From what we've already heard about The Wolverine, it seems a safe bet that when Hugh Jackman once again dons the claws and sideburns we will be seeing a completely new take on the character. Now while chatting to MTV, director James Mangold adds to that, discussing the Japanese setting and influence, how "dark" things will get and the rating of the movie, and also what wee can expect to see (or not see) in the first teaser for the film.
On the Japanese influence.
"I think there is a lot of ways that Japanese film, Japanese fighting, Japanese martial arts have had an effect on this movie. And certainly the movie is dripping with Japanese tradition both cinematically, fighting-wise and philosophically as well."
On Logan's new look and separation from the previous movies.
"We've given Logan a new haircut, a shorter haircut that I think is a more handsome haircut. The wonderful opportunity for me with this film is that 90 percent of it takes place in Japan, and even though other elements remain constant from the other pictures, namely Hugh Jackman, we kind of got our chance to reboot the tone and go a little darker and a little deeper than they've gone before with this character. That was exciting for me."
On a potential rating, the violence, and a "pissed off" Wolverine
"The whole point is not about violence or rating; it's about intensity. I wanted to make a film that in a way captures the intensity of his character. One of the things that has always been a feature of Wolverine in the comics is that he has a berserker rage, that he has anger and some of his abilities are driven by something more primal. Honestly, to get really pissed off — not cute pissed off, not quippy pissed off, not funny pissed off or cigar-chomping pissed off, just pissed off — that can then help drive the fighting, drive the combat."
Mangold also teased the first trailer for the movie, although he wouldn't say exactly when we should expect it, or what it would reveal.
"For me, I'm not the marketing department of Fox, but for my own tastes, less is more." He then says that because we are already so familiar with the character, he doesn't feel they have to give away too much with the first teaser.
"You have a character that's a bit of a given, you know this guy. Hugh is so good in this role. My point of view is 'save as much as you can,' but we will be lifting our skirt and offering a peek or two, certainly in the months to come."
Click on the link below for the full interview, in which Mangold refuses to even tease what we can expect from his take on The Silver Samurai.