The first of the X-Men spin-offs focusing on Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. His character has an as-yet-unrevealed back story in which researchers replaced his original bones with a metal skeleton.

Using several resources that include the Marvel Comics lore, along with the more recent Weapon X graphic novels by Frank Tieri, Wolverine mixes action with an origin story about how Logan emerged from a barbaric experiment as an indestructible mutant with retractable razor-sharp claws.

You simply have to wonder about Hollywood sometimes! For instance, who were watching Tsotsi — the 2006 best foreign film winner about socio-economic problems and violent crime in South Africa — and went: “Hey, the guy who directed this should be perfect for directing a blockbuster flick about a superhero with extreme side-whiskers and who shoots retractable steel claws steel claws out of his hands!” Anyway, maybe there is method to the madness: perhaps South African director Gavin Hood will prevent the flick from being a brainless actioner and being more, well, human. Then again, the last time someone wanted to make a more human drama out of a superhero comic we got Angst Lee’s Hulk . . .