The rocky road to “The Wolverine” continues to bump as yet another delay may push back the film even further.
Deadline reports that despite recent updates around the web that pointed to a November start for the comic book film with shooting to take place in Canada, the film will still head to the great white north, except it won’t start rolling until spring 2012. It appears that Hugh Jackman will want to do his song-and-dance routine in Tom Hooper‘s “Les Miserables” first before putting on the claws for “The Wolverine.” Hooper’s follow-up to “The King’s Speech” has been casting up over the summer with Jackman as Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe in the role of Inspector Javert. Last we heard, shooting was going to begin in February 2012 but this news suggests the shooting date may be moving up (perhaps to get in for Oscar season next year). And according to industry tracking site It’s On The Grid, more talent is being rounded up with names like Hayden Panettiere, Miranda Cosgrove, Lucy Hale and Emma Watson being tossed around for Eponine and Cosette with Amy Adams and Rebecca Hall being eyed for Fantine. Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter are in negotiations to reteam with Hooper to play the Thenardiers.
This all yet another chapter in the saga for “The Wolverine,” which has seen Darren Aronofsky come and go and the devastating earthquake in Japan cause the initial delay in production. With fall 2012 being considered as a initial release date, that now seems off the table with 2013 looking much more likely. As for director James Mangold, it remains to be seen if he’ll stick it out until next year or move on to another project. More to come we’re sure.
