Film Trailer | The Wolverine

Of all the big summer releases of 2013, James Mangold’s The Wolverine has strangely been the least marketed. That all changed last Sunday, however, when the first poster for the next chapter in the fan-favourite anti-hero’s saga was thrust onto the web. This was followed by more one-sheets and, as is now customary for big blockbusters, short teasers for the full-length trailer. Today, the full two-and-a bit minutes have been officially released, and the early indications corroborate what Mangold and star Hugh Jackman have been saying since The Wolverine began production; this is the Wolverine film fans have been waiting for, inspired by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont’s much-loved comic book series.

Set after the events of Brett Ratner’s disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), The Wolverine will see Logan (Jackman) travel to Japan after he is befriended by Yukio (Rila Fukishima). We soon learn that she was sent to find Logan by the leader of her clan, Shingen (Hiroyugi Sanada), who was saved by Logan in the past. However, when a battle leaves the former X-Man vulnerable, Logan must face a horde of enemies as well as confront his own immortality.

There’s an awful lot of berserker rage-fuelled action teased in the footage, from Logan doing battle with the Silver Samurai (Will Yun Lee) and skirmishes with ninjas, to what already looks to be a stunning fight sequence on a train. Equally enticing are visuals of Jean Grey (Famke Jannsen) – which we can assume will be a flashback given the events of X-Men: The Last Stand – and the beautiful backdrops of Japan, where the action will take place. The major takeaway here though is the fact that Logan may lose his ability to heal, with the final lines of the trailer in particular featuring some revealing dialogue to that end.

The Wolverine faces stiff competition in the superhero department this summer with the likes of Man of Steel, Iron Man 3 and Kick-Ass 2 all being released within a few months of one another. On the basis of this footage though, it would seem that Mangold and Jackman will deliver the goods.

James Mangold’s The Wolverine will claw its way into UK cinemas on 25 July, 2013.