Wolverine: The Basics
We bring you up to speed on X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
by
IGN Staff
February 14, 2008 - You may have seen what he looks like, but there are still plenty of movie secrets yet to be revealed. 20th Century Fox has given fans a first look at Hugh Jackman in
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but speculation about the film's casting and possible storyline remain unconfirmed.
We've clawed our way through all the rumors and have gathered the basics on the prequel film for ya right here!
Behind the Scenes
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is directed by Gavin Hood, known for the acclaimed South African drama
Tsotsi. Hood was picked by the studio after
300 helmer Zack Snyder passed on the gig.
David Benioff, writer of
The Kite Runner,
Troy and Spike Lee's
25th Hour, penned the screenplay. Rewrites on the script were done by James Vanderbilt (
The Rundown) and Scott Silver (
8 Mile).
The film's score will be penned by composer Harry Gregson-Williams, and David McAlpine is director of photography.
The Story
The Wolverine film is believed to be set approximately two decades before the events of the first
X-Men. However, there may be a flashback sequence to Logan's childhood at the beginning of the movie. The story will focus on the character's violent past and his early dealings with William Stryker -- the origins of the Cold War-era Weapon X supersoldier program. The film will chronicle Logan's initial encounters with other mutants, including Victor Creed, who would soon become his nemesis, Sabertooth.
Featured Characters
Logan/Wolverine - Hugh Jackman reprises his
X-Men role in this prequel that focuses on the character's origins. We believe the film will show how his skeleton was bonded with the rare and indestructible metal alloy adamantium during the Cold War-era Weapon X supersoldier program (a process he survives thanks to his mutant healing factor). In Marvel lore, the clandestine operation's original test subjects were members of the CIA's covert ops Team X, which included Logan and at least two other mutants that will come into play in the movie: Victor Creed/Sabretooth and Silver Fox.
Victor Creed/Sabretooth - We expect the introduction of Victor Creed into Logan's world to be similar to the comic book history. Logan first encounters Creed when the two are living in the same Canadian frontier community during the 1910s. Sabretooth intimidates everyone in the village except for Logan, a young man he suspects has feral mutant abilities similar to his own. He is also resentful of the relationship between Logan and an Indian girl named Silver Fox. Creed makes a pass at the young woman, but she rejects his advances. He assaults her and leaves her for dead. The first of many ferocious clashes between Logan and Creed then ensuses. Creed and Logan part ways, but are later reunited, their memories altered, as part of the CIA's Team X. We anticipate a much less dimwitted version of Sabretooth than was presented in the original
X-Men.
Actor Liev Schreiber who had been linked to the role of Stryker (see below), is rumored to be playing Creed.
William Stryker - In the
X-Men movie continuity, Colonel William Stryker is introduced in
X2 (played by actor Brian Cox) as a military scientist who invented the adamantium bonding process that was used on Logan. You'll see Stryker again, albeit a slightly younger version, in
Wolverine.
It was initially reported that actor Liev Schreiber would be portraying the character, but that's since been called into question. Rumor has it (source: CHUD.com) that Dexter actor Michael C. Hall is up for the role.
Silver Fox - Silver Fox's movie origins are also expected to be similar to established Marvel lore. She's was a young member of an Indian tribe in the Canadian Rockies when she fell in love with a mutant named Logan. But another member of the pair's remote community, Victor Creed, sought to dominate Logan. When Silver Fox rejected his advances, Creed savagely attacked her, presumably raping her and leaving her for dead. Unbeknownst to both Creed and Logan, Silver Fox survived the attack. In fact, she was reunited with both of them as a member of the Weapon X program. As mentioned, their memories had been altered as a result of the program's memory implants, so it's unlikely that they were aware of their history. In the comics, Silver Fox's only mutant ability is the regenerative power given to her by the Mutant X program.
Maggie Q was initially linked to the role, but more recently rumors of actress Michelle Monaghan's casting have surfaced.
Other Mutants? - There will be plenty of other mutants appearing in the film, however briefly. We've heard rumors of higher profile cameos like Gambit and Deadpool, as well as appearances by lesser known mutants like The Blob and Beak.
How do you think the movie's shaping up? Leave it in the comments.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens May 1, 2009. For even more, visit our
X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie page.
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