Hugh Jackman Talks New WOLVERINE Film

One of the reasons I like Hugh Jackman so much is the enthusiasm his shows when it comes to Wolverine. Most actors who play comic book characters treat it as an embarassing torture they have to endure. Jackman seems to really appreciate the opportunities the character has given him and truly enjoys playing the clawed mutant.

Case in point is his recent discussion with Entertainment Weekly about the future of the Wolverine franchise. Even though his contract is up when he’s done with X-Men: Days of Future Past, and he won’t confirm or deny that he’s signed up for another round as the character, Jackman speaks excitedly about the potential for another Wolverine film:

I was on the phone with Jim Mangold last night. There are some really cool ideas that I’m dying to tell you, but that would be giving away a secret that is not even [fully] formed yet.

While this might indicate that Jackman is definitely coming back, it’s not set in stone:

I kind of am enjoying him more than ever… Being older helps playing Wolverine. He’s 200 or 300 years old — no one really knows — and he’s sort of world-weary. The actual working out gets harder and harder, I’ll admit. I don’t want to dive into another one until we have a compelling reason to do another one. I love the character, he’s kind of like a best friend to me, and I don’t ever want to take [him] or the fans for granted. … I think we’ve got a great opportunity to make something really cool, but it has to be great. That’s what we’re all working toward.

Another part of Jackman coming back is who comes back with him:

I started with a two-picture deal on the first two [X-Men films], and from that point on, it’s been movie by movie — not just me, but Fox and Jim and everyone. I do want to do it with Jim and with [producer] Lauren Shuler-Donner because we had such a great experience. I’m really proud of The Wolverine.

The Wolverine comes out on home video on December 3, 2013.