Hugh Jackman wants fans to know his upcoming “Wolverine” follow-up is not a sequel to the poorly-received (albeit commercially successful) first movie.
“We”ve deliberately not called it Wolverine 2 because we want it to be placed and feel like a standalone picture,” said the actor in an interview with Total Film magazine (via The Coventry Telegraph). “With an all-new cast and setting it in Japan, it”s going to give us a whole new visual aesthetic.”
Directed by Gavin Hood (“Tsotsi”), 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” grossed over $370 million worldwide but was generally savaged by critics (not to mention fans).
“The approach to character means we won”t be overloaded with mutants and teams and the like, so it”ll be more character-based,” continued Jackman. “I think in many ways it will feel like a completely different X-Men film.”
“The Wolverine” is directed by James Mangold (“Walk the Line,” “3:10 to Yuma”) and co-stars Hiroyki Sanada as Yakuza crime boss Shingen Yashida and Tao Okamata as Logan’s love interest Mariko (also Yashida’s daughter). The film started production late last month in Australia, and will also shoot for several weeks in Japan. It’s slated for release on July 26, 2013.
Are you glad “The Wolverine” is deviating from the first movie, or do you think “Origins” is underrated? Sound off in the comments.