Looks like the most popular of Marvel's Merry Mutants is already getting yet another go at the big screen with Christopher McQuarrie set to pen the sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." While the critical and fan response to the first film this past May was, shall we say, "mixed", the inclusion of McQuarrie, a frequent Bryan Singer collaborator, and a story rumored to center on Wolverine's training in Japan could make for a decent second feature (well fifth really since the three X-Men movies were really just Wolverine movies anyway).  Have a good, cathartic cry after the jump.

Three days ago, Hugh Jackman confirmed in an interview with MTV that the next Wolverine flick would take its cues from the 1982 "Wolverine" miniseries by X-Men legend Chris Claremont and the bat-shit insane Frank Miller. "It's my favorite saga of the Wolverine stories," Jackman said of the Ragin' Canuck's adventures in the Far East. That alone is intriguing for the sheer fact that we will get to see (in some form) an "X-Men" story from the comics that's not an origin film. The tone required for the story would fit McQuarrie like a glove, who's worked with former X-Men director Bryan Singer on "Public Access", "The Usual Suspects", and "Valkyrie", reportedly doing an un-credited touch-up on the original "X-Men" script as well.

Jackman's enthusiasm and the inclusion of a decent writer aside, the big question remains: who will take the reigns as the film's director? Could Gavin Hood return? Possibly. Some unsubstantiated rumors floating around the interwebs indicated that Bryan Singer considered directing the first Wolverine film and may be courted for the sequel, although that seems highly unlikely. Until more information comes our way, color me cautiously optimistic for this one. McQuarrie can write, and Jackman does well with the character when he has the material and direction to back him up. On top of that, Fox seems to be undergoing a bit of a revival right now, with Jim Cameron's "Avatar" and the news that Ridley Scott will direct an "Alien" prequel, they seem to be hiring filmmakers again as opposed to hired guns. Right now, it's a matter of a filmmaker that can bring the same level of awareness that Singer brought to "X-Men" and "X2" and can show us why Wolverine is the best there is at what he does. And a FX house that didn't program using an Amiga would be nice too.

[THR]