Was/Is Hugh Jackman the right "Wolverine"?

[foxie]

Good for u Hugh!Personally I am glad!!I didn't even watch the last two bought them but haven't watched them!!

[jo]

The Wolverine role will always be the cornerstone of Hugh Jackman's career!

Hugh is without doubt very talented, but sometimes that is not enough in the very competitive world of the performing arts ( film or stage). One must also be at the right time and at the right place when opportunity knocks. It is arguable that without the fame and attention that the Wolverine role has given him, that there would have been a Broadway "The Boy From Oz", even "Les Miserables". Without TBFO, there would not have been "The Fountain". Maybe even "Australia", as Fox must have taken his Wolverine fame into consideration when they approved his casting, after Russell Crowe left the role? I would even say that because of his Wolverine status in the film world and his reputation in the legitimate stage, that Universal made an easy decision in going along with Tom Hooper's decision to cast him as Jean Valjean. After all, they had only worked with him once ( Van Helsing)... and since a movie musical genre's acceptability at that point was still dicey, it was hoped that his popularity and known talent on either performing medium would pave the way for a more easy acceptance of the film adaptation of Les Miserables.

I never knew what the comic book genre was before...and it was a big surprise that Hugh Jackman turned up in the role, when I was expecting him to continue as a West End stage star after I had seen him in Oklahoma!. Which was why I came on board the XMEN franchise train only at the time of XMEN UNITED ( XMEN 2) - I had to backtrack on his filmography.

But I have come to appreciate him in the role and why Wolverine is so iconic with fans. Hugh has brought an unexpected gravitas to the role, which is a slightly different characterization compared to the beloved anti-hero from the pages of the comic books. He made Wolverine appeal to both men and women, young and old, fanboys/fangirls and non-comicbook fans! In a span of four important team movies and two solo spinoffs, he made people believe that he is irreplaceable. In return, the popularity gave him the opportunity to accept other acting challenges! It allowed him to leverage roles that may not have come to him, had he not achieved the universal recognition given to the actor who is Wolverine!

Look at his two cameos -- with a three-word dialog and a characteristic gruff manner, he practically eclipsed the entire cast in First Class.  When King Arthur could not make Lancelot go away, his Wolverine impersonation won him the audience that was meant to be Ben Stiller's!...Even when he was hosting the Oscars, his finale lyrics (proclaiming who he was in the world of Hollywood) probably helped earn that standing ovation from peers!

He is at this point in his career where he is pursuing different directions for both film and stage. He may want to explore other opportunities that test his talent and acting skills.

Days of Future Past is a fitting goodbye to his role as a team leader as he aimed to bridge the two generations of XMEN -- the younger one and the senior team who was our first love. The third solo Wolverine hopefully will be the fitting farewell and sendoff for Hugh Jackman, as he pursues other professional challenges.

Hugh Jackman owed the role ( and in return, he gave it its iconic film stature). We owed the role, as it gave us a very fine actor's career to support, which flourished with Wolverine as the centerpiece role on the big screen.  That it has also led to a triumphant Broadway career was a real boon!  True, my favorite Hugh Jackman role is that of Jean Valjean...but I also have a special place for that gruff, manly, and charismatic mutant

Hugh has made a decision to say Goodbye to Wolverine...and while many fans are reluctant to part with this iconic role for him, we also welcome the opportunity to see him in other challenges in his career!

Farewell wolverine
You have always been the best at what you do emoticon-cartoon-020


Jo

[jo]

Fans are naturally sentimental

lulu ‏@rebel_lulu69 · 5m5 minutes ago
It was just yesterday you fighting in the bar. @realhughjackman

Chris' Movie Corner ‏@crismoviecorner · 8m8 minutes ago

Chris' Movie Corner retweeted Superhero Feed
This breaks my heart everytime I read it! I get why he's doing it, but my insides hurt we LOVE you @realhughjackman!

The_Soloist
7:33PM on 05/07/2015


Jackman IS Wolverine and as a big fan of both Wolverine and Jackman, I would like to say a very big thank you to Mr. Jackman in breathing life into this character and giving it everything he had.

I just hope his last film has him go out with a bang. He deserves it.

[jo]

blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/hugh-jackman-claims-wolverine-3-will-be-his-last-appearance-as-mutant-character-again-20150507

It’s My Last Time”: Hugh Jackman Swears That 'Wolverine 3' Will Be His Last Appearance As Mutant Character


The Playlist
By Edward Davis | The Playlist

May 7, 2015 at 2:26PM







We’ve been over this before: Hugh Jackman’s threatened to leave the Logan/Wolverine character behind many, many times. After revealing claws in an Instagram post that hinted he’s done with the character, Jackman today claimed that 2017's “Wolverine 3” will be his final appearance as such.

“This will be my last one,” Jackman said when asked point blank on the "Dr. Oz" show earlier today (via Comicbook.com). “It is my last time, It just felt like it was the right time to do it. And let’s be honest, 17 years. I never thought in a million years it would last, so I’m so grateful to the fans for the opportunity of playing it. I kind of have in my head what we’re going to do in this last one. It just feels like this is the perfect way to go out.”

He’s said it before, but if recent rumors are true that “X-Men Apocalypse” will be the end of the Bryan Singer X-Men universe, maybe Jackman exiting the role makes sense. It seems as if he's suggesting that the original “X-Men” movie characters that include the actor as Wolverine will be retired, leaving the newer cast introduced with “X-Men: First Class” to move forward. It also makes sense if it turns out that the “X-Men”/”Fantastic Four” crossover rumors are true, because then you'll have twentysomething mutants teaming up with the twentysomething irradiated quartet (or whatever Josh Tranks has decided the FF are in his film).

If it is indeed Jackman's last turn as the character, it would be his ninth appearance as the character. His statements would also also suggest he's not appearing in "X-Men: Apocalypse" as originally rumored, but who knows.

And another site echoes the sentiment of many --

www.blastr.com/2015-5-7/hugh-jackman-makes-it-official-wolverine-3-will-be-his-last-x-men-movie

Considering the creative high the franchise is currently enjoying, largely thanks to Jackman and his roles in Days of Future Past and The Wolverine, it’s probably the perfect time for him to walk away. But, we’ll still miss his iconic take on the butt-kicking Canuck.

[jo]

Finally found the Dr. Oz video clip ( but only re his Wolverine departure) --

www.youtube.com/watch?t=12&v=MNUUxaavN4k

He looks good!

[jo]

This is going to be one long goodbye --


TOP WOLVERINE MOMENTS!


uproxx.com/movies/2015/05/10-top-wolverine-moments/

Re-Live Wolverine’s Best Moments From The ‘X-Men’ Franchise

By Kevin Sullivan • 05.16.15


20th Century Fox


Back in 2000, Fox released X-Men upon a world that had been wounded by Batman & Robin just three years before. It was a world that never expected to see a big budget comic book movie again. X-Men helped change all of that and now all movies are comic book movies. Isn’t the future great?!

Part of the success of X-Men lies in Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Logan aka Wolverine aka Stab Man aka Knifey Boy. Thanks to John Woo being unable to finish Mission: Impossible II in a reasonable amount of time, Dougray Scott had to drop out of the production and the part went to Jackman, making him a star. 15 years later, Jackman has confirmed that the upcoming third stand-alone Wolverine film will be the last time he plays the character.

It will be sad to see him go but we can dry our tears by remembering some great quotes from the X-Men movies of yore.

Please scroll down via the link to see the top Wolverine moments/quotes.




I agree with those listed

Are there any other memorable ones --


From The Wolverine --

Yukio : How did you know there was a pool down there?

Logan : I didn't!

[jo]

An interview when he was doing promo for DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, but here he delves much more on the character of Wolverine --

www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=306136

The ultimate i09 interview

Meredith Woerner / I09.Com
Sunday, May 17, 2015


Over Hugh Jackman's 14 years as Wolverine, he's seen the X-Men rise and fall, and he's doing it again in X-Men:Days of Future Past. In our exclusive interview, Jackman explains what makes a good X-Men movie, his opinions on the new, younger group of mutants and the complex math behind delivering Wolverine's signature line "Bub."

io9: You've been a part of this world for so long - seven movies - you're an expert by now. So what does it take to make a good X-Men movie?

Hugh Jackman: Actually I think that this is one of my favorites, so this is a good way to talk about this. Obviously the resources of this one are bigger than ever. It's the biggest movie of all. Biggest amount of cast, but that presents its own challenges, actually. Because it's very difficult to have to many characters and make them worthwhile and pay off.

I'm talking about character because that's at the core of X-Men, and has always been at the core of X-Men. Not just who's dating who, and who is having what problem, but really down to the core of who they are and what challenges them in life. As incredible as their superpowers may be, it's really about their vulnerabilities - how frail and human they are, the mistakes they make. That's why people relate to it, I think, so much. So, for an X-Men movie, no matter how many characters, no matter how big the spectacle, there is a very personal character arc. And also thematically at its core there are these ideas of tolerance, acceptance, of discrimination. There are very political things that are there, and if you don't address those, you're doing it a disservice as well. At the same time, as this emotion which you get out of the character some humor, it's gotta be fun. That Pentagon kitchen scene, to me, is so amazing. So cool.

And difficult to shoot, I imagine.

Jackman: Beyond difficult. And by the way, a lot of it is in camera. It's really brilliant, it's not all special effects. The bullets are, obviously - it's pretty incredible how they did that. And it took a long time to do. It was a brilliant conception… So, you gotta have something fresh, original and bold. As big as it gets, it's gotta be incredibly intimate.

It's amazing that this series can still surprise me. Quicksilver's scene in particular was great.

Jackman: I read a few comments and I didn't realize that people were like, "I think this whole Quicksilver thing is going to suck." I didn't realize that… because when we were filming, I remember going, "Okay, this character is going to kill. This is awesome."

What sort of place are we finding Wolverine in the future world? What head space is he in? Obviously a bad one because everyone is dying, but..

Jackman: Well, weirdly, he's more at peace in a way. Which I think we set up nicely in The Wolverine. He's more at peace with the fact that he'll never be at peace, so you feel a calmness about him. It's a great invention by Simon Kinberg to reverse the dynamic between him and Professor X from . It's almost exactly the same, only mirrored. Except that Wolverine doesn't have the patience or the ability of the diplomacy or wisdom, really, that Professor X has. It was really fun to play. And for me, as an actor, and I think for fans, it's nice to see another whole side to him which, for me, is a prerequisite of continuing to do it. I think we need to see different things, different situations. Otherwise it's boring for everyone.

Okay, so he's at peace while everyone is dying. So do you think that in the next Wolverine movie we can finally see your character at peace with who he is?

Jackman: My son said to me, "I've got an idea for the next one." He's 13, almost 14, and he goes, "I don't think you should ever fight in the next one. Maybe he's like a gardner." I was listening, going "that would be awesome" but I just don't think people are going to buy it for two hours.

But the best stuff is when you're with a bear, or when your claws come out and a cat licks it! Well, for me it is.

Jackman: It's true, he's such a great character. The beauty of this particular movie is I feel like, in many ways, the slate has been wiped clean. It feels like a fresh beginning. I got real goosebumps at the end of the movie.

Can we talk a little bit about the delicacy of delivering a line like "Bub" in these movies? You obviously can't say it all the time without sounding silly. Do you all sit down and discuss this, "I think we should say it now?" Does it happen organically, or is it all from the script?

You want the truth? I've never told anyone. I do it, I probably did it in about 12 scenes. Almost every scene where I thought it could be used. And Bryan and I go "we know we're only using it once." And I said, "Bryan, you use it where you think it's best." So I used it in the scene with Nick , where I'm saying, "We're gonna be friends." And then I did one, "We're gonna be friends, Bub." BANG, punch him. Because I can see that really working!

It's such a great line. When I sign to kids I often sign, "Good on you, Bub" or something like that, "Stay cool, Bub." It's such a great thing for him. ended up using that scene with Magneto, which was great. You can't use it too many times. But I get carried away and excited by it. I always throw it in, I'll say, "Give me one more!" And they'll say okay and I chuck the line it. When it's used it's got to be perfect. I haven't told anyone else that, by the way.

I think the franchise started right -- a good balance of personal arcs, action, humor, and social issues of tolerance. And the casting for the original trilogy was perfect -- very fine actors ( Oscar winners and nominess, for most) who added such gravitas to the film characters. That was why the first XMEN was hailed for being the first serious comic book adaptation. Meaning to say, it could apply to kids, fanboys, and adult viewers.

Sadly, with the leapfrogging infantilization of action movies ( one critic finally dubbed Age of Ultron as a "kiddie" movie, in disdain!)...studios are now wont to look at the megabucks those types of superhero movies now bring.

And even more sad -- Fox is jumping into that fray. It looks like that the direction ( starting with APOCALYPSE and the announcement of THE NEW MUTANTS) they are pursuing is to follow comic book characterizations very faithfully, to the squealing delight of fanboys) and to cast even younger, i.e., XMEN babies!

I am not surprised that Bryan Singer has chosen to leave the franchise.

Hugh must have seen this coming...and maybe  one of the reasons for his exit from the Wolverine role is to leave when the character and the other characters surrounding him still have appeal for general audiences.

Am I surprised that many fanboys, when asked if and who should replace Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, have asked not for an equal actor who can act...but that the actor be short, just like in the comics smiley-rolleyes010 smiley-rolleyes010

Jo

[jo]

This was taken during the 2000 Showest convention ( now known as CinemaCon, which is a convention of theater distributors), featuring some of the cast from the first XMEN movies --



James Marsden looked very young...while Hugh Jackman already looked like the ageless Wolverine then

Logan, Rogue, Senator Kelly, Jean, and Scott ( Cyclops)

[jo]

Hugh Jackman @realhughjackman
· 3h 3 hours ago
Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow.

http://instagram.com/p/2y6nGwChOc

I wonder where he found this

Snikt!

[jo]

Thor/The Joker/Hulk/Wolverine/Spiderman

Crossover with Marvel  

[mamaleh]

Crossing the, er, streams....

Ellen

[jo]

[jo]

A lot of speculations --


screenrant.com/deadpool-ryan-reynolds-hugh-jackman-cameo-wolverine

* A role in Apocalypse?

*A cameo in Deadpool ( maybe to help an old friend?)?

*Another cameo in Gambit?

[jo]

[jo]

WOLVERINE 3 is still 2 years away, but since Hugh's confirmation that he is leaving the Wolverine role, there have been a few tributes on his iconic portrayal of the character.

This one hits the notes in the right places --


whatculture.com/film/10-reasons-well-miss-hugh-jackman-as-wolverine.php

10 Reasons We’ll Miss Hugh Jackman As Wolverine


Life won’t be the same without Ol’ Beefy Claws.


T Campbell
Editorial Team



“One Last Time,” the actor announced on his Tumblr a little while back, signifying that December 2017’s Wolverine 3 will be his last go-round as the taciturn ronin with the unbreakable claws and unstoppable healing ability, or as the comics call him, “Ol’ Canuckle-Head.” He later confirmed:


It just felt like it was the right time to do it. And let’s be honest, 17 years. I never thought in a million years it would last, so I’m so grateful to the fans for the opportunity of playing it. … I kind of have in my head what we’re going to do in this last one. It just feels like this is the perfect way to go out.

It’s up in the air whether he’ll show up in the Deadpool or X-Men: Apocalypse films, which have prior release dates and would certainly be tastier with at least a little spread of Jackman on their crackers. But even if he doesn’t, Hugh will have starred in five X-Men movies (1, 2, 3, First Class as a cameo and Days of Future Past) and three Wolverine films (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Wolverine and we don’t know yet, maybe Wolverine III or WolverIIIne?), a pretty impressive average of approximately one film every two years.

Here are ten reasons to get a bit misty about the thought that it’s all coming to an end soon.




10. He Throws Himself Into His Fight Scenes



Let’s start with the obvious pun and the obvious point: “Huge, Jacked Man” is believable kicking ass and stabbing with his knucks. The actor understands the animal urges and constant pain in Logan’s psychological makeup. His Wolverine almost relaxes into a fight, as if going back to his natural state.

Jackman threw himself into the role physically as well as mentally, often doing his own stunts before a scare in the bullet train scene of 2013’s The Wolverine forced him to cut back. Even recently, the 46-year-old actor joined the “1,000 pound club,” an elite group of weightlifters able to do 355 pounds in squats, bench-press 235 and dead-lift 410 in a three-hour timeframe.

There could quite easily be a whole top ten list just of Hugh Jackman fight scenes, but nothing quite stands out like his showstopping defence of the X-Mansion in X2.



9. He Can Present Himself As Both A Loner And A Father Figure


The first time we see Jackman as Wolverine onscreen, he’s in a cage match fighting a Canadian looney (crazy man) for a few Canadian loonies (dollars), just so he can continue his important work of driving to nowhere in particular. But when he realizes he has a teenage girl stowaway, he instantly finds his motivation. He spends the rest of the first X-Men film counseling Rogue, consoling her and trying to protect her.

This fatherly aspect of his character has deep roots in the comics, where Logan has mentored young mutants like Kitty Pryde, Jubilee and Armor. Jackman makes it stick, especially in the terrifying moment where he believes he’s sleep-clawed Rogue to death.

Later movies built on this by having Logan safeguard groups of kids, then the whole school. Even Days of Future Past surrounds him with youngsters. But when you’re as old as Logan, everyone feels a bit like your kid.



8. He Gets The X-Men’s Message


By X-Men 3 and X-Men: Days of Future Past, Logan is no longer just safeguarding individual kids: he’s safeguarding the future of the entire mutant race, inheriting the work that Charles Xavier began (because, spoiler alert, Xavier is either “superhero dead” or physically incapable of making the journey himself).

If you think it seems like a strange journey to go from bar fights to mutant messiah, Jackman’s Wolverine shares your skepticism. He never feels worthy of the role, but he has his duty. That’s an attitude that many of history’s messianic figures share.

The loner, restless in his solo films, ultimately finds his greatest fulfilment by embracing a cause far bigger than himself. The concern for diversity at the heart of the X-Men also comes from Jackman’s own heart: he has spoken out about such issues as “latent discrimination” in Oscar nominations and done philanthropic work for entrepreneurs in poorer nations.



7. He Can Give Us A Cynical Shell We Can See Through Anyway



For all his sincere longing for a place in the world, Wolverine has had a rough enough life that his first instinct in any new situation is to lash out a bit, if not with claws, then at least with barbed words. In the hands of another actor, the way he makes fun of Charles Xavier’s handicap in their first meeting (“What do they call you? Wheels?) would come across as downright assholish.

Jackman doesn’t shy away from the cynicism of Logan’s barbs. But at this point, we’ve already seen his anxious vulnerability and the fatherly looks he’s given Rogue. Because he has sold us on the character’s heart, he can take as many swipes at his teammates as he wants (“Is that your gift? Putting up with that guy?”) and it doesn’t matter. We’ve seen how he acts when he thinks no one’s watching, when someone needs him. We’re on to him.

If only the Xavier and Magneto of an earlier era could have looked past that rough exterior and saw what we see, things might have been very different.



6. He’s Not Afraid Of Silence



Let’s face it: superhero movies can be a bit frantic. There are a lot of Avengers and a lot of X-Men, and most of them really like to talk. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man seems to love Pepper Potts only slightly more than the sound of his own voice. (His Sherlock Holmes is even more of a motor mouth.) The contrast is never more keen in the X-movies than when Jackman plays a scene against Evan Peters’ fast-talking Quicksilver, but even James Marsden’s Cyclops can look downright chatty next to Jackman sometimes.

Try to picture Downey Jr. or Peters in Jackman’s place in the scene above. The temptation to let out a snarky one-liner when the metal objects start flying, or at least to throw a few insults in Magneto’s face, would be almost unbearable. But one way Jackman stands out in the movies is that he knows how, and is allowed, to say nothing,

slow down and

let a

scene



breathe.



5. He Has Serious Screen Presence


For all the talk about his sensitivity above, Jackman also carries himself in a way that never quite lets you forget that this guy can cut through guns, knives and people like smoke – anytime he feels like it might be appropriate.

It doesn’t take him long to start running with the pack when he meets the X-Men. He’s not completely disrespectful: it’s clear that the X-Men have something that he wants. But it’s clear in his voice and the way that he stands that he’s not afraid or intimidated when standing next to a frenemy who can knock him down just by looking at him. Even when that man has reason to believe Logan’s an impostor, Jackman’s Logan is no more cautious than a kid calling “time out” in a pillow fight.



4. He Really Did Make Logan Seem Ageless And Indestructible


One reason it’s kind of astonishing that Jackman is leaving us is how good a job he did convincing us he really was immortal. Except for a few more lines around the eyes, the Wolverine of Days of Future Past looks remarkably like the Wolverine we first saw in X-Men, even though both movies feature shirtless scenes for the Jack-Man and the camera can be unforgiving.

Here, too, Jackman’s personal life mirrors his characters’. He has stoically faced skin cancer for the last couple of years, noting that as an Australian who never wore sunscreen as a child, he was a “prime candidate.” He’s had at least four cancers removed since then. “Basal cell carcinoma is just something you have to deal with. It’s cancerous. It will grow. You just have to get it out.”



3. He Makes Us Believe In Logan’s Quest For An “Honorable Death”



As much as Wolverine is a wish-fulfillment fantasy – he can both take and give seemingly infinite amounts of violence – there are plenty of downsides to his seeming immortality. Jackman’s portrayal captures his also seemingly infinite capacity for pain.

The Wolverine is not a perfect movie overall, but it resonates deeply when one of Logan’s old friends offers to suppress the healing factor that keeps him from ageing and makes him almost impossible to kill. “You’re a soldier, and you seek what all soldiers seek: An honorable death, an end to your pain.”

Ultimately, the soldiering gives Wolverine a reason to live: that purpose he finds with the X-Men. But there are moments in the X-movies where Wolverine seems to face the likelihood he is about to die, and accepts it. When the end comes, he will be ready.



2. He’s Up For Pretty Much Anything



Jackman took the character of Wolverine with refreshing seriousness, but at key moments he could not only be vulnerable, but even get a laugh at his own expense.

Even the relatively disappointing X-Men: Origins is brightened when a younger Logan has a bathroom accident with his newly adamantium-coated claws. Then there’s the bit in The Wolverine where his Japanese hosts insist he be given a bath and he’s scrubbed and soaked like an angry poodle. Even his early wanderings in the mansion in the first movie are kind of comical on second viewing, as Professor Xavier’s mental powers leave him blundering and confused until he winds up in Xavier’s office.

There are plenty of images of Jackman clowning around out of costume, but our favorite offbeat Jackman moment is this rendition of “Wolverine: The Musical,” marrying two Jackman roles in two minutes of impromptu recording.




1. He Brought The Sexy Back


In 1999, the superhero genre wasn’t looking so hot. The comic-book business was severely depressed after the excesses of the early 1990s and a comic-based movie wasn’t anybody’s idea of a good date. The few superhero films of the last few years had mostly been either aggressively terrible (Batman and Robin, Spawn, Steel) or carefully styled to feel as “un-comic-booky” as possible (Blade, The Mask of Zorro). Even Mystery Men was largely a joke at the genre’s expense.

It wasn’t all the actors. Batman and Robin had George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, and Uma Thurman in it, and somehow managed to make them unattractive.

But when X-Men threw a spotlight on Jackman with those soulful eyes, that fatherly concern, and that sculpted, rock-hard body, he commanded the attention of quite a few people who wanted entertainment to engage them on, ahem, every level. A superhero hadn’t been a sex symbol since Christopher Reeve’s early days, but they sure got sexy fast after Jackman showed them how it could pay off in terms of box office receipts.

This was a big reason for the comeback in superheroes’ popularity that continues today. Jackman simply helped make them cool again, and that ensured another generation would enjoy them too. Retire in peace, proud weightlifter.

[jo]

Conan O'Brien has gotten hold of leaked Wolverine audition tapes -- yeah, they are already auditioning Hugh's possible replacement!

mashable.com/2015/07/09/conan-wolverine-auditions/

vid.me/Q69B


You'll never guess who has the best "SNIKT" of all the hopefuls


Jo

[jo]

As part of the DOFP Rogue Cut special features -- a cute story on the hiring of Wolverine

Bryan, Hugh, and the other original cast reminisce about that first time that he was cast --

www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/590343/hugh-jackman-wolverine-x-men-rogue-cut-interview





From the link, please scroll down for the video clip!

VIDEO: 'I blew it' Watch Hugh Jackman & the X-Men cast joke about his Wolverine audition

HUGH JACKMAN is quitting playing Wolverine in the X-Men films but our exclusive video from The X-Men Days of Future Past: Rogue Cut shows Bryan Singer, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart and the cast joking about him behind the scenes.



By Stefan Kyriazis

PUBLISHED: 17:01, Fri, Jul 10, 2015 | UPDATED: 18:05, Fri, Jul 10, 2015


OUR EXCLUSIVE X-MEN CAST VIDEO IS COMING UP NEXT

"I never thought I hadn’t got a job more in my life," laughs Hugh Jackman.

The actor was joking around with his X-Men: Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut cast mates as he remembered his original fateful audition fifteen years ago.

He has played Wolverine in SEVEN films so far, but is still convinced that it was the 50 dollars that he slipped to an extra that got him the role.

In our exclusive clip from the DVD extras, Hugh Jackman joins up with Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Hoult and director Bryan Singer to talk about the day he became Wolverine in 2000's X-Men.

X-Men: Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut includes 17 extra minutes of film plus special features with Anna Paquin's character Rogue, who was cut out of the theatrical release – much to the dismay of fans.

UP NEXT: OUR EXCLUSIVE CAST VIDEO FROM X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST: ROGUE CUT


Director Bryan Singer is currently working on the next instalment X-Men: Apocalypse and talks about his desperation in 2000 to find an actor to play Wolverine, since the film had already started shooting.

‘While you were doing your screen test with Anna Paquin," he tells Jackman, "this custodian at Roy Thomson Hall comes up to me and doesn’t know who I am, because I’m standing away from the monitor.

"He pokes me and says, ‘Is that the guy they got to play Wolverine?’ and I said, ‘Yeah’ and he says, ‘Cool!’.

"I was like, 'Oh, phew.'"

Hugh Jackman can't resist adding that he paid the custodian to do it.

"I had no money and gave him fifty dollars – and that was a lot of money back then," jokes the Austarlian star. Now, of course, it seems impossible to imagine anyone else in the role, even though Jackman has announced that the upcoming Wolverine 3 will be his final film.




Patrick Stewart, who plays Professor X, joins in the fun when he he remembers Jackman's conviction back in 2000 that he hadn't landed the role.

"It was quite memorable because we’ve been shooting for 3 weeks and this cute Australian guy turns up," Stewart says.

"We all thought he was really cute and really nice. I remember you saying (pointing to Hugh), 'You won’t see me again after today.”’

"I have never thought I hadn’t got a job more in my life," Hugh laughs.

X-Men: Days of Future Past- The Rogue Cut is out on Blu-ray and DVD on July 13.

Jo

[jo]

An interesting WHAT IF article, almost a tribute to Hugh

www.hitfix.com/in-contention/what-if-dougray-scott-had-played-wolverine-in-x-men-and-not-hugh-jackman

Pondering the possibilities if history took a different route in 2000

By Kristopher Tapley @kristapley | Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 10:17 PM 


This week HitFix is revisiting some of the key turning points in recent entertainment history and considering what would have happened if history had turned a bit differently. What if...?

At the turn of the millennium things were looking up for actor Dougray Scott. He had been hand selected by Tom Cruise to be the villain in the anxiously awaited sequel to the megastar's 1996 blockbuster "Mission: Impossible" and he was all set to follow that up with what might have been a breakout role as Wolverine in Bryan Singer's big screen adaptation of the X-Men comic book series. But when the production schedule of "Mission: Impossible II" went long, Singer had to make a snap decision and settled on an unknown by the name of Hugh Jackman.

What if Dougray Scott had played Wolverine in "X-Men" and not Hugh Jackman?

Three things that might not have happened:

1. We could have been robbed of one of the finest Oscar telecasts in history. That would be the one held in early 2009 celebrating the films of 2008 (the year "Slumdog Millionaire" dominated the scene). Oscars producer Laurence Mark and director Bill Condon tapped Jackman to host that year, a very unique choice but one with a bit of synergy, seeing as "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was set to open two months later. Without an already extensive history with the franchise (and therefore, without such a film to "promote" by his presence on the show), would Jackman have still been picked? Maybe at some point along the way, since he got his start as a song and dance man on stage after all. But it's highly unlikely this would have been the year and we'd have been robbed of one of the best hosts the typically taxing telecast has ever seen.

2. Hugh Jackman would have seen a very different start to his career. Getting your start as Wolverine in an "X-Men" movie, of all things, pretty much sets you on a fanboy path from the start. But coming off of musical performances in shows like "Oklahoma!" and "The Boy from Oz," it seems a stretch to think that, without this serendipity, Jackman would have launched onto the movie scene in such a populist sort of film. So would we have even ever really seen him in things like "Swordfish" or "Van Helsing?" It's possible he would have landed in, and maybe stuck with, more prestigious projects like "Les Misérables" and, well, "The Prestige."

3. Scott's "what if" career still wouldn't have mirrored Jackman's real one. It's tough to say this with any certainty because, as a result of missing out on such a high profile role, Scott didn't necessarily get a chance to choose from the same projects Jackman did (more on that below). When you look at Scott's career, you don't exactly see similar choices being made throughout. He probably wouldn't have gone on to be the heartthrob/romantic comedy "star" that Jackman became, though he obviously would have had a much bigger, or at least more popularly recognizable, career on his own terms if he had been fitted for the claws.

Three things that might have happened:

1. Hugh Jackman would definitely still be a big deal. No matter how he was going to get his start, I think it's pretty clear he was made for this business. He has the charisma and inner light of a full-on movie star, and if it wasn't going to be "X-Men" that launched him onto the map, I have every confidence that it would have been something else. It might have been something less overt without the pop culture trappings, but we were always going to know this guy's work on the big screen.

2. It goes without saying, Scott's opportunities would have been much different. This ties in with the note above, but when you're Hugh Jackman and you spark in a superhero movie that makes decent bank, you suddenly have such variety as "Kate & Leopold" and "The Fountain" and "Real Steel" to choose from. Scott never saw that big a door open for him, but if he had played the most exciting character in the first film adaptation of the X-Men comic book series, you can bet it would have been a different story. Whether he would have made good on the opportunity, we'll never know, but he certainly would have had a different pile of scripts on his desk.

3. People might care about "Mission: Impossible II" a little more? Sure, John Woo's is largely considered the weakest of the franchise, but it had its fans in 2000. After all -- OMG! -- it was the MTV Movie Award winner for Best Movie! But it feels mostly forgotten, perhaps willfully, in the 13 years since its release. However, I'm betting that it would have taken on a whole new curiosity factor with kids today talking about, "Hey, you know that guy that played Wolverine? He was a bad guy in a 'Mission: Impossible' movie! With Tom Cruise! Seriously!" And now I feel old.

Did history work out for the best?

Yes. Hugh Jackman is always a great cheerleader for his movies and that's been particularly the case on the "X-Men" franchise. He could have just shown up, done the work and moved on to the next thing, but being who he is, he never stops taking it seriously and he always serves as a wonderful steward for the character of Wolverine. I'm sure Dougray Scott would have been committed, too, but the charismatic spark Jackman has afforded really means a lot. And it's interesting to note that a respected actor launched onto the scene in a superhero movie that came at the dawn of a decade that would eventually be bursting at the seams with similar brand product.


HitFix Poll

Would Dougray Scott have made a good Wolverine?




1. Definitely. Even better than Jackman.

Select


2. Probably. But no one would be as good as Jackman.

Select


3. Not likely, but I'd still be a fan of the 'X-Men' films.

Select


4. No. He would have been a terrible choice.

Select


5. I don't know. Who's Dougray Scott again?

The article was written by one of the more respectable film bloggers ( Kris Tapley) who has always been very impressed by the 2009 Oscars hosting. However, that offer to host the Oscars came in late 2008, before the Jackmans were set to move to New York. Hugh was on a media junket ( probably for the movie AUSTRALIA, which was released in November 2008)) when the famous phone call from Steven Spielberg came. So, I am not sure that it was the forthcoming release of ORIGINS (not till May 2009) which prompted Hugh to accept the offer, although his being a popular film character ( Wolverine) must have been the  added attraction of this decision by the AMPAS board to ask the popular musical theatre star and TONYs host to host.... Didn't he say YES immediately ( he even joked to Deb that she was going to bed with the next Oscars host -- and Deb asked if Billy Crystal was around in their hotel room )? I think Origins was the furthest from his mind, but the Spielberg offer was, for Hugh, a dream that came incredibly true!

True, he used the opportunity to promote WOLVERINE ( " I am Wol-verrrrrrrine!") but I think that was more of a joke than anything else

Jo

[jo]

Kris Tapley wonders if Hugh would have been picked as Oscars host in 2009.

Without an already extensive history with the franchise (and therefore, without such a film to "promote" by his presence on the show), would Jackman have still been picked? Maybe at some point along the way, since he got his start as a song and dance man on stage after all. But it's highly unlikely this would have been the year and we'd have been robbed of one of the best hosts the typically taxing telecast has ever seen.

Do you remember when Hugh did a private inaugural concert for WynnLasVegas ( April 30, 2005). His famous medley which he eventually sang at a later TONYs show and in his one-man show was introduced there...and this might have been the forerunner of his one-man show. The show was called IN TIME ( he was asked by Steve Wynn to perform for him in Las Vegas after he had seen TBFO although the WYNN inaugural concert did not happen immediately)... and his audience included many very famous people --

*Former President George Bush, Sr.
*Elizabeth Taylor (on whose lap he sat during the performance)
*Donald Trump

*Steven Spielberg ( whom he had asked to come onstage - what impudence )

So, Spielberg had seen Hugh perform in person, in an entertainment show. It could have been Mr. Spielberg who suggested Hugh to the AMPAS Board ( of which Spielberg was a member then)...and then offered to talk to him.

Jo

[jo]

Ever wondered why the comic book Wolverine eventually began to look like Hugh Jackman ?


In this anecdote on Jon Stewart, there is some light on the puzzle --

www.amazinavenue.com/2015/8/7/9119875/my-jon-stewart-stories

Back in 2004 my roommate Nick was an editor at Marvel Comics. He was working on a book with an artist named Darick Robertson, who had an extra ticket to a taping of The Daily Show. It was offered to me and I took it.

I went down to the Marvel offices on 40th to meet up with them, and since I was there I went to say hi to Pat, another buddy of mine (a huge Mets fan, btw) who worked in the graphic design department. When I got to his desk he excitedly handed me a giant trade paperback: The Essential Howard the Duck, Volume One.

"You like Howard the Duck, right? Didn’t you tell me that once?"

I hadn’t. "Uh…thanks! This is great. I will treasure it always." I wouldn’t. I didn’t particularly want it at all, but then I had an idea – I would give it to Jon Stewart.

We took a cab down to the studio which I think at the time was on west 52nd street, way down by the river. Darick was working on a new Wolverine book, and as we stood in line he was bemoaning the fact that then-Marvel CEO (and noted idiot) Bill Jemas had sent down a directive to make Logan in the comics look more like Hugh Jackman in the movies. In other words matinee idol handsome, vaguely Australian, and 6’3". We were all railing at this blatant violation of the core characteristics of such a beloved hero when they ushered us into the studio.

We were back towards the end of the line and seating was limited, so they separated us with Nick and Darick to one side of the stage and me to the other. I clutched my new book, anxious to seize my chance. The warmup comic came out and warmed us up to the best of his ability, though I was far too distracted to gauge his effectiveness. Finally the man himself graced the stage to great applause.

"Thank you, thank you. Does anyone have any issues?"

My hand shot up immediately. He pointed right at me. "Yes, sir?"

I held up the tome. "I have something for you, if you want it."

He eyed me somewhat suspiciously. "Uh..sure, alright. What is it, if you don’t mind me asking?" I ran down the stairs and handed him the book. "Oh…Essential Howard the Duck. Volume One." Confused giggles from the audience as he began to look it over. "This is great, I have Volume Two at home and I have so many unanswered questions."

Almost imperceptibly his cautious sarcasm turned to something approaching enthusiasm. "Actually this is pretty cool. It would be better if it was a video game, but still." He turned away from me as I returned to my seat and he started to page through it. "Can I ask what is your connection to Howard the Duck?"

"Oh nothing, my friend gave it to me and I didn’t really want it so I thought I would give it to you."

The audience erupted in laughter and he froze mid-stride with his back to me. "Wait a minute…you didn’t want to carry it AROUND with you so you gave it to ME?"

"Well, if you put it like that…"

"What about your friend?! He wanted you to have this!"

I should point out that Darick was under the impression that Nick had given me the book, so at this point he is laughing maniacally and pointing at my roommate.

Stewart saw this. "Wait a second, are you his friend?" Vigorous affirmative nods from Darick. Jon Stewart did a double take, seeing us on opposite sides of the studio. "What the f#@k is going on here??"

I explained that Nick did not give me the book, my other friend at Marvel gave me the book. "Oh so you guys work at Marvel Comics? What do you do?"

"I’m an artist," Darick responded. "I mean, not for all the books."

"No of course, you would have to be a superhero yourself to draw all of them. So what are you working on right now?"

"Actually I just started on Wolverine."

Impressed oohs and aahs from the crowd. "It’s a shame you aren’t working on a cool, popular character or anything. Let me ask you this – you ever draw Wolverine, like, banging Vampirella? You ever do anything like that?" Darick, obviously lying, said no. They talked a bit longer about the comics industry, and Darick signed an issue of Wolverine #1 that he had in his bag and gave it to Stewart, who was inexplicably more appreciative of that gift than mine.

"Thank you very much, but I have to say…I hate it when people in the audience are more talented than I am."

The show opened with Jon doodling on one of his note cards and he held it up to the camera. "This sucks! Sorry we have a couple of artists in the crowd tonight…welcome to the Daily Show!"

When we got outside Darick excitedly called his wife in Brooklyn to tell her what had happened. When he hung up he grabbed me by the shoulders. "Dude – you got Jon Stewart to talk to me! You f@*king ROCK!"

I have noted the similarity but never thought it was intentional ( I do have the compilation of the Wolverine series in his journey to Japan and Days of Future Past...and have seen many images online).

I wonder if Hugh knew that the similarity was intentional


Jo

[jo]

Even the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES have accepted him as one of them

[jo]

An impassioned tribute to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine --

www.themovienetwork.com/article/what-hugh-jackman-has-done-x-men

What Hugh Jackman Has Done For X-Men

By TMN Jan 13, 2016 02:00 PM Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox


For some time now we've known that 2017's as-yet-untitled Wolverine sequel will be the last time that Hugh Jackman plays the role of the X-Men's most recognizable superhero. Jackman has carried the claws since 2000's X-Men as the core of the longest-running franchise in superhero cinema, and judging by some of the rumors and suggestions going about, the industry is going to have a hard time letting him go.

There are relentless rumors that Jackman could appear as Wolverine in the upcoming Deadpool film. And according to Cosmic Book News, Chris Evans even recently stated he wants his Captain America character to interact with Wolverine in a future film. It's as if everyone is just hoping and praying for additional appearances by the Jackman character.

This isn't to say that the character itself couldn't endure. In fact, Jackman was once quoted by Cinema Blend as saying he hoped they'd one day recast Wolverine because "it would mean that it had become iconic." Tom Hardy is frequently mentioned as a possible successor in the role, and it does seem likely that Jackman's last film won't necessarily be Wolverine's last, given the enduring popularity of the X-Men films. But here's a bit of news for Jackman: the character, as he defined it, has already become iconic. From film roles to promotions, toys to video games and everything in between, Jackman has come to define the X-Men to modern fans. He's also given a face to a comic book character previously best recognized by his mask.

For starters, Jackman has now appeared in seven X-Men-related films (counting his amusing cameo in X-Men: First Class). That number will reach eight or nine, depending on the legitimacy of those Deadpool rumors, which will make Jackman the single most prolific superhero actor, at least as of 2017. Robert Downey, Jr. will make his seventh appearance as Tony Stark/Iron Man with this spring's Captain America: Civil War and will almost certainly surpass Jackman's total in the long run. But he's also done all of his work since 2008, which makes it all blur together to some extent. Jackman has been appearing consistently since 2000, never taking a break of more than three years. For a lot of fans (including this 26-year-old writer), Jackman has been in this role for the majority of their entire lives!

As if so many films over so many years didn't make for enough work in the role, Jackman has also contributed to the X-Men's presence in gaming in numerous ways. Perhaps most notably, he lent his voice to 2006's X-Men: The Official Game and 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine (the latter probably being the best X-Men game this century). But if you feel like you've also seen Jackman in other X-Men games, it's probably because you have. Online gamers are likely familiar with Playtech's X-Men slot machine arcades, which are described as being based on the classic Marvel comic but actually employ images from the film to carry the theme. Jackman is front and center on the game, indicating he's become as much of a draw, and as synonymous with the X-Men, as the iconic masked image of his character from the comics. Even the cartoonish version of Wolverine headlining his own edition of the Flappy Mutant Heroes app resembles Jackman more closely than the comic character.

Perhaps most impressive of all is how clearly Jackman has embraced the character beyond contractual obligations and the roles that directly feed his income. It's well known that superhero roles lead to absolutely lucrative pay-days, so in a sense it's no surprise that any actor would do as many films, games, etc. as he could possibly squeeze into his schedule. But Jackman has on numerous occasions displayed a passion for Wolverine and the X-Men films that far exceeds mere "business." This has often meant going out of his way to tease fans with details and promote material outside of ordinary publicity cycles. Just this past December as part of the "12 Days Of Deadpool" stunt going on online, Jackman fueled speculation about his Deadpool appearance with some playful Twitter action. Activity like that has become the norm from Jackman over the years.


All things considered, Hugh Jackman has spent 16 years lending a rare combination of stability and passion to a franchise that might otherwise not have lasted. He's redefined and enhanced the X-Men for a whole new era of fans, and if 2017 is indeed bringing about his final appearance as Wolverine, he'll be sorely missed. But he got his wish, as Wolverine—his Wolverine—has become iconic.

[jo]

This Wolverine can sing --







Proof --

[jo]

Cinemablend, a certified Hugh Jackman-of-the-XMen fan, ranks Hugh's XMEN movies --

www.cinemablend.com/new/Every-Hugh-Jackman-Movie-Which-He-Plays-Wolverine-Ranked-128027.html


It seems to be a little biased, by how the movies are generally ranked by XMEN fans.

I do disagree -- I would put ORIGINS much higher ( because it gave us a very good look into how be became Wolverine, including the motivations and the circumstances, and also gave Hugh the opportunity for more dramatic acting in a superhero movie. The main fan disagreement was in how Deadpool was treated and the way the amnesiac past happened ( with adamantium bullets).

Also, I would put THE WOLVERINE on equal or even lower rating than ORIGINS because the story arc for ORIGINS was more dramatic. I was not too impressed likewise with the last part of THE WOLVERINE, with a robot feeding fanboy fantasies.

But both movies gave Hugh's Wolverine two key characters who held their own against him : the malevolent Sabretooth in ORIGINS and the irrepressible lady-fighter Yukio as his bodyguard in THE WOLVERINE.

I agree that XMEN-UNITED should be ranked high as a superhero movie! All-around strong plot and character development. This was the series' strongest acting and fighting team put together! It edges the first XMEN movie to me, only because the character of Wolverine comes towards the middle of the story - but I did like the introduction of the characters : the wily and sometimes tense relationship between Xavier and Magneto, the hero-worship by the young superheroes-to-be of their "elders", the tentative acceptance by Logan of his new family, and the special link between Logan and Rogue!

XMEN:THE LAST STAND was the epitome of the generic superhero movie! Maybe the least interesting (but it is not really bad) of the original trilogy?

But I would put XMEN:DAYS OF FUTURE PAST even lower than the two solo movies -- as it seemed more like a pained retrofitting of characters and events to suit the new directions of the franchise ( such as the use of Mystique as a leader...the showing of a deeply-troubled Charles Xavier which does not dovetail with how he became the quietly authoritative, patrician, and wise Prof Xavier of the first trilogy... even Magneto is too much the iceman, in the hands of Michael Fassbender ( I missed the wily charm of the old rogue, as interpreted by Ian McKellen... Even Wolverine's part seemed a little shoehorned and he was not used extensively in the movie, dramatically-speaking.

I guess my expectations do not arise from a love of superhero movies -- I simply rank them from the way the characters spoke to me, and most particularly in how the LOGAN/WOLVERINE character was used to tell the story!


Jo

[jo]

Hugh does have an insightful appreciation of what made the character of Wolverine tick --

“Comic book fans have loved Wolverine, and all the 'X-Men' characters, for more than the action. I think that's what set it apart from many of the other comic books. In the case of Wolverine, when he appeared, he was a revolution really. He was the first anti-hero.”
-- Hugh Jackman

In a sense, his leaving the series after Wolverine 3 is sad. Of course, there were career and personal considerations involved in his decision, but Hugh has been the main reason for ensuring the evolution of the character as portrayed on film!