Hugh Jackman Calls 'The Wolverine' a Stand-Alone Movie

Director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) is currently shooting The Wolverine, a Japanese-set entry in the X-Men franchise starring Hugh Jackman in the title role. With Darren Aronofsky at one point attached, the project never felt conventional. Speaking with Total Film magazine, Hugh Jackman confirmed the unique approach being taken with the film: "We’ve deliberately not called it Wolverine 2 because we want it to be placed and feel like a standalone picture. With an all-new cast and setting it in Japan, it’s going to give us a whole new visual aesthetic. The approach to character means we won’t be overloaded with mutants and teams and the like, so it’ll be more character-based. I think in many ways it will feel like a completely different X-Men film." The film, written by Christopher McQuarrie, is set for a July 26, 2013 release and also stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Will Yun Lee, Rila Fukushima, and Brian Tee.