Hugh Jackman can’t avoid questions about the movie Wolverine, even when he’s busy promoting a different film. During the press rounds for The Prestige (a thriller directed by Christopher Nolan and co-starring Christian Bale), Jackman patiently answered questions about the upcoming Wolverine movie.
What can say about the status of Wolverine?
“We just now have a final script, final draft from David Benioff, which I absolutely love. I know the fans are going to go crazy for it. It’s just fantastic. Benioff is an amazing writer. Obviously you guys know him, but for the fans who don’t, he’s probably one of the hottest writers hanging around town. Spielberg and everyone are after him. He was beating down our door to make this movie because he is the most passionate Wolverine fan. He’s followed him since he was nine, so it’s one of those rare combinations where you have a writer who all these Oscar-winning directors are wanting to write, and he’s like, ‘I want to do Wolverine.’ So he’s written a script, which for me is the most superior of them all, and now we have to find a director which we’re looking for now.
I’ve got a couple movies coming out so if I see you guys maybe in about a month, I might be able to let you know. We’re close. Then I’m shooting a movie with Baz Luhrmann and Nicole Kidman next year in Australia. We plan to do Wolverine after that.”
Will that preclude more X-Men movies?
“For me? In the near future, yeah. I think the plan is to do the Wolverine movie. I don't know what the future is for that franchise. I’m almost sure there’s no more X-Men movies. I have heard talk about a movie about the younger X-Men, a more kid-orientated thing which I might play a small part in. I’ve heard a story about a Magneto spin-off as well. But, honestly, I’ve probably heard what you’ve heard. I’ve heard nothing official. But I do know that we’re going to make the Wolverine movie.”
What intrigues you most about playing Wolverine?
“To me, he’s one of the great screen archetypes. He’s like, when I was growing up, Han Solo and Mad Max, Dirty Harry. These were all the kind of roles I loved. And that’s what Wolverine is. He’s that reluctant hero. He is a good guy, but he’s not a nice guy. I think we all love that character. He’s the guy you want on your side, but at the same time, there’s no B.S. about him.”
Do you spend lots of time talking with the screenwriter, David Benioff?
“Well, with someone like David Benioff, you let him do his thing first off. He comes back with it and then we sit down together. I said to him, ‘I think this is fantastic. Maybe we’ll go a little in this direction, or what about this?’ He’s very collaborative and, for better or worse, I played the role for three movies so it’s a character that I know. I know what I want to achieve in the film.
I don’t want the film to appear at all like X-Men 4 in disguise. I want it feel like a very fresh, whole new character piece. I want it to be a character movie and I really want to, by the end of the movie, for it to be definitive. You knew who this guy was - some cool action and some great characters but ultimately that you totally know who Wolverine is. And he really got that. He totally got it. David’s known for being one of the best character writers in Hollywood. So, anyway, he’s been very collaborative. I’m not trying to tell him what I think and he’ll say that I disagree with you or whatever, but it’s been a really terrific process so far.”
Will it be weird to play a younger Wolverine?
“Well, he doesn’t age, right? We have to ask the audience to suspend their disbelief a little because I have aged. I’m not going to go and have surgery, but I think that’s the beauty of playing that role. I won’t be able to do it when I’m 60, but I think for a few years I should be all right.”
