2. Nitro
While the X-Men decide to keep out of the superhuman Civil War, Wolverine still takes it upon himself to track down the villain responsible for the explosion which killed sixty children at a nearby elementary school and around 600 people in the surrounding neighbourhood in Stamford, Connecticut. While Fox wouldn’t be able to use Civil War as the basis for this movie, Nitro could instead be a mutant that Wolverine decides to hunt down for causing a similar disaster (one which perhaps takes out a young group of mutant superheroes rather than the New Warriors). It’s hard to imagine a better basis for a Wolverine movie than putting the character on the quest for revenge!
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.