The Playlist is reporting a rumor from what they claim are reliable sources that the search for a director on Wolverine 2, the sequel to 2009’s X-Men spin-off, has been narrowed down to two directors: Tony Scott and Matt Reeves.
According to the site, a number of potential filmmakers had been courted for the job of directing Hugh Jackman in a Wolverine sequel that would see the Canadian mutant travel to Japan. Names mentioned as potential directors who the studio talked to include Kathryn Bigelow, Timur Bekmambetov and Daniel Espinosa (a Sweedish filmmaker who made the film Snabba Cash).
Of the two choices, Reeves is the safest bet. The director of Cloverfield and the upcoming Let the Right One In remake/re-adaptation Let Me In is an up-and-coming director who has shown talent but won’t command quite as high of a paycheck as Tony Scott, brother of Ridley and director of films such as Top Gun, True Romance and Enemy of the State.
Scott has really let himself go in recent years — succumbing to an often annoying need to fill every movie he makes with wiz-bang camera gimmicks and editing razzle dazzle. Sometimes the effect is quite entertaining (Man on Fire), other times it’s downright off-putting (Domino).
Wolverine 2 was earlier mentioned with a January 2011 start date for production. The fact that Scott is slated to direct Potsdamer Platz in January could count him out of the running — or it could mean a shift in production dates for either Wolverine 2 or Potsdamer Platz.
The Buzz: I didn’t hate the first Wolverine film nearly as much as some of my fellow comic book fans. The film, while downright stupid at times and featuring some truly atrocious CGI, was entertaining for what it was — the stupid, shallower little brother of Bryan Singer’s X-Men films. When seen with low expectations, it had the tendency to meet — if not exceed — them.
With Fox’s commitment to the X-Men franchise, it’s not surprising that they would continue to push for a Wolverine sequel — especially as Hugh Jackman continues to age — a trait unbecoming of an immortal mutant.
While Scott may seem like a more impressive choice considering his resume, I’d much rather see Reeves get the job. Cloverfield was a fun introduction to a filmmaker who can balance special effects with story and the positive buzz for Let Me In is making it sound like he’s not a one-trick pony.
Let’s see where this news leads but I wouldn’t be surprised if, in the meantime, Hugh Jackman shows up for a cameo in the upcoming X-Men: First Class.
