New Wolverine Pic!
A new image of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine has appeared online. It is believed to have come from the upcoming issue of Empire magazine, which also includes interviews with Jackman himself and director Gavin Hood.
Ryan Reynolds to Play Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Other Casting Includes The Blob, Silverfox, Stryker
According to AICN, Ryan Reynolds (Definitely, Maybe) will definitely be suiting up to play anti-hero Deadpool in 2009’s first X-Men spinoff X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Reynolds has been attached to the role for some time, including the character’s own flick. This news arrives after several bits of casting info for the film have popped up as of late. Before we get into that, I don’t understand why fanboy sentiment runs so high for Reynolds in this role. I mean, check out the image above (and yes, I liked the dude in The Nines).
Film School Rejects reports that The Blob, one of the more obese villains in comic lore, is set to appear in the Gavin Hood-directed summer tent-pole as well. What’s more, their source says the character will appear as an actor in a fat suit (as opposed to CGI) and pegs the villain’s weight at around 800-1,200 pounds (producers want the latter), which is several milkshakes past his comic book weight of 510. In the comics his skin and fat can absorb missiles, and cannot be punctured, making him a challenge to Logan. Has anyone tried middle school insults? No actor was named, but let’s hope it’s not Mike Myers.
As for the mercenary William Stryker, played previously in the X-Men films by Brian Cox, actor Danny Huston (30 Days of Night, The Kingdom) is set to play a younger version of the character according to JoBlo, against rumors that Dexter’s Michael C. Hall was a lock for the part. Lastly, giving Wolverine a little relief from all of these heavily armed antagonists (also Liev Schreiber’s Sabretooth) is the flick’s love-interest, Kayla Silverfox aka Silver Fox, “one of the few female victims of the Weapon X project,” and IESB says she’ll be played by redheaded actress Lynn Collins (Bug, The Number 23).
I didn’t expect this project to skimp and actually thought it’d be cool to see a less crowded X-Men flick, but The Blob news is definitely a surprise. Hugh Jackman wasn’t kidding when he said this would be on the scale (if not bigger) of a regular X installment. No need to worry that this means too many villains in the pot just yet, especially if Hood brings a fresh creative direction as expected.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine in May 2009
The official title of Gavin Hood’s Wolverine X-Men spinoff feature film is X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which makes complete sense. I’m guessing that David Goyer’s Magneto spin-off will get the same title treatment (X-Men Origins: Magneto).
Liev Schrieber (The Hurricane, The Painted Veil) is in final talks to star as William Stryker, who was played by Brian Cox in the 2003 film X2: X-Men United. In that film, Stryker was a rogue army colonel with an equally fervent desire to destroy mutants, stemming from his mutant son’s causing the death of his wife, and the failure of Professor X to help him. In the comic book series, Stryker was an obscure character, with only one appearance as a religious fanatic, with a military history which may have involved the Weapon X project, which resulted in Wolverine being given his adamantium skeleton.
Hugh Jackman, who is also producing the film, returns as Wolverine. The film is scheduled to shoot in Australia, New Zealand and New Orleans. The New Orleans location has some fans convinced that the popular but yet to be seen New Orleans-based X-Men character Gambit might make an appearance in the film.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine will hit theaters on May 1, 2009 (up against Disney’s animated movie “G-Force“).
Natalie Imbruglia in Wolverine???
Australian soap star turned late-90’s pop singer Natalie Imbruglia (remember her one hit wonder Torn?) auditioned for a role in Gavin Hood’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The singer/songwriter supposedly tested two weeks ago for a role in the upcoming X-Men prequel/spin-off film starring Hugh Jackman. No word on the role that she read for, or if she got the part.
Last month it was rumored that Maggie Q was the front runner for the role of Silver Fox, Wolverine’s love interest. I wonder if things have changed. And if so, why Natalie Imbruglia is even being considered for a part in this film? Can’t be good news for comic book fans.
source: Australia’s Herald Sun