In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director James Mangold has talked more about the setting of The Wolverine and why it was important that it take place AFTER the events of X-Men: The Last Stand. Needless to say, it came as a huge surprise when we learned last year that it wasn't going to be another prequel, but whether or not it will somehow tie-in to the events of Bryan Singer's X-Men: Days of Future Past remains to be seen. Check out some highlights below and be sure to click on the link at the bottom of the page to read the interview in full.
On How Much Of A Inspiration The Claremont/Miller Series Inspired The Film:
A lot of that story and a lot of beats from that saga are in there — and a lot of characters. Without being religious about it, I think it’s a very admiring adaptation. Obviously when you’re adapting anything you make some changes. But all the characters are there – Yukio, Viper, Mariko, Shingen, and Logan obviously. The whole cast of characters that exist in that world exists in our film.
On The Decision To Set The Wolverine After X-Men: The Last Stand:
It’s set after X-Men 3, but I wouldn’t call it a sequel to X-Men 3. You have a choice the second you enter a world like this with a huge amount of comic books, backstories, three movies, a Wolverine origins movie … You have decide where you’re going to exist in relation to all these other things, particularly if you’re working with an actor who actually played the character in other films. I felt it was really important to find Logan at a moment where he was stripped clean of his duties to the X-Men, his other allegiances, and even stripped clean of his own sense of purpose. I was fascinated with the idea of portraying Logan as a ronin – the definition of which is a samurai without a master, without a purpose. Kind of a soldier who is cut loose. War is over. What does he do? What does he face? What does he believe anymore? Who are his friends? What is his reason for being here anymore? I think those questions are especially interesting when you’re dealing with a character who is essentially immortal.
On Why It Was Important For Wolverine To Have The "Baggage" From The Previous Films:
It was only to my advantage to set it after the X-Men films because the X-Men had effectively ended at that point. A lot of the key characters had died. There was a sense if I’m locating this film not five minutes after the other movie, but a period of time after that last X-Men movie, I can find a Logan who is living separate from the world. He is no longer a member of some superhero team.