I imagine most of you have noticed by now. The static charge in the air, the faint scent of gunsmoke, the distant sound of combat boots pounding the dirt--all these signals can mean only one thing.
That's right, Ologists. It's On.
Today's contenders are Hollywood directors David Slade and Darren Aronofsky, both of who are reportedly in the running to helm superheroic sequel X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2. Each challenger, if victorious, would have a massive task ahead--namely, justifying a second entry for the same character in a series called "Origins." Still, both have joined battle following the news that Robert Schwentke, the original director, has stepped down.
Slade (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, 30 Days of Night) was originally in the running alongside Schwentke; it appears he's the studio favorite. But it's not too early to count Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream) out: He previously worked with series star Hugh Jackman on The Fountain, and he's apparently the actor's top choice. Jackman's opinion carries some serious weight with studio brass, so Aronofsky still has a definite shot.
It seems we're at a crossroads. I have no doubt that Slade could put together a marketable, watchable superhero movie that would get a decent cross-section of America's teen boys in theater seats. The guy clearly understands how to work within existing series continuity--his Eclipse is often considered the best Twilight yet. Even if he has to tug a little bit, I think he'll have no problem getting the spandex on. Aronofsky's going to want to dig a little deeper. I don't think he'll be content to produce a popcorn flick--his Wolverine would almost certainly be a sharp departure from previous X-Men movies. Given that the sequel is set during Wolverine's time in Japan, Aronofsky might prove a better fit. He's got that alienation, stranger-in-a-strange-land feeling down pat. Basically, when Wolverine gets rolled early on by a couple of normal, human samurai, Slade's going to want to show us the fight scene in all its sword-swinging, belly-slicing glory, while Aronofsky will want to zoom in on post-fight Wolverine brooding over his failure as a mutant.
I'm pretty much down for either.
