UGO did an excellent job of putting all this together. So give them some love...
What we know... Confirmed:
X-Men Origins: Wolverine stars Hugh Jackman and is directed by Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Rendition). The producers are Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter (who produced all three previous “X-Men” films), along with Jackman and his Seed Prods. producing partner, John Palermo. The film will be executive produced by Marvel Films’ Kevin Feige. (ComingSoon.net)
Set seventeen years before X-Men, the film will focus on Wolverine’s violent past, and his early encounters with William Stryker. The Weapon X program and his interactions with other mutants will be explored, including his complex relationship with Sabretooth.
Wolverine’s nemesis Sabretooth “is going to play a big part in it. And there will be a good bit of cameos” of new and familiar mutants, Jackman says. “But you can’t give too much away, because fans are pretty hard-core. Their expectations go up a level every time you come out with a new film.” (USA Today)
David Benioff, a comic book fan, pursued the project for almost three years before he was hired to write the script in October 2004. In preparing to write the script, he reread Barry Windsor-Smith’s “Weapon X” story (1991), as well as Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s 1982 limited series on the character (his favorite storyline). (Newsarama)
Jackman collaborated on the script, which he wanted to be more of a character piece compared with the previous X-Men films. (CanMag)
Benioff aimed for a “darker and a bit more brutal” story, writing it with an R rating in mind, although he acknowledged the film’s final tone would rest with the producers and director. (Newsarama)
Hugh Jackman did not see the need to push the amount of onscreen violence. (Latino Review)
In October 2006 the script was finished, and Jackman stated there would be a year before shooting, as he was scheduled to start filming Australia (2008) during 2007. (Super Hero Hype, Daily News)
Before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike began, James Vanderbilt and Scott Silver were hired for a last-minute rewrite. (Variety)
Gavin Hood was announced as director of the project in July 2007 for a 2008 release. (Variety)
Previously, X-Men and X2 director Bryan Singer and X-Men: The Last Stand director Brett Ratner were interested in returning to the franchise. (Honolulu Advertiser, imdb News)
Directors Alexandre Aja and Len Wiseman also expressed interest in directing the film. (ifmagazine.com, superherohype.com)
Zack Snyder, who was approached for The Last Stand, turned down this film because he was directing Watchmen. (iesb.net)
Hood explained that while he was not a comic book fan, he “realized that the character of Wolverine, I think his great appeal lies in the fact that he’s someone who in some ways, is filled with a great deal of self-loathing by his own nature and he’s constantly at war with his own nature”. (SuperHeroHype.com)
The director described the film’s themes as focusing on Wolverine’s inner struggle between his animalistic savagery and noble human qualities. Hood enjoyed the previous films, but set out to give the spin-off a different feel. (MTV)
In October 2007, Fox announced a May 1, 2009 release date and the X-Men Origins prefix. (Variety)
Preliminary shooting took place at Fox Studios Australia (in Sydney) during late 2007. (stuff.co.nz)
Principal photography began on January 18, 2008 in New Zealand. Locations included Dunedin, Glenorchy and Milford Sound. (Hollywood Reporter, TV3.co.nz)
Controversy arose as the Queenstown Lakes District Council disputed the Department of Labour’s decision to allow Fox to store explosives in the local ice skating rink. Fox moved some of the explosives to another area. (TV3.co.nz)
The explosives were used for a shot of the exploding Hudson Farm, a scene which required four cameras. (stuff.co.nz)
Jackman and Palermo’s Woz Productions settled the drama with the council and agrreed to allow recycling specialists on set to advise the production on being environmentally friendly. (odt.co.nz)
Principal photography ended by May 23. The second unit continued filming in New Zealand until March 23, and were schedule to continue filming for two weeks following the first unit’s wrap. (iesb.net)
This extra filming included a flashback to Logan during the Normandy Landings, which was shot at Blacksmiths, New South Wales. (Coventry Telegraph)
David Weinstein did pre-visualization work for the film. His previous work includes Star Wars, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and The Matrix. (thexverse.com)
20th Century Fox also secured Visual Effects Coordinator Damien Carr, a man who has worked alongside ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) on some of the biggest blockbusters to hit our screens recently. His credits include Pirates of the Carribean, Transformers and The Chronicles of Narnia. Also working in the VFX department is Visual Effects Producer Greg Baxter (Thir13en Ghosts, Epic Movie). (thexverse.com)
Comics2Film lists that Louise Mingenbach (X-Men, X2) has also joined production as costume designer alongside previously confirmed designer, Kym Barrett! (Comics2film.com)
According to this announcement from Rhino Buggies, the company’s Hammer will be featured in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. You can check out the Hummer replica models here. (RhinoBuggies via SuperHeroHype)
The Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency revealed that Harry Gregson-Williams is set to compose the score for the film.
“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” stars…
Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine, the mutant and future X-Man. Jackman, who played Wolverine in the previous films, has also become producer of the film, and is being paid $20 million for the film. (Hollywood Reporter)
Jackman underwent a high intensity weight training regimen to bulk up for his role. He changed the program to shock the body into change and also performed cardiovascular workouts. (HealthBrands.com)
Jackman worked out in a Queenstown gym where he would arrive daily at 6am. He stayed in character and made noises while exercising. (Stuff.co.nz)
Troye Mellet plays the young Logan. Casting directors cast Mellet after seeing him sing at the Channel Seven Perth Telethon, and he was accepted after sending in an audition tape. (news.com.au)
Kodi Smit-McPhee was originally cast as young Logan, when filming was originally beginning in December 2007, but he opted out to film The Road. (Superhero Hype, Hollywood Reporter)
Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed / Sabretooth: Tyler Mane, who played him in X-Men, had hoped to reprise the role. (Variety, MTV)
Danny Huston as William Stryker: Schreiber was originally in negotiations for the part, while Brian Cox, who played the character in X2, wanted to reprise the role. He believed computer-generated imagery, similar to the program applied to Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in the opening flashback of X-Men: The Last Stand, would allow him to appear as the younger Stryker. (Variety, AICN)
Lynn Collins as Kayla Silver Fox: Michelle Monaghan turned down the role because of scheduling conflicts, despite her enthusiasm to work with Jackman. (Variety, SuperheroHype)
Daniel Henney as David North / Agent Zero: A member of the Weapon X program and an expert tracker with lethal marksman skills. (Variety)
Will.i.am as John Wraith / Kestrel: A teleporting mutant who becomes a Weapon X test subject. It is will.i.am’s film debut. Although he initially did not get on with the casting director, he got the role because he wanted to play a mutant with the same power as Nightcrawler. He enrolled in boot camp to get into shape for the part. When filming a fight, he accidentally punched and broke the camera, which created a scar on his knuckles. (MTV, Variety, MTV Movies Blog)
Taylor Kitsch as Remy LeBeau / Gambit: A Cajun thief who has the