As far back as ‘Superman: The Movie’, a big part of the fun of comic book movies has always been the simple thrill of seeing familiar characters come to life on the screen. Of course, with all the logistical differences in the production of films and comics, there’s no way every major character from a franchise can be done justice in a film series. Instead of simply ignoring these characters, many filmmakers have instead chosen to include them through small cameos, an approach that has only been further popularized by the success of Marvel’s sprawling cinematic universe.
When the source material you’re drawing on is as rich in characters as the ‘X-Men’ comics are, each new movie brings with it the question of which characters, if any, will recieve cameo appearances in an upcoming film. This is, of course, only amplified when the film in question is itself part of a franchise that is as well established as Fox’s ‘X-Men’ films. It’s certainly a question that ‘Logan’ director James Mangold has puzzled over. While one might think that the film’s setting – a future in which mutants are being hunted to the brink of extinction – might limit the cameo possibilities (at least for established characters), it’s a possibility that the director nonetheless took seriously.
In a recent conversation with ‘We Got This Covered‘ (Note: As of this writing, the linked source article linked has since been pulled at the studio’s request. It is due to be restored later this week.), Mangold opened up regarding his thought process on the matter:
“There were times early on in the story where I played with the idea of Hugh coming along, and I don’t want to give away anything, but I played with there being an underground railroad where there were a couple of other mutants he met on the journey. It always seemed to detract from the loneliness of the story though and became a kind of cameo.
Still, there was always a curiosity. I’m so cautious of it though, despite how much fans want it to happen. You find these moments where you’re trying to please people and write these scenes where they’ll bump into somebody but it always just seems like an awkward cameo unless you can make it fit organically and the character is integral to the story.”
Hugh Jackman will return to the screen for his final appearance as Wolverine in ‘Logan’. Cast members Boyd Holbrook, Patrick Stewart, Elise Neal, Stephen Merchant, Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Richard E. Grant will be joining Jackman for his farewell outing, which is due to hit theaters on March 3, 2017.
