Interview: Hugh Jackman On "Wolverine"
Written by Robert Sanchez
Saturday, 14 October 2006
Hugh Jackman stars, alongside Christian Bale, in The Prestige as Robert Angier a very talented but obsessed magician. Soon, Jackman will be returning to the role of Wolverine in the X-Men character's film due out in 2008.
As Wolverine and part of the X-Men team, Jackman was put on the map as an actor to be reckoned with. Now with three X-Men films behind him, next on the list is the Wolverine prequel. Where did he come from? How did he get the adamantium bonded to his skeleton? Who makes those spiffy X-Men outfits anyway? These questions and more answered in the upcoming Wolverine prequel.
The IESB sat down with Jackman and a few other journalists today at The Prestige press day in Pasadena. Jackman revealed that the final script for Wolverine has been turned in and signed off on. He also said that shooting would begin immediately after he completes filming on the as yet untitled Baz Luhrmann project he is signed on to do with Nicole Kidman in Australia.
Check out Hugh Jackman in his own words below.
HJ: We just now signed off on the [Wolverine] script. If you know the history of the X-Men movies, this is a revolution for us. We're a year away from shooting the film and we have the script, and by the way it's
unbelievable. It's the David Benioff script. He's a huge fan. You guys know Benioff, one of the hardest working writers in town. He was beating down our door to write this movie. It was like the most amazing thing. So we have this fantastic script and I have a couple movies coming up in the next month and I might be able to tell you who the director is by then. We are serious talks right now.
Q: We know that it's a prequel is it going to follow any of the Japanese storylines?
HJ: At present no, that is something that we really want to do, that's a whole other movie. What we really want to do is establish who he is and find out how he became Wolverine.
Q: So there is a possibility of Wolverine 2?
HJ: I'm not ruling it out.
RIght at this time during the press day, Christian Bale walked by and patted Hugh Jackman on the back.
HJ says referring to Bale: He's cool
And I said, "He's Batman." (we all laughed)
HJ: We would spar a little bit on set.
Q: Who would win?
HJ: Come on, even Christian would say Wolverine. Surely (laughter). He's got a cool belt and some cool gadgets but let's face it he's human, right? (laughter)
The IESB luckily (accidentally) got a candid moment as well with Hugh Jackman during the press day. We talked about the upcoming X-Men ensemble films that Fox Chairman Tom Rothman has spoken about starring younger X-Men. Would he consider returning as Wolverine?
IESB: Speaking to Rothman recently, he acknowledged that the characters and storylines of the existing films are complete. But he has not ruled out other ensemble X-Men films, would you consider being a part of those films?
HJ: I don't know. I don't know if I would come back in a big way.
IESB: A cameo?
HJ: Maybe. I really want to do Wolverine, I don't know what they have planned. I heard they were thinking about a younger X-Men film.
IESB: Exactly, a younger ensemble film.
HJ: Yeah, I would come back and do a small appearance.
So there you have, the latest up to date news on the Wolverine film straight from Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman.
Check back this week for the full transcript from our interview with Jackman on The Prestige.
