Story
Summary
X-Men Origins: Wolverine stars Hugh Jackman and was directed by Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Rendition). The producers are Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter (who produced all three previous X-Men films), along with Jackman and his Seed Prods. producing partner, John Palermo. The film will be executive produced by Marvel Films' Kevin Feige.
Leading up to the events of X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine - written by David Benioff (Kite Runner, Troy) - tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.
Trivia
- Prior To:
- Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, Rush Hour trilogy), Len Wiseman (Live Free or Die Hard, Underworld), and Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) all expressed interest in directing the film before Gavin Hood was signed.
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine marked the first time Gambit appeared in any X-Men film. He was rumored to appear in X2: X-Men United in a non-speaking cameo as one of the mutants Professor X hurts with Cerebro. Gambit was also originally slated to make an appearance in X-Men: The Last Stand but was cut from the story.
- Originally, Liev Schreiber was given a muscle suit to wear for his role as Victor Creed, in an effort to make his physique look comparable to Hugh Jackman's 220 pound figure. The suit, similar to that worn by Vinnie Jones in X-Men: The Last Stand, made Schreiber feel "humiliated." Schreiber then requested he be given a chance to gain real muscle by putting work in the gym and changing his diet. He trained for three months while on the set of Defiance in Lithuania, and eventually trained with Jackman on the set of this film in Australia. Jackman also got Schreiber to alter his diet further by adding a great deal of protein, which Schreiber called "the genocide of chickens." In the end Schreiber gained 35 lbs. and had to buy several new suits due to his back gaining several inches in width. "I can't fit into my favorite suit now! But I felt like I owed it to the genre to be big."
- David Ayer wrote an early version of the film's screenplay.
- Casting:
- Channing Tatum, who was set to play Gambit in X-Men: The Last Stand, was contacted about playing the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine but had a scheduling conflict with G.I. Joe according to MTV. The role ultimately went to Taylor Kitsch, with Tatum saying the following: "I'm really interested to see how the guy plays him because I have a pretty clear version of Gambit in my head. I'm sure the guy is going to be great, though."
- Liev Schreiber got involved when Hugh Jackman, his good friend, asked him to be a part of the movie. Liev was originally intended to play Stryker, but he was more interested in Victor Creed.
- Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Wesley Snipes (Blade) are the only two actors with roles in Marvel Comics film adaptations to have not gone through an audition prior to signing.
- With this film, Hugh Jackman emerged as the first actor to be credited as playing a comic book hero in four consecutive films since Christopher Reeve as Superman. Patrick Stewart also appears in this film and the three previous X-Men films, though his appearance is uncredited, with CGI used to make him appear younger. Scott Summers/Cyclops appears in all four as well but is portrayed by two different actors - James Marsden in the original trilogy and Tim Pocock in Wolverine.
- Dominic Monaghan was originally slated to play a character named Beak, a character unassociated with Weapon X. But over the course of production, the character became Bolt.
- Early rumors said Danny Huston was up for a character named Mr. Sinister. Huston ended up as William Stryker.
- Ryan Reynolds was doubled by Scott Adkins for the final fight scenes.
- Cameos:
- The only other poker player shown at the table other than Gambit and Wolverine when they first meet is Daniel Negreanu, a popular real life Canadian professional poker player. He has won four World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour titles.
- Other:
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine and X-Men: The Last Stand are the first movies produced by Hugh Jackman and John Palermo's new production company, Seed Productions.
- Wolverine was created by Len Wein and John Romita Sr., Sabretooth by Chris Clarement and John Byrne, Deadpool is a product of Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld, John Wraith was created by Larry Hama, and the Weapon X program was first introduced by Barry Windsor-Smith in his classic story Weapon X, originally published in Marvel Comics Presents #72-84 from 1991.
- Sabretooth and Wolverine's first appearances were both in non X-Men comics - Sabretooth in Iron Fist #14 and Wolverine first appeared in the Incredible Hulk #181.
- Both the Comic-Con and official trailers featured musical scores from films that were released in 2007. The Comic-Con footage featured "Come and Get Them" from Tyler Bates' 300 score, and the official trailer featured "Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor)" from John Murphy's score to Danny Boyle's Sunshine.
- In the film, William Stryker says to Wade Wilson: "Wilson, if it weren't for that mouth you'd be the perfect soldier." This is a reference to Wilson's alter ego, Deadpool, as his nickname in the comics is the merc with the mouth. Later on in the film, Wilson is turned into a mutant with several powers but has his mouth closed shut by Stryker.
- In the comics, the character of David North/Agent Zero is German, his birth name being Christoph Nord. Actor Daniel Henney, who played Zero in Wolverine, is of Korean descent.
- In the rear window of the old couple's truck is a sticker reading "Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost" quoting Aragorn's verse from Lord of the Rings.
- The Marvel character Emma Frost makes a brief appearance towards the end of the movie. Kayla's sister is named Emma and has the ability to change her skin to diamond. Emma Frost has telepathic powers including reading minds and controlling other's thoughts. The ability to transform into a diamond like state is a secondary mutation, unrelated to her telepathy. She is unable to use her telepathy in the diamond form.
- In this movie the character of Kayla Silverfox refers to her sister, Emma, but in the Marvel Universe they are not related. Kayla is a member of the Blackfoot Indian tribe and lived with Wolverine in the Canadian Rockies in the 1910s. While Emma (whose real last name is Frost) is from Boston and her family emigrated from England in the 1600s. She did not meet Wolverine until many decades later.
- Victor Creed is never referred to as "Sabretooth" throughout the entire film.
- The drug Kayla was injected with to fake her death was hydrochlorothiazide, which in reality is a mild diuretic used to treat high blood pressure. It usually causes a higher urine output, not near death states.
- The old couple that helps Logan are Heather Hudson and James Hudson, AKA Guardian and Vindicator. They were members/leaders of Alpha Flight, another Canadian government Mutant program. The Weapon X program is under the command of the fictional Department K, while Alpha Flight is supervised by Department H.
