Hugh Jackman and James Mangold Returning for 'The Wolverine' Sequel

Even before The Wolverine clawed its way to over $400M this summer, Hugh Jackman was openly discussing the possibility this would be his time as the Canadian mutant. In regards to returning, he said “I wasn’t even sure after the first film if I would do another. I won’t say never, because I’m still loving it. But there would have to be a pretty compelling reason.” Perhaps that compelling reasons is a hefty sum offered up by 20th Century Fox, or maybe it has to do with the revitalized X-men universe the studio is building. Whatever the reasons are, Jackman is coming back for more, and he won't be alone.

Deadline reports Jackman and director James Mangold are in talks to return for a sequel to The Wolverine. Jackman enlisting for another film isn't too much of a shock, but Mangold's participation is a little unexpected. The Wolverine had begun as a Darren Aronofsky project which Mangold took over after he departed. As for the script, it looks like Mangold will take a first shot but we can expect to see others give it a go at some point.

This is obviously still very early on but one has to start thinking about where this film will fit into the larger picture being developed. Wolverine is the central figure in next year's X-men: Days of Future Past, and The Wolverine served as a bridge towards getting there. Will The Wolverine sequel take us into Jeff Wadlow's X-force? Or possibly X-men 4? Or something entirely different? And where will this one be set? Certainly Japan is out of the question, right? Maybe they'll drop Wolvie off in the wilds of the Savage Land? Maybe the next one will acknowledge that X-men Origins: Wolverine still exists? Eh, probably not.  Lots of questions to be answered. Stay tuned.