Hugh Jackman Ordered to "Bulk Up" for New Wolverine Movie
Posted 11.06.11 by BrentJS
Aussie superstar Hugh Jackman has built his career on the brawny back of Marvel's most popular mutant, Wolverine, in 20th Century Fox's X-Men movie franchise. But, to many, Jackman's lean, mean physique in the X-Men team movies and in his stand-alone movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, never quite fit the look of the squat powerhouse depicted in the comic books. In fact, when Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) accepted the helm of the non-sequel sequel to Origins, The Wolverine, he told Jackman that he wanted him to transform from looking like Clint Eastwood to looking like the "powerful, stocky...short and thick" Wolverine in the comic books.
Even though Aronofsky is out and James Mangold (Knight and Day) is in as director, it appears that Aronofsky's mandate to "get bigger" is still in effect. Jackman recently revealed that he is under orders to "bulk up" for the role after getting dancer-slim for his one-man show, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, which opened last week.
The studio wants me to bulk up. Singing and dancing makes the suits nervous because weight just falls off me, but I'd rather sing and dance on Broadway than make movies.In 2012, I'll combine both when I start shooting Les Miserables.
Apparently, Jackman's natural state is neither Wolverine-ripped nor dancer-slim, as he revealed that director Shawn Levy was not too thrilled by his physique when he showed up a month before filming was set to begin on Real Steel looking a bit doughy.
It was kinda nice not to do all the action [in Real Steel], I must admit. I rang Shawn Levy, the director, and said, "Shawn, I play an ex-boxer, I think we should go for it. I've met Mike Tyson and he still looks formidable but he looks a little softer — don't tell him this please.
But anyway I turned up a month before shooting, 20 lbs. overweight, and Shawn said, "That realism thing, let's just pull that way back."
The Wolverine is based on the classic Marvel Comics limited series Wolverine written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Frank Miller, creator of Sin City and 300. The screenplay was written by Chris McQuarrie (Valkyrie), with rewrites by Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard). The movie does not yet have a start date, but producer Lauren Shuler Donner said that it will likely not go into production until Summer 2012, which should give Jackman plenty of time to pack on muscle following Les Miserables.