With Wolverine set to play a major role in both the past and future sequences in Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, the story possibilities for his next solo outing are countless! That’s right; Hugh Jackman will be reprising the role for an eighth time in a sequel to James Mangold’s The Wolverine (you can find further details on that by clicking here). X-Men Origins: Wolverine did a messy job of revealing the early years of James Howlett, while The Wolverine delivered an extremely good take on Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s Japan Saga. So, what’s next for the popular mutant? Here are ten suggestions for where Logan can go next!
10. Old Man Logan
Old Man Logan is rightfully considered one of the greatest Wolverine stories of all-time, but bringing a faithful adaptation of Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s celebrated arc to the big screen could prove to be a logistical nightmare for Fox. Characters like the Hulk, Venom, Hawkeye and the Red Skull all play pivotal roles in this story, and without them, we’d be left with a film which would sadly do little more than disappoint fans! However, if James Mangold could find a way of using it as a basis for an original story (as he did for The Wolverine), there’s still an awful lot of potential there if it’s tapped correctly.
Although it’s not a particular arc I’m thinking of per se, in the comics Wolverine has been placed as having participated in WWII. This could be a huge opportunity for something along the lines of “Inglorious Basterds” starring Wolverine, Nazi slayer.
Frame it within a modern-day flashback/breakthrough moment, that could possibly even be brought about as fallout of the Days Of Future Past story line. As his memory reasserts itself, perhaps introduce him as WWII army volunteer (or conscript? – for dirty dozen feel) James Howlett, aware of his powers but before the amnesia and the weapon x program.
Also it could touch upon the comic that tells his childhood origins, though the meat of the story should be of his travails in the war and as an early mutant.
The twist being that it was not the weapon x program that ‘first’ took his memory of who he was – but perhaps a traumatic injury caused by a heroic wartime sacrifice. (obviously the climax of the film) Then he could wake in the present, more whole than he has been in a long time, and ride off into the sunset. I’d like to see Jackman act out that catharsis of his character.
I’ve got to admit I’m starting to want to write this… Not that I have wildly unrealistic expectations of getting a call from Fox but I’d wager I could fashion an interesting fanfic from it. It’s a shame they wouldn’t be able to cross him over with Cap (unless we could sic Puppet Master on the studios!), but there could be an opportunity to portray Wolverine within a version of the Axis-fighting Invaders. Even scratching Cap from the roster, they could consist of the (original android) Human Torch, Wolverine, Namor, Union Jack, and possibly Spitfire.