We haven't heard much about The Wolverine lately, which is odd since on paper it should be one of the biggest superhero movies around. Iron Man 3 comes out next year, and we hear something new about it all the time. The Wolverine? Eh. Just sorta forgotten, and I think a lot of it has to do with people still being a little down about Darren Aronofsky's dropping out. James Mangold's a fine director, though, and apparently he and 20th Century Fox are getting the wheels turning as a number of Japanese actors have just been set to join Hugh Jackman.
Comingsoon reports that Hiroyuki Sanada, who some will recognize from The Last Samurai and as Dogen from the sixth season of Lost, has signed on. He'll be joined by Hal Yamanouchi(Push), and newcomers Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima. We know that the story will be based on Chris Claremont and Frank Miller's classic Japanese-set story, which has Wolverine learning about the samurai code of honor while fighting for the love of Mariko Yashida, the daughter of an infamous crimelord named Lord Shingen. Sanada will be taking on the Lord Shingen role, while Okamoto will play Mariko, who is far and away the love of Wolverine's life. Don't buy all that crap about Jean Grey. Wolverine loves her, but he really just wants to nail her. Fukushima will play Yukio, Shingen's best assassin who ultimately becomes one of Wolverine's staunchest allies. Yamanouchi is playing a character simply named Yashida, which could mean he's just some lowly member or distant relative in the Yashida Clan.The only other major part that's yet to be filled is that of the Silver Samurai, Shingen's bastard son and one of the most conflicted characters in the entire X-men universe. He's been an ally, an enemy, a crime lord, an assassin, and at all times sticking to his rather malleable moral code. He ultimately becomes one of the founding members of Big Hero 6, who we just learned are about to get their own Marvel movie soon.
Filming on The Wolverine begins in August, set for release on July 26th 2013.
