After a long delay, Variety reported on July 9 that “The Wolverine” is finally nearing production. The second solo movie for the most popular member of “The X-Men” will start production in August and is set for a July 26, 2013 release.
The cast is also coming together: Hiroyuki Sanada (Speed Racer) as Japanese crimelord Shingen Harada, leader of Clan Yashida; Tao Okamoto as Shingen's daughter and Wolverine's love interest, Mariko Yashida; Will Yun Lee (Total Recall remake) as Mariko's mutant half-brother, Kenuichio Harada, a.k.a. the Silver Samurai; Rila Fukushima as Yukio, an assassin who drugs Wolverine before his duel with Shingen; Hal Yamanouchi (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou) as Yashida; and Brian Tee (Wedding Palace) as Noboru Mori, a corrupt minister of justice betrothed to Mariko.
Christopher McQuarrie (“The Usual Suspects”) wrote the script, inspired by the popular comic book by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller that follows Wolverine through adventures in Japan. James Mangold is set to direct the new movie after Darren Aronofsky dropped out.
The Wolverine is set to start filming in August 2012
For those unfamiliar with the characters, Lord Shingen is a Yakuza crime boss who is the father of Wolverine’s fiancée Mariko. He is also the father of Keniuchio Harada, the Silver Samurai. Yukio is an assassin working for Lord Shingen. The identity of the character known as Yashida is unknown, as that is the surname of Shingen.
The original "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was released in 2009 and grossed nearly $400 million worldwide.
Sources: The Examiner and Reelz
in other news, i just want to give kohei uchimura a big bear hug and a bop on the head.