ROTTEN TOMATOES: Jackman Promises Meaner Wolverine

Jackman Promises Meaner Wolverine

Plus: A new still from the prequel.

by Jeff Giles | February 15, 2008

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Can't wait until next May to get a look at Hugh Jackman in some Wolverine prequel action? USA Today feels your pain.

The news syndicate has offered fans a first look at X-Men Origins: Wolverine, including the following shot of Jackman in all his clawed glory:

The actor promised that X-Men fans' favorite anti-hero wouldn't be getting any kinder or gentler in the prequel -- just the opposite, in fact:

"I know it seems odd given, you know, the guy is already half animal. But with all the success of the X-Men, you feel the pressure to keep pushing it further."

Admitting he was caught off guard by the success of the X-Men films, Jackman says he "became a fan of Wolverine like everyone else -- that's why I keep holding on to the character." And though he declined to reveal much in the way of plot details for the prequel, he did tell USA Today that fans can expect "a good bit of cameos," and promised that Sabretooth "is going to play a big part in it."

Source: USA Today

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(1-20 of 46 posts) | Reply

Gimy writes:
on Feb 15 2008 05:37 AM

d3mn hugh...if thats natural(and you haven't been hangin' with stallone)...i wanna know his workout regime.

this should, and better be, pretty sweet. i think he's really the only character that could have had a spinoff(sorry halle). i'm not really into the whole prequels thing though but as long as he doesn't age too much in his face and they don't do a Lucas and contradict the previous movies...i'm totally lookin' forward to it

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Elixor writes:
on Feb 15 2008 05:56 AM

Yeah, I have to admit that he's looking more the part in that still than the poster on the right or other movie stills I've seen.

I have yet to see Wolverine in any of the X-Men movies so far and yet I've watched all three movies. Sure the house raid scene in X2 was getting closer, but I still say Jackman's Wolverine is weak. I love Hugh as an actor, and maybe this movie will be better, but I remain skeptical.

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Synyster_Gates writes:
on Feb 15 2008 06:00 AM

I hope this has the badass version of Wolverine. He needs to be really angry and aggressive. I agree the movies' version was weak, but in a good way.

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impfromhell writes:
on Feb 15 2008 06:14 AM

He was pretty mean in the first one, at the beginning. But as he became a part of something, a family(the x-men) the love kinda softened him up a little. This movie is before he finds a sense of belonging, so of course he's gonna be a mean bastard. And by the way, that image up top is either photo shopped, or Jackman is shooting up the juice. Oh and, the article says next May, that means May 08. I'm pretty sure they meant May 09.

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Gimy writes:
on Feb 15 2008 06:20 AM

i'm not 'bout to say anything about the CHARACTER, because i'm not a comic dude and i'm not at all screened in that stuff, but i think hugh did a great job as the script was written. they didn't give him the tough bad2ss that you guys seem to want, they gave him that in parts but almost RIGHT off the bat he became this protective fatherly-like figure. during all 3 movies he became more and more of this leader of youth, not this renegade "ask questions last" kinda guy. i don't see them keeping that in the prequel(s) though. i think he'll be more of a guy you comic geeks have been hoping for...and that should make this movie the sh3t.

the only thing that kinda bothers me is the sabertooth role. i wasn't really enamored with that character in the first and to me he was basically a fill in to take up time, kinda like the angel in the 3rd movie. but we'll see...

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Weed17 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 06:50 AM

how did the prequels contradict the star wars series?

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Feb 15 2008 07:16 AM

Jackman: every morning when you're in your trailer, just look into the mirror and repeat the following:

"I am Feral. I am Become Death. I am the destroyer of worlds -with my claws. I do not hug. If a cat licks my claws, I eat cat. I do not kill for fun but I have fun when I kill. If anyone refers to me as their teacher, even as a cover story, I kill them. Then I find and kill their teacher. I am not on the brute squad. I AM the brute squad. I have no sympathy for the handicapped. There is nothing to fear but me, myself. Guns don't kill People because I get to them faster than the gun. I kill people. Cyclops was a *****."

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dennischu22 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 07:46 AM

This rendition of Wolverine should be must better than him in the movie. The first X-Men was awesome, but then it kind of trailed off from there. Hopefully this will be one of the better comic book biopics (aka Batman, Spider-Man).

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bigbrother writes:
on Feb 15 2008 08:33 AM

Well, he definately looks hairier. I'm kinda excited to see this. Wolverine is always more fun when theirs not underage girls around (Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, movie version of Rogue) to add that unsavory "Robin factor" to his character.

(Reply to this)

deneco4 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 08:36 AM

Jackman, repeat the following:

I was awesome in Prestigue, I was awesome in The Fountain, I will be awesome in this movie as well.

Cause lets face it, the guys got the muscle AND the sensability to be an award winning actor. Hes the best!

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jpotter writes:
on Feb 15 2008 08:39 AM

thought this was a bad idea in the beginning, but now i think i can get on board. let's hope gambit shows up somewhere...

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ManofStee1 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:11 AM

Looking forward to more of the berserker fury hinted at in X-2 (when he butchered Stryker's men and when he fought Deathstrike). That's the main thing needed in a Wolverine movie.

Still wish the zombie ninjas from Mark Millar's run were in it though... movies could benefit from more zombie ninjas.

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Ender7406 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:27 AM

Honestly, though, can we just give up on the whole Gambit thing, though? The execs didn't include him in the first 3 for a reason: he's a shallow character that has the single most annoying accent on the planet. And who wants a Gambit cameo in a Wolverine movie? Have cameos of relevant characters like Jubilee (yes, groan) or X-23. This should not be the fruit salad of "Oh, sorry we didn't get you in the first 3" characters. I'd just as soon see Longshot or Banshee or Thunderbird or Nimrod or Bishop or Apocalypse or any other more obscure mutant in this.

Acceptable:
- Deathstrike
- William Striker
- Sabretooth
- Hell, even Captain America, if they have WWII flashbacks

Not:
- Anyone that has little or no relevance to Wolverine's origins and past

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dahluzz writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:29 AM

ok, little common sense guys: every photo you see ANYWHERE that wasn't taken by someone's little digital camera, has been heavily photoshopped. duh. yes, that means every magazine cover, poster, advertisement and promotional movie still. c'mon people, juicing? give me a break.

and speaking of touch-ups. is it ever going to be possible, with all of the modern marvels of cg, that we will see wolverine with claws that don't look like complete fabricated crap?

you can give the guy 50 lbs. of detailed muscle mass but then the claws look like they were just plopped on top at the last minute? this has been true of all of the x-men movies, which also can't seem to decide if the claws are rounded with sharp points at the end like thicker knitting needles, or more knife-like with a sharp edge as well as the tip. the claws ARE the stars of this film, hugh jackman is the supporting actor.

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Shatter24 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:34 AM

I think putting a young boy Gambit/thief in the film would be kind of cool. Nothing wrong with creating backstory. Wolverine is supposed to be really old, so Gambit would have grown up since then, and they could use a different actor once they got around to including him in an X-Men 4. That way Wolverine and him could have some history. I'm just saying a scene or two, as a side character.

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quietus28 writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:55 AM

Hopefully the movie is better than the terrible title.

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zgberg writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:56 AM

In reply to this comment (#1576105)
There's a whole comic plotline from the 90's where it is implied SaberTooth is Wolverine's father...oops

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zgberg writes:
on Feb 15 2008 09:59 AM

In reply to this comment (#1576125)
One way the SW prequels contradict...maybe not so much contradiction but definitely stupid...C3PO, created by Anakin?

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FireflyFan4evr writes:
on Feb 15 2008 10:45 AM

In reply to this comment (#1576540)
Apocalypse would be kick-a$$! I still remember that epic story line from the animated series from when I was a kid. I'd love to see that happen on the big screen as well.

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Commander Kook writes:
on Feb 15 2008 10:54 AM

I remember reading that Michael C. Hall(?) of Dexter fame was maybe going to play the young Stryker. Any truth to that?

(Reply to this)