Gavin Hood, Why Wolverine?

[Electrix]

It's hard to talk to director Gavin Hood, maker of the South African Oscar-winner Tsotsi, for a few minutes, because he's such an astute and lively talker that he always has a lot to say on any subject. When we spoke to him about his new political thriller Rendition, we were so caught up in his enthusiasm about the film that we barely had a chance to get to his Wolverine prequel before he was dragged away by a New Line rep.

Since we probably only had a chance for one question, we decided to go for the most obvious one. Because Hood would not seem to be the most obvious director to want to do a studio movie centered around a superhero, we asked that age-old question, "Why?"

"What appeals to me about the Wolverine character of all the other characters is that my feeling that he's the one that suffers from the most existential angst," he began. "Since I'm a guy who loves emotional complexity, it seemed to me that… when I was first approached to do it, my first thought was, 'What? Me? Do this? What is that? I don't know enough about comic book characters.' And of course, I then did some further research and I realized that the character of Wolverine, I think his great appeal lies in the fact that he's someone who in some ways, is filled with a great deal of self-loathing by his own nature and he's constantly at war with his own nature. It seemed to me that really what it is, is that it's a little like great Greek mythology, which is something I've always been in love with where the Greek Gods threw thunderbolts and Poseidon conjured up storms, but those mythological stories were designed to examine emotional truths. It seems to me that the character of Wolverine epitomizes in a modern context, a kind of great mythical tradition of using larger-than-life characters in order to play with and examine human emotion at a sort of operatic level." (Holy *****! Is that an awesome answer or what?)

And before his New Line handler grabbed the phone out of his hand and hung up on us, we got to squeeze out one more question about whether he might shoot in Japan, as one might expect from a Wolverine prequel, especially considering the director's globetrotting resume:

"No, sadly no. We're not going to Japan," he responded then mischievously added, "I think that will be in 'Wolverine 2' but I won't say any more than that."

You can read our full interview with Mr. Hood over on ComingSoon.net in the coming weeks leading up to Rendition's opening on October 19, and considering how much he has to say about that, we can't WAIT to talk to him about Wolverine, which is scheduled to open next year.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6359

 

[BMM]

Beat me to it... I found this part interesting.

"No, sadly no. We're not going to Japan," he responded then mischievously added, "I think that will be in 'Wolverine 2' but I won't say any more than that."

 

[the a1ant]

Wow - what an answer! Gavin Hood reminds me so much of Bryan Singer when he first signed on for X-Men. I think this film has the potential to be greatness

 

[BMM]

I also like this part:

'What? Me? Do this? What is that? I don't know enough about comic book characters.' And of course, I then did some further research and I realized that the character of Wolverine, I think his great appeal lies in the fact that he's someone who in some ways, is filled with a great deal of self-loathing by his own nature and he's constantly at war with his own nature...

This is why I don't necessarily mind directors who aren't fanboys because sometimes they're able to put aside the superficial crap and get to the heart of the characters. I'm glad to hear Hood say this.

 

[Shuley]

We need more first rate independent directors like Gavin Hood to do Superhero films.Indie directors are very character driven filmmakers,that's why their movies are soo good and you say to yourself...why don't they make more movies like dis?

 

[Advanced Dark]

Toldya guys it wasn't just gonna be one film. They can film Wolverine films that take place before & or after the X-Men films. They don't have to be in order.

 

[MattC]

He certainly knows how to talk, which is always a good thing when you are a director. This quote seems very promising, as does the one that indicates that a second Wolverine movie is a possibility! (I was certain it would be, but nice to have some pseudo confirmation that it is possible from someone involved) The Greek Mythology comparison is so true, and I most definately look forward to reading more interviews with him, especially if he gives answers like that for everything he gets asked. Seems like Fox have possibly picked the perfect man for the job.

I think in the case of Wolverine that if he really hits the emotional side on the head, the rest will come with it. This is really exciting.

 

[Tron5000]

We need more first rate independent directors like Gavin Hood to do Superhero films.Indie directors are very character driven filmmakers,that's why their movies are soo good and you say to yourself...why don't they make more movies like dis?

That's why I was really big on Matthew Vaughn ("Layer Cake") directing X3. That's also why I was upset when Rattner was handed the reins.

(Although I must admit, though I hated it upon first viewing, I do like X3 more each time I watch it).

 

[xwolverine2]

wow.... off the top of his head?..lmfao

 

[citizenpain]

his answer has me pretty much convinced that this movie is gonna be great. not that i was doubting it, i've seen tsotsi and i thought it was pretty brilliant, but i was also wondering "why?"

well, now i know. t:

 

[Figs]

Sounds pretty damn good! Anyone know if they have mentioned who the villian/s might be?

 

[Shuley]

Hopefully in Wolverine 2 they will have Wolverine go to Japan and kill a bunch of ninjas.

 

[Angamb]

what?.... did I read "wolverine 2"??

Oh no.....

 

[narrows101]

Here's two more articles, with takes from the authors - although I'm not sure about that 2009 date in the Rotten Tomatoes article (I bet he got that from IMDB):

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wolverine/news/1676373/

Gavin Hood Suggests A Philosophical, Operatic Wolverine
The 2009 existential X-Men spin-off starts filming next month.
by Fred Topel
September 29, 2007

Gavin Hood devoted a few minutes of time at a Rendition press day to answer questions about the upcoming project on everybody's mind: Wolverine. Even the director of Tsotsi could joke about why he took on the big studio comic book project.

"I'll give you two answers really quickly," he began. "One is called a college fund for my twins. That's what you're going to say so why don't we say it? You know, it's not often that a script like Rendition comes across your desk. We think that scripts are just out there and they're not."

Joking aside, to spend a year or more on the project, Hood still had to find a way to care about it artistically. "I'll tell you why I love Wolverine. The truth is, I didn't at first. When Wolverine was offered to me, I went, 'Well, I'm the wrong guy for this.' And then I spoke with Hugh Jackman and the truth is that what's great about the Wolverine character, he's really a character who suffers from a great deal of existential angst."

Like the X-Men films with their underlying message about prejudice, Hood's Wolverine will have more to it than berserker action. "What I do love about the Wolverine character is that there is within that character a great deal of disconnection from who he really is and what it means to be human. So what we're really getting a chance to do is do opera. We're taking human emotion and in the way that you would have Zeus throwing thunder bolts, it's [three claws.]"

The script by David Benioff is expected to delve into Wolverine's origins and involvement with the Weapon-X program and a love interest, with possible appearances by Victor Creed (AKA Sabretooth), William Stryker, The Blob and John Wraith.

Visual effects will be cool too, especially considering that many anticipate Wolverine will have a budget upwards of $100 million. "Well, it's another reason to do it because to work in a visual way, my first film world was still photography and I love the visuals," Hood said. "Yes, to work at a level of heightened visual effects is going to be an amazing experience."

Production on Wolverine is set to begin at the end of November at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia, where producer-star Jackman is also shooting Baz Luhrmann's WWII epic, Australia. Twentieth Century Fox has set a 2009 release.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2007/09/29/director-gavin-hood-brilliantly-explains-why-he-chose-wolverine/

Director Gavin Hood Brilliantly Explains Why He Chose WolverineSeptember 29, 2007
Source: SuperHeroHype
by Alex Billington

If you've been waiting for that final reason to be fully interested in the upcoming X-Men spin-off movie Wolverine, then this is finally it. Director Gavin Hood, who was announced back in July, spoke recently about Wolverine answering the question of why he chose to direct it. His response will have any comic book fan realizing that he is the perfect choice and that the film he's going to deliver may be one of the best comic book movies still to come this century. Hood, who directed the Oscar winning South African film Totsi as well as this year's upcoming Rendition, isn't the most likely choice to direct a superhero movie, but once you hear what he had to say you'll know that he's undoubtedly the right choice.

SuperHeroHype had the honor of speaking with Gavin during his promotion for Rendition. Here's what he had to say about Wolverine.

"What appeals to me about the Wolverine character of all the other characters is that my feeling that he's the one that suffers from the most existential angst," he began. "Since I'm a guy who loves emotional complexity, it seemed to me that… when I was first approached to do it, my first thought was, 'What? Me? Do this? What is that? I don't know enough about comic book characters.’ And of course, I then did some further research and I realized that the character of Wolverine, I think his great appeal lies in the fact that he's someone who in some ways, is filled with a great deal of self-loathing by his own nature and he's constantly at war with his own nature. It seemed to me that really what it is, is that it's a little like great Greek mythology, which is something I've always been in love with where the Greek Gods threw thunderbolts and Poseidon conjured up storms, but those mythological stories were designed to examine emotional truths. It seems to me that the character of Wolverine epitomizes in a modern context, a kind of great mythical tradition of using larger-than-life characters in order to play with and examine human emotion at a sort of operatic level."

The guys at SHH got in one last question as well: whether they'd be shooting in Japan. His answer here leads into some juicy details.
"No, sadly no. We're not going to Japan," he responded then mischievously added, "I think that will be in 'Wolverine 2’ but I won't say any more than that."

A Wolverine trilogy all from Gavin Hood?! Or at least a sequel? This definitely is good news! Unfortunately this isn't anything fully confirmed, but it sounds like they're at least going for more than just one Wolverine movie.

As for his first response above, I don't think I've heard a more brilliant answer and introspective on a comic book character coming from a director ever, except for maybe Sam Raimi on Spider-Man. Ever since Gavin Hood was announced, I've been bewildered by why they would choose an Oscar winning director, but I always knew in the back of my mind that would be a good thing. Now I know why they chose him and it's obvious that he knows what he's doing and he's done his research. I will definitely say that I can't wait until Wolverine. It hasn't even started filming and yet it's encroaching onto The Dark Knight and Iron Man for my most highly anticipated comic book movie.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

This sounds like a guy who really is gonna give us a great Wolverine movie, if Fox lets him have as much as freedom as he wants, we could be in for something special.

His answer to the question was simply stunning.

 

[narrows101]

"I'll tell you why I love Wolverine. The truth is, I didn't at first. When Wolverine was offered to me, I went, 'Well, I'm the wrong guy for this.' And then I spoke with Hugh Jackman and the truth is that what's great about the Wolverine character, he's really a character who suffers from a great deal of existential angst."

Sounds like speaking with Hugh convinced him to direct the movie.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Hugh has always had enthusiasm for the character, he just took it (along with the film-makers and studio) a step too far with X3, but simply reading that answer Hood gave gives me confidence they will get back to basics with the character.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

Like a1ant, that reminded me a lot of what Singer used to say before X1.

While this is great for the film itself, I hope FOX doesn't restrict this guy's job just like they did with Singer in both X1 and X2. And I hope they don't forget that X-Men is about a universe of characters, and not only Wolverine.

 

[Electrix]

And I hope they don't forget that X-Men is about a universe of characters, and not only Wolverine.

Too late for that!

 

[danoyse]

This is why I don't necessarily mind directors who aren't fanboys because sometimes they're able to put aside the superficial crap and get to the heart of the characters. I'm glad to hear Hood say this.

Agreed. It's that approach that makes the film appeal to the non-fanboy audiences as well, and that's where they really succeed. It's the complete opposite of Ratner's approach, where it sounds like he looked at the picture from a comic book, duplicated it, and said "Look how faithful we are!" probably without bothering to read any of the story that went with it.

I'm really looking forward to this movie now!

 

[X-Maniac]

Agreed. It's that approach that makes the film appeal to the non-fanboy audiences as well, and that's where they really succeed. It's the complete opposite of Ratner's approach, where it sounds like he looked at the picture from a comic book, duplicated it, and said "Look how faithful we are!" probably without bothering to read any of the story that went with it.

Well, on the one hand Ratner hit the ground running with X3. Filming began just eight weeks after he was signed on... which is crazy!

On the other hand, I don't think he comes across as the kind of director who looks for deep and complex meanings. Hence X3 shifted from moody drama to colourful spectacle.

But, if Ratner had more time, we might have seen an improved product. I'm still hoping for an X-tended Edition.

 

[storm-x-fan]

Beat me to it... I found this part interesting.

me too....

 

[flavio_lebeau]

Too late for that!

That's right

 

[Infinity9999x]

I also like this part:



This is why I don't necessarily mind directors who aren't fanboys because sometimes they're able to put aside the superficial crap and get to the heart of the characters. I'm glad to hear Hood say this.

That is possibly the best quote I've read related to this movie. I would love it if they finally showed Wolverine the way he was meant to be, not a glorified punisher (as he is portrayed today) but a fallen Samurai who fights against his violent nature.

 

[Loganbabe]

I would love it if they finally showed Wolverine the way he was meant to be, not a glorified punisher (as he is portrayed today) but a fallen Samurai who fights against his violent nature.

Couldn't agree more.
Perhaps a film focusing a bit more on the character's own tragedies and emotional side will change something about the way he's been written in the comics lately? I can only hope.
And so far, Gavin Hood is looking like the perfect choice for this film. Awesome words indeed, GH!