“X-Men: Days of Future Past” skyrocketed to the top of the Memorial Day weekend box office with Hugh Jackman returning for his record seventh portrayal of Marvel superhero Wolverine.
Fans of the character were initially skeptical of Jackman’s ability to portray the mutant who was 5′ 3″ in the comics, but can anyone imagine a world without a 6′ 2″ Wolverine? After watching his first reading (above) with “X-Men” director Bryan Singer — who also directed “Days of Future Past” — it’s hard to imagine why anyone would let something as silly as height get in the way of a casting decision that fans now praise.
While the then 30-year-old Jackman had yet to get the part, his version of the angry, lost mutant with a mysterious and forgotten past is easily recognizable.
Fans of the franchise, which will resume in 2016 with “X-Men: Apocalypse” and an upcoming Gambit spinoff starring Channing Tatum, should appreciate seeing how Singer helped shape Jackman’s character during pivotal moments, like Wolverine’s first introduction to the love of his life, Jean Grey.
See video: Hugh Jackman Interviews Himself About ‘X-Men,’ His Best-Worst Movies, and Becoming ‘Huge Jackman’
It’s also cool to see Jackman at a time when his biceps weren’t as big as tree trunks.