X-Men writer David Hayter has revealed that 20th Century Fox demanded a major change for Wolverine.
Comic book films received their much-needed reset with 2000’s X-Men, which largely ignored the core source material. 20th Century Fox’s cinematic gamble clearly worked as the now maligned Bryan Singer launched a billion-dollar franchise. While the franchise wasn’t perfect, it introduced multiple key elements that permeated throughout the zeitgeist and have defined the genre. The most notable decision made by the creative execs was roping in Australian actor Hugh Jackman to portray Wolverine.
Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine is certainly one for the history books but it’s hard to deny how the casting is practically heresy to comic book purists. For one: Jackman is quite tall, which undermines the character’s notable five-foot stature. However, there was one major change that 20th Century wanted for the X-Men which writer David Hayter (who also voiced Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid games) didn’t budge on.
Speaking with Inverse, David Hayter recounted how the studio wanted to change the X-Men character’s Canadian heritage. Hayter, a Canadian himself, maintained that the change wasn’t needed.
“One of the proudest moments I had on the first film was when I was called into one of the producers’ offices and they said to me, ‘Hey, can we just find Wolverine in Alaska instead of Alberta and make him American?’I knew this was coming, but I was ready. I told them, ‘Everybody knows that Wolverine is Canadian and the fans will kill you.'”
“I had no power in this situation, but I stood my ground and he stayed Canadian. I don’t like to call myself a true Canadian hero, though. I’ll leave that to others.”
Wolverine was last seen on the big screen in the Academy Award-nominated film, Logan. Here is the synopsis:
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.
Directed by James Mangold, Logan stars Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, Eriq LaSalle, Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Boyd Holbrook. Logan is available on Digital HD, Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD.
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Source: Inverse
