UNITED KINGDOM: Hugh Jackman talks box office nerves and weight gain at the UK premiere of 'The Wolverine'

Record ID: 221118

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Hugh Jackman talks box office nerves and weight gain at the UK premiere of 'The Wolverine'
  • Date: 16th July 2013
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 16, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS FAMKE JANSSEN, SAYING: "You know, it's the fourth time so it's pretty spectacular that I've been back so many times in this franchise and there are so many female characters to explore so the fact that you bring back someone who's died twice is extra flattering." (Reporter: Is the Phoe
  • Embargoed: 31st July 2013 13:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA6MSJL9DSLG4KLEDUETBDJ22ZW
  • Story Text: Australian actor Hugh Jackman was met by huge crowds at the UK premiere of 'The Wolverine' in London on Tuesday (July 16).
    The movie marks the second solo outing for the Marvel Comics superhero with a healing factor, a skeleton laced with the fictional superhard metal adamantium, and razor sharp retractable claws - although this is the sixth movie in which Jackman's character has appeared to date.
    Set after the events of the third X-Men movie, 'X-Men: The Last Stand', the story, which is based on the 1982 comic books by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, follows Wolverine as he travels to Japan where he meets an old acquaintance and has his healing factor taken from him.
    Jackman not only stars as the central role but is also acting as producer on the movie. When asked how he was feeling about the impending and all-important opening weekend, he replied "You know, yeah, you're nervous, excited, relieved. You know, it's been 13 years I've been thinking of making this movie - this particular one - and we've spent a long time making it and we've had a great director and a great cast, I feel it's all come together so now we hand over our baby to everyone else so fingers crossed, it goes well, man."
    The Australian actor also put in extra effort to maintain Wolverine's muscular figure. According to the director James Mangold, he was up at 4.30am every morning to ensure he was in good shape for the set. He is also reported to have been helped in his bulking up by Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock.
    However, Jackman joked "It's all CGI, man. I'm actually under this just skinny fat. No, I don't know. You just sign up and do it. When you're playing Wolverine, you open up a comic book and go, I better go to the gym."
    None of the journalists at the premiere were invited to see the film beforehand, which director James Mangold put down to the movie's 'spoilers'.
    "Absolutely, absolutely. We're hoping you guys can follow a bit of an honour code and not flush everything you see out into public, because I do think there are some surprises for the audiences both in the film and on the other side of it," he said, hinting that the credits contain an additional scene or 'easter egg', which isn't uncommon for the Marvel Comics movies.
    One spoiler which hasn't been explained has been the reappearance of Famke Janssen's character Jean Grey, also known as The Phoenix. She died at the end of both the second and third movies of the X-Men franchise.
    Janssen was unable to talk about the exact manner she returns to the franchise but she was able to appreciate it.
    "You know, it's the fourth time so it's pretty spectacular that I've been back so many times in this franchise and there are so many female characters to explore so the fact that you bring back someone who's died twice is extra flattering," she said.
    There have been on-line rumours that Janssen will also be returning for the next X-Men movie, 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'. When asked if the Phoenix was rising again, she replied "She should. In my opinion she should, but I need an entire studio behind me and the fans, of course, so voice your opinion."
    Jackman turned out for the premiere sporting the mutton chops associated with the character of Wolverine. When asked if he had styled himself on purpose, he replied "Yes, because I'm shooting 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' right now so this is not a look I'd be sporting by choice. It doesn't do me any favours at home."
    "The Wolverine" begins its global release from July 24th.
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