The Wolverine - Pre-Production

[jo]

Hugh confirms August filming start, via Twitter ( !!! )

starts shooting in August!!! “@markgreen74: @realhughjackman Hi Hugh, any updates on the next Wolverine film for all us geeky fans?

Quite a change of pace!

From dramatic musical to a beloved saga in the life of an action hero!

Who could be more versatile???

Fans have been excitedly tweeting and film sites are reporting the news of the filming start date. There have been some delays in the past ( Japan earthquake/tsunami tragedy/Aronofsky's departure/ location filming issues/new creative team) -- but the delays have resulted in exciting events which replaced the filming delays --

*Back on Broadway
*Filming of Les Miserables

But now, thoughts of a new Hugh movie are starting to crop up 8-)

Jo

[jo]

A number of tweets from the UK re sightings of Hugh visiting local gyms! Most likely getting ready for The Wolverine.

Here's one photo of such a gym visit --



If only the hair can grow as fast as he can take care of the muscle build-up 8-)


Jo

[eugenia]

I love photo. :P

[Krista]

Wow Eugenina, I haven't seen this picture before, wow, thanks!!!! :-* :P :P It kills me, it's very dangerous, very sexy... :o

[Krista]

I think this gym in London will be very famous... It's interesting why he doesn't go to a privat gym or a more silent place... he likes people.
I am looking forward to the new Wolverine movie also!!!! I think he is ready for the role again. :P

[jo]

This has nothing to do with the soon-to-film The Wolverine. It is pure speculation on the part of the film site involved --

www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/06/why-an-x-men-days-of-future-past-movie-makes-sense

But it says that it makes sense to get WOLVERINE involved again in an ensemble sequel to FIRST CLASS - if DAYS OF FUTURE PAST really becomes the script for the sequel of the rebooting of the movie.

Another popular film site, CHUD, chimes in with the same speculation --

www.chud.com/96215/first-class-of-future-past/

Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender...and Hugh Jackman??



What do you think, fangirls and fanboys 8-)



Jo

[jo]

It looks like active pre-production is now ongoing --

quote:

Laura Aghajanianþ@luluagh

Fantastic week working on pre-production for Hugh Jackman's film "The Wolverine".It's gonna be a must see! I've worked with some of the best



Jo

[jo]

Sometime on Wednesday, he was on the beach with his kids.

But also on the same day, he attended the Fox presentation at CineEurope ( with Rothman and Gianopolus) --

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cineeurope-life-pi-bruce-willis-hugh-jackman-ang-lee-340268?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Ffilm+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Movies%29

BARCELONA, Spain -- Bruce Willis, Hugh Jackman and Oscar-winning director Ang Lee took to the stage delighting the 2,000 plus exhibition exec heavy audience gathered for 20th Century Fox International's CineEurope showreel and upcoming slate presentation Wednesday evening.

And if the talent brought to the stage wasn't example enough of Fox's commitment to global box office and international exhibition efforts, the evening was also awash with the studio's heavy-hitting executive team.

The studio's international co-presidents Paul Hanneman and Tomas Jegeus and Fox Searchlight International's Rebecca Kearey led the charge before Fox Filmed Entertainment co-chairmen and CEO's Jim Gianopolus and Tom Rothman landed to introduce Lee and his footage from his "unfilmable film" Life of Pi...

...Also taking to the stage to support a character he himself described as "the backbone of my [movie] career, Hugh Jackman might have spoken for the whole evening about prepping for the start of shoot of The Wolverine due for rollout in 2013.

Returning to his "bad ass" superhero role, Jackman assured the theater-owners that if they went to any gym in Barcelona on any given day during the show they'd find him there working out.

He starts shooting the movie, directed by his chum James Magold in "about six weeks" and said he was excited to get his claws into the character again, "because I believe there's that great movie to be made that defines his character."

Jackman says the Chris McQuarrie script does just that and takes Wolverine into Japan for the first time, a popular part of the comic book series...

Wow - on Monday, they show Rise of the Guardians, followed by the Les Miserables teaser on Tuesday, and ended with his appearance on stage to talk about The Wolverine.

Deja vu circa 2006!


Jo

[jo]

This is NOT an official poster of The Wolverine, but done by a commercial artist ( Calvin Lin) and featured on the HJ Facebook Page --




Another UNOFFICIAL poster, rumored to have been leaked from director James Mangold's office --




The second one is particularly good and relevant, but it may not be politically correct, as the claws dissect the Japanese flag in the poster.

Jo

[jo]

Will he wear a Japanese kimono in any of the scenes in The Wolverine ??




Jo

[birchie]

Jun 24, 2012 5:17:47 GMT -5 jo said:

Will he wear a Japanese kimono in any of the scenes in The Wolverine ??




Jo

That would be very cool!

[jo]

It looks like they are firming up filming locations already --

shane lincolnþ@slincoln1

@realhughjackman gday hugh heard ya filming in crounulla can i be an extra or viset set that would be cool

Cronulla is a beachside suburb in southern Sydney. Maybe to augment the filming at the Fox Studios in Sydney?

Jo

[JH4HJ]

"Even though casting is being quite tight-lipped, Japanese pop-stars Jin Akanishi and GACKT are rumored to be joining Hugh Jackman in the upcoming X-Men spin-off, The Wolverine."

Looks like one of them has his own costume...


Source of this RUMOR is here:
www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/TheAlexLynch/news/?a=63231

[jo]

www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=92326

quote:

>>>Exclusive The Wolverine Casting News!

Source: ComingSoon.net

July 9, 2012



Sources inside The Wolverine camp tell ComingSoon.net/SuperHeroHype that casting is starting to come together opposite Hugh Jackman in the 2013 summer tentpole movie. And we're psyched to hear that Fox is casting real Japanese actors in some of the key roles in the story based in Japan. The studio would not discuss details of these roles and continues to keep the plot under wraps, but it did confirm the following actors were cast and that more roles are expected to be filled shortly:

Hiroyuki Sanada ("Lost," Rush Hour 3, The Last Samurai) is set to play Shingen; veteran actor Hal Yamanouchi (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Push, Sinbad of the Seven Seas) plays Yashida; and new discoveries Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima will star as Mariko and Yukio, respectively. While none of these actors have much of a following outside of Japan, the fact that a major studio is trying to keep some authenticity in a film of this magnitude is very encouraging.

The one nugget of a storyline the studio has released is that the film is inspired by the celebrated Marvel comic book arc by Chris Claremont & Frank Miller and that The Wolverine finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel clashes with adamantium claws as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

And contrary to previous reports, while much of the stage work will take place in Australia, a chunk of the shoot is scheduled to happen on locations around Japan. The film is set for a July 26, 2013 release with James Mangold directing. "X-Men" mainstay Lauren Shuler Donner will produce with Hugh Jackman, John Palermo and Hutch Parker.





(Photo Credit: Z. Tomaszewski / WENN.com / rila.sakura.ne.jp)<<<


It looks like they are casting mostly with Japanese actors, except for Hugh. As someone said, he will carry this film solely on his name ( to quote another film site -- on " Jackman's global star power"!).

But some positive comments on the feedback section re the Japanese actors - it seems some fanboys are familiar with their work. I've looked up the two actresses on wikipedia -- they are well-known fashion models based in the West. I wonder what their acting credentials are?

Check out also the fan comments on the SuperHeroHype board --

www.superherohype.com/news/articles/171581-exclusive-the-wolverine-casting-news


In the graphic novel, his co-XMen were invited to the wedding and they do come to Japan for the ceremony -- will the movie feature cameos from his co-mutants?

I am also guessing that with this cast -- the movie will likely be in full English dialog ( except for some occasional subtitles when Japanese is spoken)??

Jo

[jo]

To check the box office appeal of a predominantly foreign cast, except for the lead - I looked at The Last Samurai.

*Except for a few minor casting roles, Tom Cruise was the only non-Japanese actor. It was predominantly cast with Japanese actors, with Ken Watanabe being the most prominent one. Hiroyuki Sanada, who will be in Wolverine film, was part of The Last Samurai film.

*Box office wise - it did over $ 457 million worldwide ($ 111 million for the USA and $ 346 million overseas). Japan, of course, contributed a huge chunk - $ 119 million!

I am also hoping that the hoped-for success of Hugh in Les Miserables will enhance the box office power of The Wolverine, which will follow Les Miserables in the ensuing summer.

Jo

[jo]

I have been looking up the CVs of the actors --

First one -- Hiroyuki Sanada

www.imdb.com/name/nm0760796/bio

Hmm... he is not only a former action star but also has an excellent acting reputation in Japan. Plus he has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in a production of King Lear!

Trivia - he shares an October 12 birthday with the lead star


Jo

[jo]

It looks like they have cast the main villain, The Silver Samurai, as well as the corrupt husband of Mariko --

www.deadline.com/2012/07/x-men-wolverine-sets-will-yun-lee-to-star-with-hugh-jackman/

Will Yun Lee and Brian Tee have just landed bad guy roles opposite Hugh Jackman in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine sequel, to be directed by James Mangold. Production begins next month in Australia. Lee recently completed the upcoming video game Sleeping Dogs, an open-world cop drama set in Hong Kong that is scheduled for release in August. The game puts players in the boots of Wei Shen (Lee), an undercover police officer fighting through the seedy criminal underworld of the sprawling city. The cast includes Emma Stone, Tom Wilkinson and Lucy Liu. Sleeping Dogs is under the Square Enix banner (Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy, Hitman) by United Front Games. Lee is the lead villain in MGM’s Red Dawn remake opposite Chris Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson and Sony’s Total Recall remake. He is repped by APA and Industry Entertainment. Tee was lead bad guy in The Fast and The Furious:Tokyo Drift and was also a series regular on Starz series Crash based on the film. He’s repped by BRS and DiSante Frank & Co.

More details from The Hollywood Reporter --

Will Yun Lee, recently seen on the CBS drama Hawaii Five-O, and Brian Tee, who has appeared recently on shows such as Grimm and Burn Notice, are joining Hugh Jackman in the Japan-set movie based on the Marvel Comics hero.

James Mangold is directing the movie, which is scheduled to begin production next month in Australia.

The story borrows heavily from the Chris Claremont-Frank Miller Wolverine comic book miniseries that premiered in the 1980s.

Tee is playing Noburo Mori, a corrupt minister of justice who is about to marry the daughter of a yakuza crime lord (the daughter is Wolverine’s love interest).

Lee will play Harada, more commonly known as The Silver Samurai. He possesses an electrified suit of samurai armor and is the illegitimate son of the crime lord.

Yun Lee, repped by APA and Industry Entertainment, recently wrapped voicing action the video game Sleeping Dogs and will be seen in the Total Recall remake. He also plays a villain in MGM’s Red Dawn remake.

Tee was part of the ensemble cast of the Starz drama Crash and has a string of TV appearances. He is repped by DiSante Frank & Co.

Jo

[jo]

More info on Will Yun Lee, who plays the Silver Samurai --

www.cinemablend.com/new/Wolverine-Adds-Yun-Lee-Silver-Samurai-31786.html

...Also known as Kenuichio Harada, The Silver Samurai is a mutant like Wolverine, but his ability allows him to charge objects with a tachyon field that can cut through anything...and yes, that includes adamantium. He most often channels his mutant energy into his katana. It was first revealed last July that the character would be the main villain of The Wolverine.

Will Yun Lee is probably more familiar to regular TV watchers than film-goers. Beginning his career in the late 90s, Yun Lee, who was born in Arlington, Virginia, has appeared on shows such as Witchblade, Law & Order, Thief, CSI, Bionic Woman and, most recently, Hawaii Five-0. He does have a string of films coming up including the Red Dawn remake (where he also plays the central villain) and Len Wiseman's Total Recall.

It's becoming more likely that the movie will be in full English dialog.

Again, many positive comments on the authentic casting ( instead of white actors being made up to look Asian).

Although the last two cast are of Korean descent ( Will Yun Lee and Brian Tee).

Someone just pointed out on Twitter that maybe this is a strategy to make sure the Asian film market is captured for this film! If so, the combined Japanese, Korean and maybe the Chinese film markets are enough revenue bases to finance a blockbuster movie! Brilliant move!

Jo

[jo]

Have they removed the "rising sun" symbol taken from the Japanese flag, to make this modified poster ( not sure if this is official) more politically correct?

[njr]

I love Will Yun Lee. Used to watch him in Witchblade!

Nancy

[jo]

The arch enemies - Wolverine (aka Hugh Jackman) and The Silver Samurai ( aka Will Yun Lee)!



Jo

[jo]

Hugh arrives in Sydney soon --

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/wolverine-will-bring-in-bucks/story-e6frewz0-1226425742924

quote:

>>>
Wolverine will bring in bucks

Annette Sharp
The Daily Telegraph
July 14, 201212:00AM

The shoot will provide an $80 million boost to the local economy. Picture: Fox Source: Supplied


HUGH Jackman is expected to fly into Sydney this weekend to commence shooting the X-Men Origins sequel The Wolverine at Fox Studios within the next fortnight - a shoot that will provide an $80 million boost to the local economy.

The actor's personal assistants have been busy preparing the way ahead of his arrival and are understood to have located a family home in Woollahra, convenient to the Moore Park studios, for the Jackman family during their two to three-month stay.

Also high on Jackman's list of requirements is a private gym facility, the actor having previously spent much of his downtime in Sydney pumping iron at a Bondi gym to preserve his Wolverine physique.

The fillm, featuring a large Japanese cast and directed by James Mangold, was originally to have been shot in Japan but plans to shoot there were scrapped following the devastating 2011 tsunami.<<<


I guess the Japan shoot will follow the Sydney filming?


Jo

[jo]

Jessica Biel joins The Wolverine in a supporting role, according to Deadline Hollywood --

www.deadline.com/2012/07/jessica-biel-casting-wolverine-movie-viper-20th-century-fox/#utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Jessica Biel To Play Viper In eThe Wolverinef

By MIKE FLEMING | Friday July 13, 2012 @ 3:08pm EDTTags: 20th Century Fox, Jessica Biel, The Wolverine

BREAKINGc Jessica Biel has been cast as Viper in 20th Century Foxes The Wolverine. The Victoria/Viper character has a long arc in the X-Men mythology and is a juicy role. It will be the second Marvel project for Biel, who also starred in 2004Œs Blade: Trinity. Shefs next up co-starring opposite Colin Farrell

[jo]

Hugh has arrived in Sydney...



closer to looking like Wolverine with full facial hair


Maybe he will be involved in the remaining aspects of pre-production before they start filming. According to a recent report, he will be staying ( with his family) in a place near the Fox Studios itself - I have a feeling the filming will involve very long hours

Jo

[jo]

Details on the Jackman Family thread --

which mentions that filming for The Wolverine is due to start next week!

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2173470/Hugh-Jackman-shows-Aussie-Rules-Football-skill-family.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Jackman's stay in his hometown of Sydney is not purely for play as he will begin filming X-Men Origins sequel The Wolverine at Fox Studios, next week.

Jo