Saturday 9 May 2009

Superhero dater Hugh Jackman

From: monstersandcritics.com

Hugh Jackman wanted Wolverine's mind-reading powers when he was dating.

The actor - who plays the mutant anti-hero in 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' - says knowing what the opposite sex was thinking would have saved him a lot of time and effort.

Speaking about his alter-ego's animal instincts, Hugh - who has been happily married to wife Deborra since 1996 - said: "I don't think the claws would be my ultimate power. Walking through walls would be good but telepathy would be the one. It would be very handy in cutting down on the dating process. You would be in and out of a bar in five minutes because it would only take that long to weigh up your options."

[MORE]

Friday 8 May 2009

Schreiber Unhappy With 'Squirrel-like' X-men Action Figure

From: imdb.com

Actor Liev Schreiber is disappointed with the action figurine of his X-men Origins: Wolverine character - because the toy looks like "an angry squirrel".

Schreiber plays Victor Creed, who eventually adopts the mutant alter-ego of Sabretooth, opposite Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in the box office smash.

But the 41-year-old is not completely happy with the plastic figurine of Sabretooth, likening the doll to the bushy-tailed tree creature.

He says, "I have one complaint about it, not that I'm not excited to finally have an action figure after all these years, but I want to know what compelled the designers of this action figure to - I'm assuming they read the plotline for the movie and saw that I play this prehistoric game cat - but what possessed them to make me look like an angry squirrel? You can almost see the nuts (in the mouth)!"

However, Schreiber's eldest son with actress Naomi Watts doesn't share his father's view - the Sabretooth doll is one of 21-month-old Alexander's favourite play things: "He has a bag of toys, that he calls the turtle bag, that he puts his favourite toys in and it took a tense 15 minutes (before he put it in the bag)."

Jackman To Bring Wolverine To Mexico

From: imdb.com

Hugh Jackman will cheer up victims of swine flu in Mexico - he is planning a special screening of new movie X-men Origins: Wolverine.

The blockbuster was due to debut in Mexico City on 29 April but officials axed the premiere in a bid to halt the spread of the virus, which has claimed dozens of lives in the capital.

Jackman vowed to unveil the film for Mexican fans as soon as possible - and now he is set to deliver on his promise to give the country a much-needed boost with a special screening later this month.

He writes on his Twitter.com page: "My thoughts and prayers have been with all of those that have suffered directly or indirectly from the swine flu in Mexico.

"I will bring Wolverine to Mexico City on May 26 to provide a moment of fun, escapism, and a treat for some of the loyal fans of the comic."

Deadpool movie is a dream come true, says Ryan Reynolds

From: coventrytelegraph.net
Written by: David Bentley

RYAN REYNOLDS, who plays sword-spinning mercenary Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, says he learned the news of a definite spin-off for his character from internet headlines.

But Ryan - who will next be seen in new comedy The Proposal, due out in June - is very happy to be reprising the comic book role.

He told ET: "I read [news of the spin-off] online like everybody else. I just woke up and it was the headline everywhere. It was a very strange way to learn something.

"I'd by lying if I didn't say I was hoping that that would come of this film. It's somebody I've wanted to play my whole adult life so it's sort of a dream come true."

In an earlier interview he had said: "I've always loved the character. I remember reading one of the Deadpool comic books, and in the comic somebody asks Deadpool what he looks like.

"And he said he looks like a cross between a Shar-Pei and Ryan Reynolds. And I was like, I really, really wanna play this guy at some point. I thought it was pretty cool. It's a guy that knows he's in a comic book. How hard is it to shoot that properly? That's not something they put in Wolverine nor would it belong in that universe.

"This character is something I've been mentioned about for a long, long time now. And the character in the comic book - Deadpool - even mentioned me playing him. So I think it was in some weird way it was a little bit destined."

A second Wolverine movie is in development along with a spin-off for Gambit.

Video game review - X-Men Origins: Wolverine

From: coventrytelegraph.net
Written by: David Bentley

HUGH JACKMAN'S new movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a howling success on its opening weekend at the box office - and there's a tie-in video game if you want to bring out your animal side and immerse yourself in the excitement.

The Coventry Telegraph tested out the new game and found it a razor-sharp piece of enjoyment.

Most games are notorious for being short, superficial shoot-'em-ups - but this one is a powerful and worthwhile release.

And it's full of the feral violence that some have said is missing from Jackman's screen portrayal of the metal-clawed mutant. Epic battles include one against a giant Sentinel - the mutant-hunting robots from the comic books.

Here's our verdict on the game...

Review by Martin Smith
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
£39.99
X360. Also available on PS2, PS3, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC and Wii.
18+

IF someone nearby had a hat, I'd eat it. Regular readers of the CoventryTelegraph's Bytesize computer games review column will know our deep hatred of movie tie-in video games.

However, after sitting through enough turkeys to put one off Christmas for eternity, the movie tie-in genre has been faring rather better in recent days.

And then Activision goes and delivers the wonderful X-Men Origins: Wolverine to our door. A rather large slice of humble pie beckons, I believe.

Firstly, the Wolverine game cover the film plot and beyond. Finally, someone has realised the potential.

It's an action-packed gore fest - you have been warned. The opening cut-scene sets the tone and it doesn't let up. You begin by plunging out of a helicopter. Without a parachute, naturally.

What follows is a proper blood-and-thunder action game, beautifully designed with plenty of extra add-ons for the X-Men legions thirsting for more after seeing the film.

And, despite being a tad repetitive at times, Wolverine offers gamers a proper challenge - the game length is around 12 hours, which seems to whizz by amid all of the blood and guts being spilled on most scenes.

An early contender for Game of the Year? Perhaps.

But Activision's latest outing of Call of Duty - which is set to be released in the autumn - may have a small say in that matter but this effort is certainly worthy of such esteemed company.

Rating: 5/5.

Hugh Jackman Wants To Star In A Musical With Beyonce Knowles

From: icelebz.com

Hugh Jackman wants to star in a musical with Beyonce Knowles. The "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" actor teamed up with Beyonce at this year's Oscars, where they performed a dazzling musical medley, and Hugh is keen to work with her again.

He said: "Me and Beyonce. I will do anything. I am the one talking up all those rumors."

The actor also revealed he would like the musical to be directed by Baz Luhrmann, the man behind "Moulin Rouge!" and "Australia," which Hugh starred in alongside Nicole Kidman.

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old heartthrob says he was shocked at the success of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and feels privileged to have starred in it.

Talking about the movie, which has so far taken $175 million at the worldwide box office, Hugh told U.S. TV show "Extra": "I was blown away. I was so grateful to the fans and to everybody who came out in force and seemed to love the movie. I just want to say thank you to them. I love my job. I feel like the luckiest guy. Don't tell, but I'd do it for free!"

Jackman Thanks Fans For $175 Million Movie Success

From: imdb.com

Hugh Jackman has thanked Wolverine fans for giving him and his new movie a $175 million (£117 million) opening week around the world.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine stormed to the top of box office charts all over the globe following its release last week (ends01May09) and the Aussie star is extremely grateful to fans who turned out in droves to see it at the cinema.

He says, "I was blown away... (and) so grateful to the fans and to everybody who came out in force and seemed to love the movie.

"I just want to say thank you to them... I love my job. I feel like the luckiest guy."

And he admits the 'fan-demonium' means there will be a sequel.

He adds, "The fans have been very vocal about the story they want to hear and that’s the samurai story set in Japan."

Fox Claims 4 Million Copies Of Wolverine Downloaded

From: imdb.com

Without citing a source for his information, News Corp. President and COO Peter Chernin claimed on Wednesday that the pirated workprint of X-Men Origins: Wolverine that hit the Internet in late March has now been downloaded some 4 million times. Chernin's comments came during a conference call with analysts to discuss the company's quarterly results -- and flew in the face of other estimates that the pirated movie, produced by News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio, had been downloaded about 1 million times. Piracy, Chernin said, has become "as big an act of industrial espionage, industrial sabotage, as we have seen in terms of its economic impact."

Thursday 7 May 2009

Real Wolverine Claws - Homemade - X-Men

aekirby6: I made a second set of claws for my left arm. Added some improvements on this one. The springs are quicker. It locks in the back position so it can be cocked and ready. It has a release for that lock near the bicep, so with it positioned just right flexing your bicep will actually release it. It also locks in the forward position so when you stab something the claws don't retract on the track.

Video: Stephen Colbert's Three Movies Destroying America

From: worstpreviews.com

On Monday, Stephen Colbert presented three Summer movies that are destroying America on his Comedy Central show "The Colbert Report." The movies were "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "The Proposal" and Pixar's "Up." Watch the video below for a hilarious explanation.

Colbert also interviewed "Star Trek" director JJ Abrams, who helped him solve a mystery and answered a few questions about the upcoming movie. You can watch that video below as well.

"The Colbert Report" airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm EST and "Star Trek" is set to hit theaters tomorrow (May 7th).

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Movies That Are Destroying America - Summer Movie Edition
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorGay Marriage

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Wolverine and the X-Men Unleashes Mutant Rating Fury for Season 2

From: buzzfocus.com

Wolverine and the X-Men has just been signed for a second season with 26 epiosdes, bringing the mutant ep count to 52.

The news comes only days after X-Men Origins: Wolverine clawed its way through the box office with $85 Million in domestic ticket sales for opening weekend.

The recent additions of Wolverine and the X-Men and Iron Man: Armored Adventures has been a great boon to the Nicktoons network. The Viacom owned station posted the highest gains of any other kids’ network with boys 6-11 and boys 6-14 in prime time and total day for quarter-to-date (3/30/09-4/26/09). Nicktoons grew its ratings by +50% with boys 6-11 in total day and +33% in prime time, and posted a +67% gain with boys 9-14 in both total day and prime time (Source: NMR, Live + Same Day). Additionally, Nicktoons Network just completed its highest-rated first quarter with kids 6-11, boys 6-11, tweens 9-14, boys 9-14 and total viewers.

“Wolverine and the X-Men is a proven hit with our audience who can’t get enough of this new action-packed series,” said Keith Dawkins, Nicktoons Network General Manager, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Programming Partnerships. “We are excited to continue working with Marvel to bring viewers the next chapter for these super heroes.

Wolverine and the X-Men Season 1 continues with new episodes on Fridays beginning May 22 at 8 p.m. ET, following Iron Man: Armored Adventures at 7 PM ET.

'Wolverine' wins at Aus and UK box office

From: digitalspy.co.uk
Written by: Simon Reynolds

UK:

X-Men Origins: Wolverine has beaten Hannah Montana: The Movie to take the UK box office crown.

The Marvel Comics adaptation pulls in triple Hannah's total to secure first place over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Last week's number one State Of Play slips to three, while new release Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past enters at four.

Elsewhere, Monsters Vs. Aliens and Fast & Furious tumble out of the top five to six and seven respectively.

The UK top ten in full:

1. (-) X-Men Origins: Wolverine - £6,658,979
2. (-) Hannah Montana: The Movie - £2,030,657
3. (1) State Of Play - £981,519
4. (-) Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past - £976,780
5. (4) 17 Again - £534,816
6. (2) Monsters Vs. Aliens - £529,594
7. (3) Fast & Furious - £455,558
8. (5) I Love You, Man - £358,530
9. (6) In The Loop - £214,607
10. (7) The Uninvited - £172,973


Australia:

X-Men Origins: Wolverine has landed at the top of the Australian box office on its debut weekend.

The Hugh Jackman superhero prequel brings in an impressive $6.6 million to end Fast & Furious's reign at the top of the chart.

War drama Defiance, starring Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell, is a new entry at number three, while 17 Again and The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas round up the top five.

Elsewhere, Monsters Vs. Aliens and Race To Witch Mountain slip down the top ten, falling to number six and nine respectively.

The box office top ten in full (figures in Australian dollars):

1. (-) X-Men Origins: Wolverine - $6,617,733
2. (1) Fast & Furious - $1,080,166
3. (-) Defiance - $1,015,640
4. (3) 17 Again - $570,230
5. (5) The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas - $493,995
6. (2) Monsters Vs. Aliens - $459,123
7. (6) The Boat That Rocked - $339,870
8. (7) Fired Up - $262,132
9. (4) Race To Witch Mountain - $220,027
10. (8) Knowing - $124,623

Recreate the hair of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine

From: boxwish.com

There are many things to admire about the look of Wolverine. The superhero as played by Hugh Jackman in the three X-Men movies and now to be found at your local multiplex in prequel X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the very vision of manly gruffness. There’s the incredibly muscled physique (find out how to get in shape the Wolverine way here), the cool leather jacket outfit and the hair. Okay, so the twin tufts aren’t quite as desirable, but how are you supposed to complete your Wolverine look without his signature barnet? Find out how to recreate it over the jump.

Hair website Hairfinder provides a useful Q and A section on their site which answers user requests and one such bod has asked for a guide to achieving the fuzz of the metal-clawed mutant. Hairfinder has accepted the challenge and have kindly provided a breakdown that informs us that Logan’s locks form a classic 50s style ‘do called the “duck tail” where the hair at the sides is combed to meet at the back and “overlap slightly to feather along the back of the head down the centre”. Think teddy boys and Elvis wannabes.

The guide then goes on to explain how to work the sideburns and how to whip your hair into those trademark side points. Read the entire article at the Hairfinder link below and go wild with that hair gel. Granted it’s not a look for the work place (unless you work as a professional Wolverine lookalike or in a 50s time warp), but it will work brilliantly with your fancy dress costume for this year’s Halloween!

Get Wolverine’s Leather Jacket Look & Fancy Dress Costume.

Isaac Florentine’s Ninja Trailer: The Most Badass Thing You’ll See All Day - Film School Rejects

Isaac Florentine’s Ninja Trailer: The Most Badass Thing You’ll See All Day - Film School Rejects

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New Trailer for G.I. Joe

New trailer for G.I. Joe, starring Ray Park as Snake Eyes.

Topless Robot Stories.

Topless Robot finds the crazy stories, here are the latest headlines:

- Wolverine Loves Bonus Endings as Much as He Loves a Frothy Vanilla Capucchino.
- Marvel and Capcom Want to Take You For a Ride.
- Wolverine Movie Trifecta: The Endings, the Sequel, the Musical.
- Wolverine's 10 Least Badass Moments.
- Q: Where Did All the Blood in the Wolverine Movie Go? A: The Videogame.
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine Summed Up in One Ludicrous Product.
- Man Makes His Own Wolverine Claws, Kills Dozens of Cardboard Boxes.
- Deadpool Movie Happening... But After Wolverine, Do You Really Want It?.

Deadpool spinoff

Deadpool spinoff
From: Joblo.com
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If both comic fans and casual moviegoers wondered why characters like Gambit and Wade Wilson (eventually Deadpool) were ham-handedly jammed into X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, the answer is the obvious one: if the flick was a box office hit, Fox had built-in spinoff material.

As previously suspected (or assumed), Ryan Reynolds' sword-swirling mutant will take his skills into a solo movie, following the unsurprising news of a WOLVERINE sequel. The DEADPOOL flick will supposedly go "back to the roots of the character known for his slapstick tone and propensity to break the fourth wall", which means it will essentially need to ignore or erase his "evolution" as presented in WOLVERINE... which might be preferential to the character's core fans. The project is currently seeking writers.

Ever since BLADE TRINITY, Reynolds has actively been discussing his desire to play the character (which he accurately describes as a "grotesquely scarred, morally flexible mercenary with a penchant for wise cracks and hyper-violence"), so at least he finally got his way after several years.

I have to be honest -- I've read comics for a long time, but beyond a superficial level I never understood the fanboy infatuation with Deadpool (created by pouch-loving artist Rob Liefeld at a time when every new character name was some variant of Death, Night or Blood). That said, I don't think there's a better man for the part than Reynolds.

Extra Tidbit: An animated Deadpool appears in the HULK vs. WOLVERINE direct-to-DVD 'toon, voiced by Nolan North (of videogames like "Prince of Persia" and "Uncharted").

Did The Writers Strike Hurt This Summer’s Movie? - Screen Rant

Did The Writers Strike Hurt This Summer’s Movie? - Screen Rant

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Scott Mendelson: HuffPost Weekend Box Office Rundown: Wolverine Proves Mighter Than Piracy, Swine Flu, and Mediocrity!

Scott Mendelson: HuffPost Weekend Box Office Rundown: Wolverine Proves Mighter Than Piracy, Swine Flu, and Mediocrity!
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Overpowering a month-early leak of the work print, theoretical fears of swine flu, and some of the worst buzz of any summer film not named G.I. Joe or Year One, X-Men Origins: Wolverine powered its way to a terrific $85.05 million opening weekend. The film opened to $35 million on Friday, which included $5 million in midnight screenings. So, if you count the midnight screenings as part of the Friday total (as we always do here, since the studio made the choice to hold said midnight engagements), that gives the picture a decent 2.4x opening day-to-weekend multiplier. For comparison, last year's big summer kick-off picture, Iron Man, opened to $102 million with midnight screenings, giving the picture a 2.6x.

So, amazingly enough, not only did the film score a boffo opening day, it actually didn't completely collapse over the weekend. To be fair, I am biased, believing the film to be stunningly not entertaining, but this would-be fourth X-Men picture actually had a comparable multiplier with the previous X-Men pictures. For comparison, X-Men: The Last Stand had a three-day multiplier of 2.3x (to be fair, it opened on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, so it had an extra holiday Monday to take in movie goers). X2: X-Men United opened at 31/85, giving it a 2.74x. And the original X-Men ($20 million opening day/$54 million opening weekend), had a 2.62x.

So, the good news is that Hugh Jackman and company weathered an unimaginable storm of bad luck to score a weekend knockout anyway. It is the 8th biggest opening weekend for a comic book adaptation. It is the nineteenth biggest opening weekend of all time, becoming the astounding 21st film to open to over $80 million (all since November, 2001). Remember that pointless figure for 'third biggest opening weekend for a fourth in a series'? Yeah, Wolverine just blew past Fast & Furious to claim that pointless touchstone. Oh, and Wolverine now has the biggest opening weekend of 2009.

Is there bad news? Perhaps. In a marketplace that seems more and more front-loaded, we have now seen almost a year since a film crossed the $200 million mark (that would be The Dark Knight back in July, 2008). In that time, we have seen six $50 million+ openings that have failed to even reach $200 million. Twilight, Quantum of Solace, Madagascar 2, Watchmen, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Fast & Furious... four of those titles opened well north of $60 million. The closest was Twilight, which opened to $69 million and ended up at $191 million. Monsters and Aliens is now at $185 million and has two weeks to get there before Night at the Museum 2 effectively kills it (and 'MvA' will lose many of its IMAX screens to Star Trek this weekend). Point being, $200 million is not guaranteed, especially with this particularly short-term franchise.

Quite frankly, X-Men pictures has the worst legs of any major franchise. The first film, despite getting solid reviews and decent word of mouth from fans and casual moviegoers, still barely made 2.88x its opening weekend. It opened with $54 million and ended with $157 million. And, despite rave reviews, rapturous response from moviegoers, and being considered one of the best comic book movies ever made, X2 opened with $85 million and closed with just $215 million, a downright pathetic 2.5x weekend to total multiplier. As for the 'Last Stand'? That critical and word of mouth turkey opened with a spectacular $122 million in four days (Memorial Day weekend, natch). It closed with just $235 million. If we take the four day number, it gives X-Men: The Last Stand a shockingly poor 1.9x w2t multiplier. But lets play fair and take the three day Fri-Sun portion. Factoring in just the $105 million three-day number still gives the third X-Men picture a poor 2.2x.

So, if we play best case scenario and give Wolverine 'legs' on par with the first X-Men picture, that gives it a super-solid $245 million. Not gonna happen, but let's pretend. Anyway, an identical performance to X2 gives it $215 million, same as X2. If Wolverine gets hit by word of mouth, stiff competition from the allegedly fantastic Star Trek, genre competion from Terminator: Salvation, and, yes, that bootleg, it could see a quick and brutal collapse (do you think anyone who has the bootleg but still saw it in theaters this weekend is going to spend the time and money for a repeat viewing at a threater?). I'm not saying it's going to be Watchmen-terrible (that one opened to $55 million and closed with $108 million... a terrifying 1.96x weekend-to-total multiplier), but a similar to X-Men: The Last Stand 2.2x performance would bring about a domestic total of $187 million. Nothing to sneeze at, but its not a total that gets X-Men Origins: Magneto or X-Men Origins: Gambit greenlit.

As always, next Friday's numbers will tell the tale. Once again, the culprit is budget versus plausible expectations. Had Fox kept the budget close to the announced $90 million, this would have been a grand slam home run no matter how well it held up. But alleged reshoots and other behind the scenes turmoil ballooned this thing well past the budgets for X-Men and X2. I've said this quite a bit, but at some point studios have to stop budgeting every major franchise picture at such a high cost that they MUST break records to even make their money back.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past opened to a mildly underwhelming $15.4 million, which is about what the less-star powered Made Of Honor grossed ($14.7 million) against Iron Man's much larger opening weekend (compared to Wolverine) last year. I guess Patrick Dempsey is a bigger rom-com draw than Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. The Battle For Terra, an ambitious 3D animated sci-fi action film about benevolent aliens and murderous, imperialist humans, completely tanked with just $1 million on 1100 screens. Looks like Lionsgate's hot streak is officially over. Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself (9/11/09) and Saw VI (10/23/09) cannot come soon enough.

Other news? Well, Paramount is now a little nervous, as Star Trek once again sits in the unenviable slot of being the 'second big film of summer', a place that has housed mega flops (Speed Racer, Poseidon), mid-budget performers (Monster In Law, The Horse Whisperer), and an overbudget domestic dissapointment that was saved by overseas muscle (Troy). Since 1995, when Die Hard: With A Vengeance overpowered Crimson Tide in the second weekend of summer, only a single film (Troy - summer 2004) has opened to number one as the second big flick of summer. While Star Trek certainly has the buzz and the reviews to theoretically break the curse, there is no guarantee that non-geeks will show up to sample the updated version of that nerdiest of sci-fi staples (no offense intended, I'm a geek too). Paramount has made not one false move with the advertising campaign since November, so now it's up to fate.

Jackman Pretended He Was Wolverine In The Gym

From: Imdb.com

Hugh Jackman bulked up to play muscle-bound mutant Wolverine in the new X-men movie, by getting into character in the gym.

The actor's buff new physique has helped the film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, shoot to the top of the U.S. box office and reinforce his reputation as the Sexiest Man in the World.

But Jackman insists it didn't come easily, and he had to pretend he really was the clawed superhero to push himself during workouts.

The Aussie star tells Starpulse.com, "Ok, this is a little embarrassing but I'm a little more of a wuss in real life, obviously, than my character.

"There's a moment when you're training where you just want to give up. I used to kind of imagine myself, not when I was training with these guys because that'd be a little embarrassing, but when I was on my own with my trainer Michael, I used to kind of imagine I was Wolverine. Somehow, it always got two or three more reps out of me. It was also kind of humiliating with the yelling and it looked a little silly."

Lesson Learned: Don’t Expect Perfection from Superhero Films - Film School Rejects

Lesson Learned: Don’t Expect Perfection from Superhero Films - Film School Rejects

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Will Wolverine appear in X-Men: First Class? | Filmonic

Will Wolverine appear in X-Men: First Class? | Filmonic
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One of the main reasons I am looking forward to X-Men: First Class is due to the prospect of having an X-Men film revolve around the X-Men and not Wolverine. Sure, he’s a cool character and Hugh Jackman is great in the role, but the bastard hogged all the screen time in the trilogy and other characters had to suffer in order for him to shine (Cyclops and Storm mainly). So with Wolverine on course to getting his own trilogy, it may finally be time for an actual X-Men film with X-Men: First Class, which will focus on young versions of Cyclops, Jean, Beast and Storm (among other’s yet to be confirmed) as they undertake their first year at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

However, with X-Men Origins: Wolverine making big money this past weekend, mainly due to Hugh Jackman and people’s interest in Wolverine, would Fox ever consider making an X-Men film without an appearance from the clawed one?

From MTV:

“Do you think Wolverine will be in the ‘X-Men: First Class’ movie?” I asked Jackman, expecting to hear a simple “no” or “no comment.”

“I don’t know,” he responded with a grin, leaving the door open. “You’re asking good questions. You’ve done your research.”

“I’ve got nothing to do with that movie, they don’t need me,” Jackman cautioned, then cryptically added, “…as a producer.”

Which brings up a good point: Although the “producer” in Jackman is already working hard to make a Wolverine spin-off sequel, it seems likely that the “actor” in him wants to leave the door open to guest appearances in the movies of other mutants.

“I haven’t even read the script,” he tried to explain of “First Class,” but once again added honestly: “But, we’ll see.”

Finally, I thought I’d give Hugh one more shot at a stronger confirmation or denial, so I asked if he’d be willing to do a small cameo in “First Class,” along the same lines of what Patrick Stewart did in his film. “Yeah,” Jackman grinned, escaping while he could. “You have done your research.”

A cameo would actually be quite cool, considering there would be little or no interaction between Wolverine and the characters he meet for the first time in X-Men 1. From X-Men Origins: Wolverine it is hinted that First Class would takes place after those events, so it could work. However, if Wolverine end’s up on-screen for more than 20 seconds I’ll showcase some berserk rage of my own.

'X-Men Origins' takes the PS3 top spot and debuts as the 360 number one

From: digitalspy.co.uk
Written by: Liam Martin

PS3:

X-Men Origins: Wolverine has made its debut at the top of the PS3 chart, with last week's number one The Godfather falling to fifth.

Killzone 2 makes a push up the chart to retake second, above Resident Evil 5 which falls to third.

Sony's karaoke title Singstar Pop Edition is this week's second new entry and makes its debut at seven, above The Chronicles Of Ridick.

The top ten in full:

1. (-) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Activision)
2. (4) Killzone 2 (Sony)
3. (2) Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
4. (5) FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts)
5. (1) The Godfather II (Electronic Arts)
6. (10) Street Fighter IV (Capcom)
7. (-) Singstar Pop Edition (Sony)
8. (3) The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Athena (Atari)
9. (7) LittleBigPlanet (Sony)
10. (6) Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection (Sega)

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C) 2008 ELSPA Ltd.


360:

X-Men Origins has made its debut at the top of the Xbox 360 weekly chart, despite an assault by FIFA 09.

With FIFA in second, last week's number one The Chronicles Of Riddick falls two places to third ahead of Resi 5.

Capcom fighter Street Fighter IV makes a reappearance in the top ten at eight, above the plummeting Gears Of War 2.

The top ten in full:

1. (-) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Activision)
2. (4) FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts)
3. (1) The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Athena (Atari)
4. (3) Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
5. (2) The Godfather II (Electronic Arts)
6. (9) Halo Wars (Microsoft)
7. (6) Call Of Duty: World At War (Activision Blizzard)
8. (13) Street Fighter IV (Capcom)
9. (5) Gears Of War 2 (Microsoft)
10. (10) Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision Blizzard)

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C) 2008 ELSPA Ltd.

X-Men Spinoffs: Deadpool, Storm & Gambit With Rogue? - Screen Rant

X-Men Spinoffs: Deadpool, Storm & Gambit With Rogue? - Screen Rant
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As we enter the aftermath of the opening weekend of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the discussions of spinoffs and sequels hit full throttle.

We’ve heard for a while now about the internal discussions at Fox about the many possible films that can branch out from the series so far. These include X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2, Deadpool, X-Men: First Class, X-Men Origins: Magneto and a Gambit solo.

Well, what’s it going to be?

With Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine origins movie banking nearly $160 Million worldwide this weekend, we can expect to see some green lights on upcoming Fox productions in the X-Men franchise.

For now, let’s talk about what the actors want to see in the future. The other day, I wrote about Ryan Reynolds and his desire to not only have his own Deadpool solo movie, but to feature the character Cable as his opposite in the film. I’m all for that idea as I thought Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson in the Wolverine movie was one of the best parts (pre-Weapon XI that is).

For those who don’t know the character, Cable is the son of Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Madelyne Pryor (Jean Grey’s clone) who was taken to the future only to return as a much older and hardened mutant. This will certainly not be his origin if he is ever to appear in the movies. At least, not until the X-Men franchise is rebooted in the not-too-distant future.

I also thought that Cable would be a good character to introduce into the X-franchise and I proposed that a good place for his introduction would be in X-Men: First Class as it will bring back major characters Cyclops and Jean Grey back into the mix (and possibly Emma Frost). That way, Cable would known by audiences by the time Deadpool is made.

So, out of the solo possibilities, Deadpool seems a more likely choice than Gambit, if not for the fact Ryan Reynolds has significantly more star power than Taylor Kitsch.

As for Gambit, he is one of my favorite characters from the comics and of the classic nineties animated series. In the movie, he does not earn such praise from me.

While Gambit is a cool character and Taylor Kitsch a good actor, together they do not meet the basic needs of what many fans of the character want. Gambit needs his Cajun accent and his French catch-phrases – that is essential.

In the comments section of Screen Rant’s review of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, you may have seen my review of the movie where I discuss a few of the characters. In it, I talk about how Gambit came off as some cocky southern kid and didn’t have the coolness or suave that the real Gambit puts forth. He wasn’t a bad character in the movie; he was just a weak character who could jump 50 feet high and nothing like the Marvel versions.

Regardless, Gambit is one of the spinoff possibilities. What does Taylor Kitsch, the actor who plays him want in a Gambit spinoff? In speaking to MTV before X-Men Origins: Wolverine hit theaters, the Canadian actor of Friday Night Lights fame said:

“I would love to go darker… [Gambit] in Vegas was fun, but I want to go into the Thieves Guild part of his story.”

“How cool would it be to see him stealing things to survive because the stakes are so high?… Of course, as an actor, I’m always going to the darker side, but for him that would just be way more intriguing.”

“Come on, Fox… Let’s do it.”

I always love when an actor is passionate about his character, but I really want a Gambit flick to be really friggin’ good. In order for that to happen, Gambit needs to portrayed more accurately on screen. And for the movie to be bankable, they’re going to need some big names in the supporting cast.

How about Anna Paquin who played Rogue in the X-Men trilogy and who’s keeping busy with HBO series, True Blood? Taylor Kitsch has this to say about that idea:

“There are two things with that — she’s such a great actress and I’d love to work with her, and that would be cool to see Gambit and Rogue.”

“I’d also like to see the charming Gambit on his own and see how he is with other women — see how he is with the women in the casino there, with the charm and the suave and the effortlessness it takes with him… That’s something I’d like to explore as well.”

Jackman in for "Personal Security," "Drive" and "Wolverine" sequel.

From: moviejungle.com
Written by: Peter Dimako

Hugh Jackmanand John Palermo will be using their Seed Productions banner for seversal projects for Jackman who can be seen in the current number one film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

First up, news comes of Fox and Seed eyeing out a sequel to "Wolverine" which pulled in a big $85 million last weekend.

Apparently the sequel focuses on the samurai storyline originated in the comic series There's no writer attached as yet.

In "Personal Security" which Fox has just closed a deal on, Jackman will star as a tough New York cop who is forced to play bodyguard for a spoiled brat teenage heiress who is receiving kidnapping threats. Matt Lieberman wrote the spec script. Jackman and Palermo will produce alongside Michael Schreiber from Tapestry.

"Drive"would have him play a solitary man who apparently drives race cars during the day and getaway cars at night. The latest draft was written by Hossein Amini, based on the James Sallis novel.

The X Factor: Ticket Sales Fall Off

From: imdb.com

Ticket sales for X-Men Origins: Wolverine fell off more steeply on Sunday than 20th Century Fox executives had expected. The result was that the movie ended up with a total of $85.1 million versus the $87 million that the studio had estimated. The result also meant that the overall box-office finished a tad behind the comparable week last year, when Iron Man opened with $98.6 million, making it only the third week this year that sales were not significantly above last year's. Coming in second was the debuting romantic comedy Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, starring Matthew McConaughey, which took in $15.4 million. The only other film to open wide, Battle for Terra 3-D, took in just $1.1 million, to open twelfth.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Box Office Mojo (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date):
1. X-Men Origins: Wolverine, 20th Century Fox, $85,058,003, (New) );
2. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Warner Bros., $15,411,434, (New) );
3. Obsessed, Sony, $12,052,151, 2 Wks. ($46,854,485);
4. 17 Again, Warner Bros., $6,361,358, 3 Wks. ($48,503,817);
5. Monsters Vs. Aliens, Paramount, $5,803,429, 6 Wks. ($182,407,971);
6. The Soloist, Paramount, $5,654,558, 2 Wks. ($18,162,696);
7. Earth, Disney, $4,340,235, 2 Wks. ($22,004,284);
8. Hannah Montana: The Movie, Disney, $4,164,185, 4 Wks. ($70,946,323);
9. Fighting, Universal, $4,011,465, 2 Wks. ($17,344,805);
10. State of Play, Universal, $3,715,980, 3 Wks. ($30,944,180).

How to get ripped the Wolverine way

From: boxwish.com

Checked out X-Men Origins: Wolverine yet? If so, you’ve probably stared in amazement at the buffer than buff physique of star Hugh Jackman. It’s true the Aussie actor fills out a vest with the very best of ‘em (move aside John McClane!) and now his personal trainer, Michael Ryan is spilling the star’s workout and diet secrets. Ryan has been working with the 40-year-old for 20 years, helping him get into shape for the original X-Men movies and vamp actioner Van Helsing, but has confirmed what we can all can see – that “Hugh now looks the most ripped he’s been for any movie.” And how did he achieve it all? Click over to find out.

Under supervision, Hugh starts working up a sweat with a morning workout as Ryan explains: “Research suggests that people who train in the afternoons consistently do workouts of far less intensity than those who do train in the morning. When Hugh has a 6am filming start, that means we’ll be in the gym by 4am.”

The workouts last from 60 to 90 minutes and feature weights and cardio. They are then revised day to day, alternating which muscle groups to focus on and with small changes to keep things interesting. “The same workout can be done ten different ways by making these small changes,” reveals Ryan. And how often did Hugh put himself through this? Only six times a week for 12 weeks and with a diet that saw him chow down on six, sometimes seven meals a day.

For a further breakdown on how you can get ripped like Wolverine, head over to the Today site (link below) for training tips and meal suggestions. But remember to go steady and not try too much too soon. We don’t think Wolverine would stand much of a chance in a face-off with Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber) with a pulled muscle!

[via Men’s Fitness & Today]

ABC: The Oprah Winfrey Show - Gay Marriage

Oprah Winfrey and panel, including actor Hugh Jackman, openly gay decorator Nate Berkus, and a lesbian couple who were married in Iowa, supportively discuss marriage equality.

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Idea of Gambit and Rogue Hook-Up in 'Wolverine' Spin-Off Proposed

From: aceshowbiz.com

'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' actor Taylor Kitsch reveals on what he has in mind should his character Gambit is getting a solo spin-off movie.

An idea to bring the story of Gambit and his love interest Rogue for solo spin-off movie has been thrown in by "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" Taylor Kitsch. The "Friday Night Lights" star who depicts the card-tossing Cajun confessed to MTV News of his hope to team up with Anna Paquin, who played the X-Men's southern belle in the previous "X-Men" movies.

"There are two things with that - she's such a great actress and I'd love to work with her, and that would be cool to see Gambit and Rogue," the 28-year-old shared. On another story he'd like to see, he said, "I'd also like to see the charming Gambit on his own and see how he is with other women - see how he is with the women in the casino there, with the charm and the suave and the effortlessness it takes with him. That's something I'd like to explore as well."

While ideas of bringing Gambit to the big screen has come up since "X-Men 2" was made in 2003, the character whose alter ego is known as Remy LeBeau first appeared in feature film in the recently-released "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". In the Hugh Jackman-toplined movie, Gambit helps Wolverine to reach the island where William Stryker imprisons many mutants. Earlier, there were words that Gambit is one of the characters in "Wolverine" considered to get its own spin-off.

Which Wolverine Spin-Offs Would You Want to See, If Any?

From: firstshowing.net
Written by: Alex Billington

Pirating be damned, X-Men Origins: Wolverine made $85.1 million at the box office this weekend. Of course, I'll argue that it could have made a lot more, but that's a story for another day. While perusing around the web looking for some news today, I came across this article on io9 that featured quotes from an interview IESB did last week with producer Lauren Shuler Donner. She talked a bit about some of the potential spin-offs and how far along they are in development. Everything hinges on the success of Wolverine, but with that kind of solid opening, I'd say it's likely we'll see something get a greenlight.

So if they move forward with another Marvel movie, what would you want to see? There are really four options for Fox after Wolverine. First off, the sequel, Wolverine 2, which Hugh Jackman has said might see Logan venturing to Japan in that storyline. Secondly, there's the obvious Deadpool spin-off, which has been buzzed about because the character is a fan favorite. Third, there's a possibility of continuing on with the young mutants in X-Men: First Class, which already has a script and is moving forward. And lastly, while this isn't a spin-off, there's still a chance that X-Men Origins: Magneto could still get made.

To get into some of these spin-off ideas a bit further, I have to say, that the scene in the first 15 minutes showing Wade Wilson aka Deadpool (played by Ryan Reynolds) fighting off the henchman in the office building with his swords was awesome. If they could make a whole movie with that kind of action, I'd be all for it. I understand that this is why people are excited for a Deadpool movie. Even though they "screwed him up" at the end, I'm sure they'd make sure he gets back to that kind of badass sword fighting action. So anyway, I know I'm at least in for a Deadpool spin-off. But what about you? What do you want to see?

Wolverine 2 Will Force Hugh Jackman To Fight Samurai

Wolverine 2 Will Force Hugh Jackman To Fight Samurai
Written by: Mack Rawden
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X-Men Origins: Wolverine is getting a sequel, not that you should be in the least bit surprised. I’m certainly not. There’s been like nine Friday The 13th movies, twenty Olsen Twin straight to DVD endeavors and even hundreds of cases of swine flu. Yup, everything gets a goddamn sequel, but this one isn’t even pretending to be about anything but the money.

According to Variety, all systems are a go even without a writer, director or anything more than a vague premise. Apparently it’s going to involve samurais. Great. Clear Tom Cruise’s schedule, maybe Forest Whitaker’s too. Ha. Bet you didn’t think you’d get a Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai reference in this story, did you?

I find this news offensive on several levels but mostly because of how casually Variety reported this whole thing. Blame them, blame the machinery of Hollywood, blame Bill Buckner, for God’s sake, blame someone. “The Seed partners have begun planning the sequel, which they are squarely focusing on the samurai storyline originated in the comic series, and whose Japanese locale was teased after the film's final credits. A writer has yet to be hired. Seed will produce.” See how nonchalant the whole thing is?

I’ve got a great idea for a goddamn movie. Let’s have a boy fall in love with a girl but here’s the catch: they’re Amish. Or what about having a movie where some money gets stolen from someone but it takes place on a train? Green light ’em all. Write the idea down on a note card and stick it inside Hal.

Hugh Jackman Scared of Coming-to-Life Dolls

From: aceshowbiz.com

Despite his muscular body, Hugh Jackman has fear for dolls which are brought to life on screen.

Movie hunk Hugh Jackman makes no attempt to hide his fear of coming-to-life dolls. He openly admits he is always scared whenever he watches kids' toys brought to life on screen.

"When dolls come to life in films, that just freaks me out, I just can't stand that," the "X-Men" leading actor says. "Chucky?" he adds when referring to murderous doll featured in horror movie "Child's Play". "Forget that. I remember when I was a little kid, and that little doll in the rocking chair going, 'Take the girl right up the hill and kiss the girl goodbye'... I'm like, forget that! That freaks me out."

Aside from his fear of dolls, Hugh Jackman has been best known for portraying the role of superhero comic character Wolverine in "X-Men" films. Most recently, he reprised the role in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", which already hit the U.S. theaters on May 1 and has stolen the top spot at the North American box office over the weekend, taking in more than $70 million in ticket sales.

Fox developing Wolverine 2 | Filmonic

Fox developing Wolverine 2 | Filmonic
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In what must be the most obvious piece of news this month, it has been announced that 20th Century Fox and Hugh Jackman’s production company Seed are developing a sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

From Variety:

Fox and Seed are in development on a sequel to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” which topped the domestic box office over the weekend.

The Seed partners have begun planning the sequel, which they are squarely focusing on the samurai storyline originated in the comic series, and whose Japanese locale was teased after the film’s final credits. A writer has yet to be hired. Seed will produce.

No word on whether director Gavin Hood will return, although we probably won’t see the sequel for another few years (2012 seem likely and would fit with the typical 3 year cycle) so we probably won’t get any major cast/crew announcements any time soon. In the meantime Jackman has a few other projects lined up. According to THR Jackman has joined Disney’s Ghostopolis:

The story centers on a man who works for the government’s Supernatural Immigration Task Force. His job is to send ghosts who have escaped into our world back to Ghostopolis. When a living boy accidentally is sent to the other side, the agent must team with a female ghost (and former flame) to bring him back.

Jackman is also keen on making Carousel, a musical, and Drive, which would see him play a solitary man who drives race cars by day and getaway cars by night in Los Angeles.

Wolverine May Spawn Spin-Offs for Real - Film School Rejects

Wolverine May Spawn Spin-Offs for Real - Film School Rejects

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IMHO "Oprah": Hugh Jackman and Nate Berkus speak out for gay marriage

From: afterelton.com
Written by: Lyle Masaki

Friday's Oprah Winfrey Show was another "Fridays Live" episode, with Hugh Jackman stopping by to promote the new Wolverine movie. Discussing current news, Oprah used the weddings of same-sex couples in Iowa to start a discussion on the issue of gay marriage.

While it's no surprise that Jackman would be a supporter for gay equal rights, he turned out to be another straight ally who understands why marriage is an important step (one of many) on the road to equality. But that wasn't the only charming moment in the segment, which also featured gay resident designer Nate Berkus and the always-entertaining Jenny McCarthy.

Jackman compared opposition to gay marriage to the kind of objections interracial marriages faced, but he nicely tied it into a history of changing views about who should have the rights of marriage.

All through history there's been, 'Okay let's not have Catholics and Protestants marry', 'Let's not have people of different races marry' ... Why don't we talk about love and how that's the most important thing in marriage? I've been married for 13 years and marriage takes work and that's the important issue.

Overall, it was a fast-paced segment which included Gayle King pointing out how she and Jackman have both tried to find a way to deny gay rumors without suggesting they would be ashamed of being gay (prompting Nate Berkus to cutely flirt with Jackman, "If you were gay you could tell me. Only me, you don't have to tell everybody else.") as well as a sweet interview with a lesbian couple getting ready for their wedding day.

Young Logan sings

FOR THEM Troye Sivan
We are so proud to be working with this very special young man. Troye wanted to do this video to bring attention to the plight of the 100 million children around the world who are homeless and so much need our help. The wonderful music and lyrics are by Anthony Johnson.

Least I Could Do

Rayne in a Deadpool Suit



COMMENTARY FOR THE EXECUTIVES AT FOX

COMMENTARY FOR THE EXECUTIVES AT FOX

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FREE RABIES SHOT WITH LARGE POPCORN

FREE RABIES SHOT WITH LARGE POPCORN
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THEY SOLVE MYSTERIES, I THINK

THEY SOLVE MYSTERIES, I THINK
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Monday 4 May 2009

Twilight Examiner: Ryan Reynolds for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn?

Twilight Examiner: Ryan Reynolds for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn?
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Ryan Reynolds, who recently starred with The Twilight Saga: New Moon star Kristen Stewart in Adventureland, whose film X-Men Origins: Wolverine just opened in theatres this Friday, and who is married to Iron Man 2 star Scarlett Johansson, has a small group of Twilight fans (see here) swooning for him to take a spot in the book-to-film translation of Stephenie Meyer's fourth Twilight series book Breaking Dawn.

These fans say that Reynolds would be absolutely perfect for the small, but significant, role of Garrett, the wandering nomad who comes to the side of the Cullens in their time of need.

Jolly, olive-skinned, and observant, Garrett's character is [*spoiler*] a sort of speech-giving savior to the Cullens in Breaking Dawn with the Renesmee situation. Standing up to the Volturi, this somewhat messy wanderer has to use his words to save the day.

With Reynolds, we all know that he is a fast-talking, speech-wielding know-it-all type in most of his films, but he can also pull of some rather intense scenes as well.

So what do you think? Do you think Ryan Reynolds could make a good Garrett if and when Breaking Dawn starts casting? If not, who do you picture for the part? Comment below and let us know!

  • To join the discussion about making Breaking Dawn into a film, see here.

Jackman Slashed Kitsch's Hand With Wolverine Claw

From: imdb.com

Actor Hugh Jackman left his X-men Origins: Wolverine co-star Taylor Kitsch with a bloody hand during filming - after accidentally slashing him with his metallic claws.

Jackman shares an intense fight scene with Kitsch's character Gambit in the comic book movie - and the Australian star admits he got a little too aggressive during one take.

He says, "We were having this fight scene and he has his staff and he goes to hit me and I stop him with my claws, and he pulls back really quickly.

"I'm looking at him because they (the directors) haven't called cut, and I'm looking at my claws and there's only two claws coming out, and I'm thinking, 'Where's the third claw?' I look up and it's sticking out of his hand. Straight into his hand and he's like, 'Whoa dude, something I said?'"

But Kitsch brushed off the injury and pressed ahead with shooting.

Jackman adds, "He pulls it (the claw) out, wipes the blood on his jeans and goes, 'Let's go'."

'Ghostopolis' is Hugh Jackman's Latest Onscreen Haunt

'Ghostopolis' is Hugh Jackman's Latest Onscreen Haunt
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, X-Men Origins: Wolverine star Hugh Jackman is attached to Ghostopolis, an upcoming graphic novel from Doug TenNapel that the author recently set up at Disney.

The trade reports that the story centers on a man who works for the government's Supernatural Immigration Task Force. His job is to send ghosts who have escaped into our world back to Ghostopolis. When a living boy accidentally is sent to the other side, the agent must team with a female ghost (and former flame) to bring him back.

Jackman will produce through his Seed Productions, as will the Gotham Group. No director or writer has yet been attached to the project.

It sounds as though it could be a fun project, with elements seemingly borrowed from both MIB and Poltergeist.

Doug TenNapel's graphic novel is due out later this year.

Ryan Reynolds on X-Men Origins: Wolverine

From: canmag.com
Written by: Fred Topel.

Marvel comics character Deadpool makes his first movie appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, the mercenary who undergoes military experiments to make him a mutant.

Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool

“I’ve actually wanted to play Deadpool for a really long time so, for me, it was a bit of a dream come true,” Reynolds said. “I always thought that he was a character that sort of felt like a cross between Commando and Phantom of the Opera, by way of Caddyshack. So, for me, it was a pretty original type of guy, in this universe. I felt like I was ready years ago because I’ve been wanting to play this guy forever.”

Dreaming is one thing. The movie people still made Reynolds get in shape for the part. “It was a lot of sword training and a lot of working out with Hugh, who I remember, on my first day, looked a lot like a guy who was going to make a necklace out of my teeth. That was the gold standard that was set, from early on. Basically, it was about spending countless hours with the katana sword-training fellas.”

Reynolds had done action movies before, but Wolverine holds a special record for him. “I honestly worked probably the longest day of my life on this movie. It’s a huge movie, so there were several units going at once, and I had a day where I was going back and forth, from each unit. It was about a 22-hour day, and there was make-up and all these things, and I had to spin these swords at a million miles an hour around my body and, by about hour 19, I had a couple of extremely close calls with these katana swords. When you’re spinning these swords, you want to wear pants for that. I honestly just about lost my future legacy, a couple of times, and I had to take a little break and pour myself a nice shot of espresso, so I could carry on. That, for me, was probably the worst of it.”

Once the full Deadpool make up comes on, Reynolds needed his humor to get through it. “Having my mouth sewn shut was definitely a moment where you say, ‘Why am I method?’ but you go for it anyway. At lunch, snorting a steak was hard, but I got it down.”

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is out in theaters now.

Jackman Booed At Late Night Wolverine Screening

From: Imdb.com

Hugh Jackman showed up at a midnight showing of his new film X-men Origins: Wolverine in the U.S. on Thursday night - and was booed by film fans.

The actor slipped in to a city cinema and decided to surprise the audience just before the film started.

He explains, "We ran the trailers as normal and then all of a sudden the lights went up and they were like, 'Boo.'

"I said, 'Sorry, there's been a technical problem...' and they're like, 'Wolverine!'"

The booing was then replaced by cheering. The film is expected to race to top of the box office this weekend (02-03May09).

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Scores Big at Box Office

From: canmag.com
Written by: Fred Topel.

Though X-Men Origins: Wolverine couldn't stand up to the critics, the film, taking advantage of an already-strong franchise and fanbase, enjoyed a Blob-strength opening weekend. Taking in an estimated $87 million, the film has quickly become the best non-holiday bow for 20th Century Fox.

Box Office Report: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Wolverine also did excellent overseas. The prequel grossed $73 million from 101 territories to bring its worldwide opening to exactly $160 million. The film did so well globally that it represents the best opening ever in plenty of those international markets.

Though strong, the film still couldn't stand up to X-Men: The Last Stand's $102 million opening over Memorial Day weekend back in 2006. In all fairness, Wolverine is the better of the two pictures and, if it did have a holiday to open on, it might have achieved similar domestic numbers.

20th Century Fox has to be relieved to have already made back the film's reported $150 million budget. With Star Trek coming this upcoming weekend, Wolverine's box office glory won't last long.

Box Office: Wolverine Slashes to #1 with $87 million

Box Office: Wolverine Slashes to #1 with $87 million

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: May 3, 2009 - Screen Rant

Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: May 3, 2009 - Screen Rant

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This X Doesn't Mark the Spot: The Wolverine Movie Lacks the Series' Socially Significant Themes

From: huffingtonpost.com
Written by: William Bradley.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is shaping up as a big summer action hit. But it's a big step back from what genre fiction's been doing lately.

Big comic book and scifi movie extravaganzas can make big points about society, sometimes even catching the zeitgeist, as we saw with 2008's The Dark Knight. The X-Men series has been at the forefront of this, exploring the changing nature of humanity, our relationship with technology, and the concept of otherness in a mass society. And doing it amidst unique powers, cool tech, and some bracing action.

Unfortunately, most of that which intrigues one intellectually and moves one emotionally is missing in the fourth entry in the franchise, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

It's not a bad movie. (And it does provide an amusing explanation for one of the most famous events of the 1970s.) In fact, it is shaping up as a big hit. It's a pretty good action flick, but the movie lacks the intellectual depth and soul frequently found in the X-Men series. I was entertained. But it's going to fall far short measured against the Star Trek and Terminator movies coming later this month in the cultural significance sweepstakes.

The basic plot seems borrowed, at least in part, from Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1985 action vehicle, Commando. Somebody is killing members of Wolverine's old special ops team, and his old commanding officer visits him to discuss it. Bad things ensue.

Like the reboot of Batman, this picture is an origin story. But it explains, well, nothing, before jumping into the action.

Ryan Reynolds 4/30/09 Ellen DeGeneres Show

Ryan Reynolds "sword trick" on Ellen Degeneres

(No Copyright Infringement intended)

Sunday 3 May 2009

Jackman 'sneaked into cinema to watch fans'

From: digitalspy.co.uk
Written by: By Lara Martin

Hugh Jackman has reportedly confessed that he loves to sneak into cinemas to watch fans' reactions to his movies.

Speaking to ITN News, the X-Men Origins: Wolverine star claimed that he liked to go unnoticed at screenings so that he could share the viewers' experience.

"I go in on opening weekend and I watch them. There is a sense of fantasy and escape," he explained.

Discussing the appeal of comic book movies, he said: "We go into another world where people have these fantastic powers and 'I wish I could have claws like that because my boss is really annoying me, or my teacher, or my dad'...It's fantastic wish fulfilment."

He added: "On the flip side of that, they all kind of got issues, man, Wolverine can do some serious therapy and still not get out of it. They're human and they've got conflicts."

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is in cinemas now.

'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' delivers $35M debut

From: screeninglog.com
Written by: Franck Tabouring

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" delivered a stunning debut at the North American box office Friday with an estimated $35 million in ticket sales.

Released by 20th Century Fox, the Gavin Hood-directed prequel opened at 4,099 locations, scoring an average of $8,539 per theater. Hugh Jackman returns to reprise his role as Wolverine, who seeks revenge against Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) and William Stryker (Danny Huston).

Shouting Match: Who’s More Badass, Movie or Comic Wolverine? - Film School Rejects

Shouting Match: Who’s More Badass, Movie or Comic Wolverine? - Film School Rejects

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