It’s an exciting time to be part of the X-Men universe. After a much needed series reboot back in 2011 with X-Men: First Class, everyone’s favorite mutants are alive and kicking again and it looks like 20th Century Fox has some big plans for the franchise. We already know that director James Mangold is preparing a sequel to The Wolverine, and just yesterday it was revealed that Bryan Singer is going to be delivering X-Men: Apocalypse to us in 2016. Everything looks great for the property except one small thing: the franchise’s main star, Hugh Jackman, isn’t totally sold on continuing with solo features for Wolverine.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, the actor said that if a sequel to The Wolverine doesn’t meet his expectations, he won’t be doing it:
I don’t know whether or not I will do this next movie. I am really proud of this movie and I am excited to develop something with Jim Mangold from the beginning because that is a great ride. That’s exciting, to see what we come up with but I have a very high expectation of what it would need to be [for me to star in it] and if it doesn’t reach those, I won’t be doing it.
He then gave a quick update on the film:
No there is not [a script] but Jim Mangold and I were literally on the phone last night talking about ideas. But there is no script and no writer yet so it’s a way off.
Now, I don’t think these comments really mean a whole lot. Jackman is kind of just stating the obvious. All he’s saying is that he wants to make sure the script is up to his standards before he signs on, which is a sentiment that almost any other actor would echo, especially in relation to playing a character that has defined their career.
Fox is clearly putting a lot of time and energy into the X-Men property and at this point, I can’t see them dropping the ball, so Jackman should have nothing to worry about. The sequel to The Wolverine will most likely meet his “high expectations.” And if it doesn’t, well, I’m sure the paycheck that the studio offers him will.
