The Untold Truth Of 2017's Logan
Hugh Jackman's Wolverine sharpened his claws for the last time in 2017's "Logan" — supposedly. As everyone knows by now, Jackman's berserker is set to return in "Deadpool 3," thanks to the joys of time-travel logic and comic book canon being about as consistent as two-month-old Thanksgiving's gravy. That said, this comeback doesn't undo the events of James Mangold's opus, which provides a definitive end to Marvel's most popular mutant. When all the convoluted timelines are unraveled and history is looked at as a straight singular strand, Logan's passing in Laura's (Dafne Keen) arms and the subsequent X over his grave will drop the curtain on this version of the character.
For all intents and purposes, "Logan" was a smash-hit picture for 20th Century Fox. The film raked in $619.2 million from a $97 million budget at the global box office, while it garnered a 94% critical approval rating and 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. When a movie makes a lot of money and the critics and fans love it in unison, it is the trifecta of success for any Hollywood studio.
The road to "Logan" wasn't a simple journey, though. The studio was hesitant about making an R-rated feature about one of its most valuable characters, while the director wasn't keen on adapting a beat-for-beat adaptation of the comic book series, "Old Man Logan." So, let's take a look back at the fascinating history and backstory of one of the greatest comic book movies of all time.
The studio needed some convincing for the film's R rating
For 20th Century Fox, the "X-Men" franchise was a profitable venture, as the film series brought in over $6 billion at the box office worldwide. Most of this success was achieved in the realm of PG-13 since the studio understood this is the kind of franchise that Mom, Dad, Little Jimmy, and Little Suzie can all watch together at their local theater. Then "Deadpool" arrived and dropkicked the status quo by releasing a highly profitable R-rated movie, but there were still questions about Wolverine following suit here. Surely, it would be the equivalent of leaving money on the table, right?
"Logan" producer, Hutch Parker, revealed to Slashfilm that conversations about the film's controversial rating predated "Deadpool." However, it wasn't as simple as asking and receiving a yes from the studio. "You know, it would probably be a better story if I said yes," Parker said. "But the truth is, no. The studio, they certainly had questions, but from early days — particularly Emma Watts, who was a big champion of the project, as was Steve Asbell, actually, the two of them — it was always about how do we tell the story correctly?"
As Parker explained, the parties realized the R rating would be needed to achieve what they wanted from a storytelling perspective and the green light eventually came. In the end, it proved to be the smartest decision since "Logan" became the highest-grossing film in the "Wolverine" trilogy.
James Mangold told Fox he wanted to make Little Miss Sunshine with mutants
As a filmmaker, James Mangold isn't afraid to veer down different paths and directions, pivoting from the crime-centric "Cop Land" to the psychological drama of "Girl, Interrupted" and then showing off his rom-com sensibilities in "Kate & Leopold" (which also stars Hugh Jackman interestingly enough). In 2013's "The Wolverine," the director forgoes the generic superhero tropes by focusing on Logan's intriguing history with Japan, so it was always expected he would do something unique with 2017's "Logan" as well.
Speaking to DirectConversations.com about the film, Mangold discussed how he pitched "Logan" to the studio in an attempt to subvert the typical comic book movie expectations. "My initial proposal to Fox was that I wanted to make [a] very bloody, existential version of 'Little Miss Sunshine' with Logan and Charles Xavier," he said.
Like Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' "Little Miss Sunshine," "Logan" does feature a strong road-trip element to it, as Charles (Patrick Stewart), Logan, and Laura travel together and spend a lot of time in each other's company. However, this physical journey also acts as a metaphor for their emotional expedition in finding out more about each other, themselves, and how the bonds of family tie them together.
Patrick Stewart had doubts about playing Charles Xavier again
In the two decades since 2000's "X-Men," there have been three actors who have portrayed Spider-Man, four actors who have played Batman, and only two who have tackled Professor Charles Xavier. That said, James McAvoy is only a younger version of Professor X for the prequels, while Sir Patrick Stewart exists as both the modern-day and future version of the character in Fox's "X-Men" movie timeline. Nonetheless, even the original actor himself thought it might be time to hang up Cerebro once and for all.
Stewart admitted to the Mirror he had his doubts about reprising his role as Professor X for "Logan," especially considering how the character would be portrayed in the film. "There might have been moments before 'Logan' when I thought, 'If I do this and I really go for it, am I only going to get cast as geriatrics from now on?' I am not quite there yet," he said with a laugh.
Any apprehensions Stewart had about the part faded away after a meeting with director James Mangold, who shared his specific vision for Charles and the evolution of his character in the movie. The actor liked what he heard and agreed to the role. It also must have renewed his vigor for Professor X, as Stewart went on to appear as the X-Men's leader once again in 2022's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."
James Mangold showed Dafne Keen's audition tape to Patrick Stewart
While "Logan" marks the end of Wolverine's story, it also signals the beginning of Laura's. Made from Logan's DNA, Laura is meant to be the next weapon harnessed by the bad people for obviously no good. However, she fortuitously crosses paths with Logan and Charles Xavier, who show her that there is still good in the world and instill a sense of hope for a better tomorrow.
Critics raved about Dafne Keen's performance in the movie, praising the maturity and emotional depth she brought to the character as a then-11-year-old actor. Another of her biggest supporters was "Logan" director, James Mangold, who was mesmerized by the audition tape she sent in and wanted to cast her immediately, despite 20th Century Fox's insistence that the casting process continue.
"I remember, I dragged Patrick [Stewart], Patrick came for a visit to talk about the script in LA, and I dragged him into my office and I played this tape of Dafne, and he was like, "Oh my god. She's amazing,"" Mangold told ComingSoon.net, adding how he then showed the tape to Hugh Jackman and they organized a formal audition and chemistry session thereafter. The rest, as they say, is history.
Hugh Jackman admits surprise the X-24 twist didn't leak
The world of comic book movies boasts one of the most rabid fandoms around. From social media fan accounts to dedicated forum threads, there is a legion of supporters who devour every morsel of information about a movie and share everything from on-set pics to spoiler leaks. While this shows the passion of the supporters, there are extreme instances where the bouts of overenthusiasm can turn into actual crimes — such as when "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" leaked onto the internet a month before it hit theaters.
As a result, Hugh Jackman is no stranger to this. However, even he expressed how surprised he was that no one had revealed the details that he would play the villainous X-24 in the movie as well. "I mean there's a lot of secrecy around these things and everyone tries to protect it, but it's kind of actually amazing," he told Collider. "I suppose that when we were shooting it, I was shooting both parts so I played both, so if I turn up on set everyone just knows I'm playing that." At the same time, Jackman made sure to credit all the people involved in the film for keeping their lips sealed and letting the audience experience an unspoiled movie.
James Mangold didn't want to adapt Old Man Logan
When comic book readers found out "Logan" is set in a dystopian future featuring a much older Wolverine, loyalists pumped their fists in the air, believing they would be getting a big-screen adaptation of Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's popular 2008 comic book series, "Old Man Logan."
While it's clear "Logan" pulls certain elements from "Old Man Logan," the distinct lack of Clint Barton and an incestuous Hulk family ensures that fans know these are two separate stories entirely. Director James Mangold revealed to Discussing Film that he's a fan of the comic book series, but he didn't think it fit what he wanted to do as a filmmaker — plus, he didn't have access to many of the Marvel characters used in the story.
"Now, the plot that they came up with in 'Old Man Logan' was not workable for me," he said. "For one reason I didn't find it moving. It felt like [a] nihilistic journey through different spheres and worlds. But I wanted to feel Logan, his pain, and his journey in a way that I didn't think I could get at through that plot, which was incredibly imaginative and picaresque."
Hugh Jackman wishes he had always played Wolverine like he did in Logan
The press tour for "Logan" felt like a farewell lap for Hugh Jackman as he intended to bid farewell to Wolverine — at the time. There were moments of heartfelt nostalgia and blissful reflections, as Jackman told stories of the part that changed his life forever and established him as a Hollywood A-lister. He also discussed why "Logan" was the perfect sendoff for the character but how he had conflicted emotions about it.
"I wish I'd started playing him like that 17 years ago," Jackman told Variety. "So there's some sense of missed opportunity, but when I saw 'Logan,' I sat there and I did have tears in my eyes. The main feeling I had was: 'There, that's the character. I feel like I've done it now.'"
This change in Wolverine's personality is also due to "Logan" being more of a character study than a traditional superhero movie. While there have been aspects of Logan's gruffness and cranky ways displayed in other "X-Men" movies, the 2017 film is the first time where a genuine reason is given for his behavior as well as the opportunity for him to rediscover hope.
The director encouraged improvisation on set
Watching "Logan" feels akin to seeing a well-oiled machine in action. From the precise camera angles to the razor-sharp editing, there's a sense that a lot of preparation and attention to detail went into the film, and there wasn't much room for horseplay on set. Maybe it was like a David Fincher or James Cameron set, where the directors are rumored to insist on filming the words on the script and not what an actor feels like saying or doing on any given day.
In an interview with the Independent, Sir Patrick Stewart painted a much different picture of director James Mangold's set, citing how he was encouraged to improvise by the filmmaker for the scene where Logan and Charles Xavier speak to the family who hosts them. There was a need for Charles to talk about his past with the X-Men and Mangold suggested for him to include what he felt appropriate here.
"So we did an eight or nine-minute improvisation, Hugh and myself," Stewart said. "Only one line of that improvisation actually makes it into that scene. It was then that I realised that I really have a history. Again it's not in the movie, but I talked about Jean Grey and what she meant to me. I'd never talked about this before and it was all coming out."
Patrick Stewart says Logan predicted America's political landscape
Unpacking the themes of "Logan" is worthy of a 20-page essay, as the film deals with the topics of trauma, despair, grief, and even hope. However, this isn't exactly a novelty of "X-Men" films as they are often social commentaries about prejudice and the subsequent oppression and mistreatment of minorities.
For Sir Patrick Stewart, "Logan" was even more pertinent as it unknowingly addressed and provided commentary on a topical conversation of the time: Former U.S. President Donald Trump's border control policies and rhetoric. "The primary objective of the [principal] characters in 'Logan' — and that includes our three heroes, and the young people they encounter — is to get to a border, cross it, and be free. And safe," Stewart explained to Den of Geek.
Despite the script for "Logan" being written years before Trump's ascension to power, the British-born actor found it remarkable how the characters' desire for freedom and new opportunities could be linked to real-life families and people who also dream of a new life in a different country. However, they risk their safety and well-being by crossing the border and facing persecution and prosecution.
Hugh Jackman wanted an Unforgiven-style ending
The ending of "Logan" leaves no doubt about the fate of Wolverine — he is colder than the chances of Warner Bros. Discovery and DC reviving the SnyderVerse. It might have been different had Hugh Jackman managed to convince James Mangold about his idea, which was a riff on the ending of Clint Eastwood's western classic, "Unforgiven."
For Jackman, he appreciated how William Munny (Eastwood) didn't perish in the end, but he was forced to live with the memories of all the people he had executed in his life. "It's more powerful that Munny doesn't die at the end," Jackman told Yahoo. "You assume he's going to die, but by taking that final action and shooting everyone down, he embraces all the darkness he's tried to put outside him. Now he's got to live with it, and it's almost more devastating."
Jackman admitted the plan was always for Logan to meet his maker in the film, but he pitched his idea to Mangold anyway. However, the director stuck to his guns here, which the Australian actor agreed was also the correct decision in hindsight.
Sabretooth was never meant to be a part of 2017's Logan
"Logan" ties up many loose ends for the former Weapon X. It addresses what happened to his X-Men comrades while allowing him to deal with many of his own personal demons. What he doesn't get to do is have one last stand against his mortal enemy, Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber). "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" reveals the two are actually brothers, but this loop never gets closed in the film series nor is the sibling rivalry resolved.
There were rumors floating around the good ol' internet that Sabretooth was supposed to appear in "Logan" and fans speculated about how his inclusion might have changed the course of the entire film. However, Schreiber, who appeared as the character in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," addressed the gossip head-on in a 2023 interview with GQ.
"They didn't ask me [to come back]," he said with a chuckle. "I don't think he was part of that story. I would have loved to bring Victor back, anytime, anywhere, but it wasn't part of that narrative." Although, this does contradict what he said in a 2017 interview with Variety where he claims James Mangold and Hugh Jackman contacted him to appear in "Logan," but he had scheduling conflicts because of "Ray Donovan."
Dafne Keen said there were talks for an X-23 movie
In Marvel Comics, Laura Kinney, aka X-23, has become an important part of the "X-Men" storylines. More importantly, the fan base has welcomed her, too. Thanks to Dafne Keen's turn as Laura in "Logan," the same excitement surrounded the live-action version of the character. All signs pointed to Laura taking Wolverine's place in the "X-Men" film series and becoming her own star after the departure of Hugh Jackman as the Ol' Canucklehead.
While an "X-23" film was never officially announced to be entering production, James Mangold did confirm work on a script had commenced to The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. In addition, Keen revealed to Elle that there had been talks about a solo movie for Laura. "I got told by some people at Fox that there might be another one," she said, "but this was ages ago when we were filming, and they haven't contacted me ever again."
The most logical explanation for this is Disney's acquisition of Fox in 2019. There had been several plans for other "X-Men"-related films, such as Channing Tatum's "Gambit" and a "Logan" spin-off. However, the House of Mouse decided to nuke most of these efforts and start from scratch when it acquired Fox.