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Q&A: Director James Mangold Discusses 'The Wolverine'

Janet Lee |
November 19, 2013 | 5:47 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

"The Wolverine" Unleashed Extended Edition comes out on December 3rd (Fox Studios).
"The Wolverine" Unleashed Extended Edition comes out on December 3rd (Fox Studios).
This past summer, we saw Hugh Jackman reprise his role as Wolverine on the big screen in James Mangold’s blockbuster hit, “The Wolverine.”

Now, the movie is making its way home, as the film will release its 4 disc Unleashed Extended Edition Blu-ray and DVD on December 3rd. This package includes 3D Blue-ray, Blue-Ray, DVD, and Digital HD.

While the Digital HD version of the film releases today, Wolverine fans may want to wait another two weeks for the Unleashed Extended Edition, as it features an extended cut of the film for the first time in the entire X-Men franchise and interactive bonus materials that involves synced viewing experience and concept art. This unleashed version that contains more action and F-bombs, is the first film featuring an X-Men character to be released in 3D.

This action-packed mutant film follows Wolverine’s journey to Japan where a reunion with a past acquaintance brings unforeseen circumstances that ultimately strips him of his immortality.

“The Wolverine” Unleashed Extended Edition was screened last night at the Fox Studios lot and director James Mangold dropped by after the screening to discuss his film. 

He spoke of the creative process in bringing Wolverine onto the big screen and the necessary changes he had made from the previous X-Men films. The terms authenticity and sensibility were mentioned often, as these two elements were essential to Mangold in this film.  

It has been over a decade since Jackman debuted in his role as Wolverine, now having played this character in seven films. There is usually a media generated sense of shame that brews among actors like Jackman for not branching out more and pursuing different roles with different characters. Mangold brought up classic past time actors such as Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, and John Wayne who have all carried on homogenous characters throughout their career and explained that there is nothing wrong with that. 

“It isn’t the only measure of an actor in my opinion whether they can change like a chameleon…it’s actually the absolute ability to bring yourself, your honest self to the screen with this big round spherical lens three inches from your face,” he expressed. “When you really find that vein of gold that connection with audiences, there’s no reason to abandon it.”

Mangold highlighted Jackman’s personal exceptionality that he brings to the screen, describing that Jackman does roles that constantly push him. 

“There’s a reality to Hugh Jackman in terms of his own versatility that is really uniquely equipped to eclipse and live within the world of his character,” he said. “The moment Hugh is tired of doing this and he’s personally not challenged, he’ll stop.”

When adapting Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s 1982 Wolverine series to the screen, Mangold wanted to make “The Wolverine” a sequel to the “X-Men: The Last Stand” as opposed to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” He decided to continue the element of death in the narrative that was prevalent in the previous three X-Men films.

READ MORE: The Post Credits Podcast: 'The Wolverine'

Director James Mangold discusses his film "The Wolverine" (Neon Tommy/Janet Lee).
Director James Mangold discusses his film "The Wolverine" (Neon Tommy/Janet Lee).
It was crucial aesthetically to Mangold as a director to keep the themes of life and death consistent by portraying different perspectives of these ideas through each of his characters. 

“I’ve always tried to think as I’m assembling an ensemble how you can take a theme and kind of make sure these different points of view are represented,” he explained. “I’m very conscious…if I follow that kind of thought process the characters all have things to say to each other about their conditions.”

Moreover, when it came to the Wolverine costume, Mangold made adjustments such as dismissing the Wolverine wig that Jackman wore in the previous films and recreating the claws in order to provide his film with a fine line of authenticity. He felt that some things were overdesigned in the past and thus, made efforts to foster a sense of rawness that would coincide with the story. 

“[The story] is an entirely different construction in a way where there is really not central villain out to hurt millions,” he said. “That the whole thing is operating on a different architecture and from that point of view you’re kind of going how can I make the reality of this character and his own humanity come to life.”  

This humanness was essential to Mangold, as superhero films are undoubtedly action-packed with unyielding characters. He wanted to stray away from the typical indestructible Superman territory, by implementing human flaws to invoke depth in the character. 

“[Wolverine] has tremendous strength but it’s still bound by physics,” he described. “Wolverine’s greatest enemy is not in a way enemies who are out to hurt him but his own psyche his own ability to kind of death with that bullshit. He’s a wonderful character in that he is always struggling.”  

Mangold is a quite diverse director whose list of credits includes “Girl, Interrupted,” “3:10 to Yuma” and “Walk The Line.” He is grateful to have followed a path of diverse filmmaking, as it constantly challenges him.  But no matter how far his films lie on a map from one another, he makes sure to weave in a thread of commonality through all of them; something he calls sensibility. 

“I make a lot of different kinds of movies but I bring the same sensibility to all of them,” he said. “I don’t try and become a different filmmaker with each movie I make but I just kind of feel like I’m always learning. Breaking out and applying your sensibilities in different areas can’t hurt you.” 

Watch the movie's trailer below. 

Reach Staff Reporter Janet Lee here. Follow her on Twitter



 

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