"Wolverine" update

**Curt James** · 03-30-2011, 06:36 PM

Hugh Jackman: 'The Wolverine' knocked back, but not dead

By Anthony Breznican, EW.com
UPDATED: 12:22 PM EDT 03.30.11

When "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky backed out of "The Wolverine" a little over a week ago, it left the promising comic book drama in the lurch.

"The script is fantastic -- the best we've ever had, which is why it attracted Darren in the first place," says Jackman.

Part of the anticipation for the film, in which Hugh Jackman's "X-Men" character ventures to Japan and encounters a legion of samurai warriors, was having the provocative tendencies of Aronofsky channeled into a commercial action-adventure movie.

Jackman himself has been bulking up, gorging on protein and working out to build muscle, in anticipation of the project's start. Then Aronofsky said he could no longer commit to the project because the Japan shoot would interfere too much with his personal life.

Jackman says he's not quitting now.The actor was in Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual convention for theater owners, to reveal the first scenes of his upcoming robot-boxing drama "Real Steel." (More on that film in an upcoming Inside Movies post.)

After the presentation, he told EW that "The Wolverine" remains very much alive -- he's staying on board, and the script by "The Usual Suspects" screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie is still in play."So now we're out looking for a director," Jackman shrugged. "We were pretty much ready to go. The script is fantastic -- the best we've ever had, which is why it attracted Darren in the first place. His personal situation precludes him from doing it now, and I feel for him. But now we need to find a director."

Jackman wouldn't cite any preference, but said the team is aiming for another prestige filmmaker, not just someone to yell "action" and "cut."

"We're not going to settle. We're going to find a director as good as Darren, if not better. Well, as good," Jackman said.

"Everyone is still pushing forward to getting it done."

The actor did acknowledge a little impatience, especially since he's growing weary of his protein-powered, muscle-building diet.

"I can't be eating too many more chicken breasts," he groaned.

From http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/Movi....wolverine.ew/

**Curt James** · 03-30-2011, 08:48 PM

**sassy69** · 03-30-2011, 09:54 PM

Beefy!

**Prince** · 03-31-2011, 10:34 AM

he looks great, but he is just very lean, no bulk.

**AKIRA** · 03-31-2011, 10:45 AM

And too tall. Wolvie is not 6' and above.

**Curt James** · 03-31-2011, 12:52 PM

^ True.

But isn't the character, like, 5'3"? Wonder how difficult it would be to find an actor with "leading man looks" plus a super heroic physique to star in a major motion picture.

**sassy69** · 03-31-2011, 02:25 PM

He looks beefier than he usually does , considering he does Broadway when he's not out tearing up bad guys.

**Prince** · 03-31-2011, 03:34 PM

maybe, but its still an illusion due to being very lean, as well as Hollywood lighting and strategically placed camera angles.

**sassy69** · 03-31-2011, 09:57 PM

LMAO .. then on the other hand, "Thor" actually got too big for his costume!

CHRIS HEMSWORTH BULKED UP TOO MUCH FOR HIS 'THOR' COSTUME - Yahoo!7 Movies

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Hemsworth revealed that he bulked up so much to prepare for the role that he couldn't fit into his costume. When he tried on Thor's armor for a final camera test right before shooting was to begin, it was way too tight.

Hemsworth said that while wearing the restrictive, long-sleeved costume, "[My] hands started going numb... And I started getting pins and needles and you'd touch the skin and the blood wouldn't return to the area so quick." Apparently, in the three months between being measured for the costume and the final test, his added muscle made the suit so tight it cut off circulation.

After that, Hemsworth said that the costume was altered along with his exercise plan. He said director Kenneth Branagh told him, "Let's try to pull it back just a little bit, otherwise it's too blocky." Hemsworth subsequently changed his diet and his workout routine, focusing more on cardio exercises instead of weight training.

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Last July at ComicCon, Hemsworth told BuzzSugar that he packed on 20 pounds in preparation for the role. He said, "It was purely eating, eating, eating, working out and working out, trying to sleep as much as you can -- that's the other third of the equation." Back then, Hemsworth said that he cut down on the eating and subsequently dropped about 15 extra pounds. But he told the L.A. Times that, "I'm putting it back on now for The Avengers." That movie -- which will team Thor up with Iron Man, Captain America, and the Hulk -- is reported to begin filming next month for a summer 2012 release.

Hemsworth is at CinemaCon, the annual gathering of movie exhibitors, to receive the "Male Star of Tomorrow" award on Thursday. The convention also featured a presentation Monday night of scenes from both Thor and Captain America, the two Marvel movies coming this summer. ComingSoon.net wrote, "Overall, the footage we were shown was terrific... we think both movies are looking to be on par with the first 'Iron Man.'"