Wolverine passes $300 million mark...

Wolverine passed the $300 million mark for worldwide box office this week, further ensuring the sequel and making it the second biggest movie of 2009 so far (with only Monsters vs. Aliens slightly ahead).

Although Wolverine is slightly behind Star Trek in US box office figures, it has performed considerably better outside of the US and is almost certain to be one of the top ten films of 2009.

Adamantium Skeleton a Possibility?

Wolverine is well known for having an indestructible skeleton - courtesy of the fact that all of his bones have been bonded with adamantium. But a recent report in New Scientist suggests that the idea of bonding metals to bones may not be quite as far from reality as we might think...

In their experiment they experimented with spider silk - and by using a technique called ALD they managed to coat (and bond) titanium molecules to the spider web. The difference? The spider web was ten times more difficult to break...

The scientists believe that their research could lead to breakthroughs in medical technologies based on strengthening the body:

"Mechanically improving collagen using our technique might open several new possible applications, like artificial tendons." said Mato Knez, one of the lead scientists on the project.

And, let's face it, it's not a million miles from tendons to bones!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - The Game

The latest spin-off from the new Wolverine movie is a video game; available on (takes a deep breath!)  Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, PC, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and Playstation Portable. Obviously, all the versions are pretty different but I thought it was worth taking a look at the review of the flagship Xbox 360 version which is, apparently, the best Wolverine has been captured in a video game...

The key element that the games uses is Wolverine's healing factor - he can be shot, stabbed and blown up and carry on going (just like the real Wolvie!) with skin and muscle stripped away from his adamantium skeleton - however, give Logan a bit of a break from the fighting and you can watch as his flesh regenerates itself. The game also captures the violence of Wolverine - this is no powderpuff version of the character!

However, the only downside to the game seems to be that it runs out of tricks a little bit too early and the repetitive action doesn't make it the sort of game you'll want to return to again and again once you've beaten the end boss.

Review summary - Close, Bub - but no cigar...

Wolverine Tops UK Box Office

Wolverine has emerged as the biggest movie opening in the 2009 in the UK, taking £6.66m in just five days.

The worldwide success of Wolverine makes it a certainty that will we see a number of spin-off X-Men movies including Magneto and Deadpool as well a Wolverine sequel!

 

Wolverine 2 Officially Confirmed!

After grossing a huge $87 million in it's opening weekend in the US, 20th Century Fox has been quick to give the greenlight to a sequel.

No writer has yet been hired but it is expected that Wolverine 2 will be set in Japan - echoing the classic Chris Claremont/Frank Miller mini series - with the Silver Samurai pencilled in as a potential villain.

Hugh Jackman is, of course, lined up to reprise his role as Wolverine for the fifth time and it seems, based upon a recent interview, that a Japanese setting would be a great direction to go in:

"There are so many areas of that Japanese story. I love the idea of this kind of anarchic character, the outsider, being in this world -- I can see it aesthetically, too -- full of honour and tradition and customs and someone who's really anti-all of that, and trying to negotiate his way. The idea of the samurai, too -- and the tradition there. It's really great. In the comic book he gets his ass kicked by a couple of samurai -- not even mutants. He's shocked by that at first."