I hadn’t heard anything recently about the upcoming Wolverine solo film in awhile, so I figured I’d do some digging around and see what I could find out.
First of all, here’s a promising first look at a pic from the project:
The image certainly does look slick, and the iconic Wolverine pose is a nice touch.
I especially like the fact that the image is highly reminiscent of audiences’ very first big screen introduction to the character. (If you recall, we first meet Logan in the middle of a bare-knuckle cage fight in some bar way up north. This was way back in the very first X-Men film.)
A closer look at the buildings in the background reveals what appears to be distinctly Japanese architecture; it looks as though the movie Wolverine’s origins will remain true, at least in part, to the comic book origins already established, with Logan spending a decent part of his pre-X-Men days in Japan.
The prequel film has an official title, X-Men Origins: Wolverine (this according to imdb.com, the Internet Movie Database), that I like.
I can only imagine the upcoming Magneto origin movie will have a similar title (X-Men Origins: Magneto, anyone?).
The idea of producing a series of these X-Men Origins movies appeals to me, although I’m not entirely sure which characters deserve the prequel treatment.
One last bit of news: the imdb page for the Wolverine prequel includes one interesting tidbit of which I was unaware. Apparently, actor Bailey Chase has been cast in the film and is rumored to be playing Gambit.
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I love Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, but I feel the character has become less and less interesting as the X-Men film franchise has progressed.
I mean, first you make him wear a uniform, then you take away the man’s beer, then his cigars. What’s next? Make him team leader?
Honestly, though, I loved a lot of what was done with Wolverine in the first film.
For example, and it’s a small change to be sure, but an effective one: in the comic books, Wolverine has three small, adamantium housings by his knuckles, one for each hand, that allow his claws to go in and out (see pic below); in the movie, Wolverine has to slice through his own skin every time he uses his claws.
At one point, Rogue asks him if it hurts when he uses his claws. Logan replies, ”Every time.”
Wolverine’s got a lot of great lines in the first X-Men film. My favorite exchange comes after Wolverine discovers the stowaway Rogue. When he tells her to get out, Rogue asks him, “Where am I supposed to go?” to which he replies, ”I don’t know.”
Rogue counters, “You don’t know, or don’t care?” and Wolverine, gotta love him, tells her, “Pick one.”
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I’ve never been very comfortable with Wolverine in the spotlight, taking center stage. I’ve never thought of him as the main character, and certainly not as the leader of the X-Men. The third X-Men film, X-Men: The Last Stand, or as I like to call it, Wolverine And The X-Men 2, had Logan assuming the role of team leader and delivering rousing, inspirational speeches to the rest of the team.
To me, when I envision the X-Men as a group, on the cover of a comic book or in a movie poster, I don’t picture Wolverine dead center.
Wolverine’s the strong, silent one in the far left or right corner, looking menacing with his adamantium claws out, inwardly wondering how the hell Scott managed to convince him to pose for a group picture with the rest of the team.
Wolverine’s like Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe, or Boba Fett from the Star Wars Universe, or even Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation. They’re your go-to-guys when things get out of hand, and you can always count on them to take care of business (well, maybe not Boba Fett; with him, it’s sort of debatable). In short, they’re bad asses, and they sure as hell don’t deliver rousing, inspirational speeches before the big battle. They’re men of few words. Or in the case of Snake Eyes, men of no words.
Sure, they may be more popular than Duke or Captain Picard, but that doesn’t mean you change the focus, or title, of the series just to take advantage of the characters’ popularity and appeal. And you certainly don’t make them team leader.
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I’m starting to get excited about this Wolverine prequel. Hopefully, we’ll see a return to the character’s less domesticated, beer chugging, cigar chomping, loner beginnings.
Tags: X-Men Origins Wolverine
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