can handle a blockbuster, large-scale special-effects picture.  Hit the jump for why I would like Aronofsky to get the gig, but won’t be heartbroken if he doesn’t.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE Director David Slade Likely to Helm WOLVERINE 2

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 20th, 2010 at 8:31 am

It looks like one of two directors is going to be taking Wolverine to Japan.  Vulture reports that the contenders to helm Wolverine 2 are David Slade (Hard Candy, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) and Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler’s Wife, the upcoming Bruce Willis action flick Red).  While both men have been approved by 20th Century Fox brass, the decision comes down to Hugh Jackman, and Vulture says he’s going to choose Slade.

Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) is penning the script, which will see Wolverine traveling to Japan and completely ignorant of the events of X-Men Origins: Wolverine thanks the magic of adamantium memory bullets.  I’m going to assume that McQuarrie will be drawing from Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s 1979 arc that had Wolverine traveling to Japan and falling in love with Mariko Yashida whose father, Shingen Yashida was a Yakuza crime boss.  Shingen also had an illegitimate son, Keniuchio Harada, who was a mutant and came to be known as the Silver Samurai.  Vulture says the plot of the movie has Wolverine battling folks with samurai swords.  Hopefully those swords won’t be coming out their freaking forearms.  Hit the jump for my thoughts on Slade (potentially) getting the gig.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design