Update: JoBlo is reporting from a source that these rumors are false and all signs point to spring 2012 start date as pre-production is moving ahead as scheduled. Read the original story below.
At this point, it feels like The Wolverine will never get made. First Darren Aronofsky decided he didn’t want to do the movie anymore, dashing some hopes that the X-Men Origins: Wolverine sequel would be more The Dark Knight, less, well, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. And then Japan, where The Wolverine is set, was tragically hit with a tsunami, which put production on hold — and then it was put on hold once more. And it looks like that hold will continue for a little while longer; in the “Ask Clint” column over at Moviehole (via CinemaBlend), sources claim that production continues to be delayed, and they’ll “resume talks early next year.” Resuming talks means discussing when to start which means it’ll take even longer to get this ball finally rolling.
Presuming The Wolverine finally does start doing something of substance soon, it’ll be under the watchful eye of director James Mangold with a script from Christopher McQuarrie. A script, by the way, that both Aronofsky and series star Hugh Jackman seem to really dig. That’s got to mean something good, right? Nevermind the apparent rewrites from someone who had their name on Unstoppable. Let me live in my optimistic bubble, people; X-Men Origins: Wolverine may have been abysmal, but Jackman and everyone involved at Fox seem to have their heads on straight when it comes to this. Except for the whole “starting shooting” thing. Maybe I should be worried.
Anyone want to give an over/under on when/if The Wolverine actually starts shooting? We could throw down some Vegas-style money. You know you want to.