Wolverine is back in Logan

Aussie hunk Hugh Jackman makes one more film as Wolverine, the iconic X Men role that brought him fame

OVER AND OUT

Wolverine was Hugh Jackman’s first US film role and at the time he was a little-known stage actor from Down Under. But his portrayal of the powerful mutant cemented his place in Hollywood. After 17 years of playing Wolverine in the successful X-Men franchise, the 48-year-old actor will be retracting his adamantium claws for the last time. “It felt like the right time to do it. I never in a million years thought it would last [this long], so I’m so grateful to the fans for the opportunity.” Hugh says Logan, the final movie in the Wolverine trilogy, is “the perfect way to go out”. There’s a touch of relief too, it seems. “I don’t know how many more egg white omelettes I can eat,” says the actor, who underwent rigorous training every time he played the superhero. NEW KID ON THE BLOCK Twelve-year-old Dafne Keen plays a young mutant named Laura, who appears to be some sort of clone of Wolverine. Her character is known to fans of the comic books as X-23, a mutant who also has healing powers, fast reflexes and adamantium claws. Director James Mangold knew instantly that the English/Spanish actress was perfect for the role. “If anyone could steal a movie from Hugh, it would be Dafne,” says James, who compared her audition to that of Angelina Jolie for her breakout role in his film Girl, Interrupted. “Angie was nailing everything, she was on fire, and there’s no question at that point. And when I met Dafne, it was done. It was this kid, and it could only be this kid.” Hugh Jackman and 12-year-old Dafne Keen in scenes from Logan, the final film in the Wolverine trilogy – now showing in SA cinemas. THE STORYLINE Set in 2029, the film is loosely based on a 2008 comic called Old Man Logan. Wolverine is caring for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) at a remote outpost on the Mexican border. Professor X introduces him to Laura and he undertakes a final mission to protect her from dark forces who want to capture her – in spite of the fact that his regenerative abilities are fading. Hugh wants the final chapter in the trilogy – after X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and The Wolverine (2013) – to offer something different. “Early on we [he and director James Mangold] had the idea for the title not having anything to do with Wolverine,” he says. “It’s about the man and what the collateral damage of being Wolverine your entire life would be. It’s a standalone movie in many ways.”