100% Grade-A Speculation: Could We Expect Another Wolverine 2 Delay?

Yesterday afternoon came the announcement of Hugh Jackman's re-committal to headline the crime thriller Prisoners. Highly-touted script (Made the Black List few years back), subject matter to hook the general movie-going public (A father takes the law into his own hands after his small child and her friend are kidnapped) and an actor Joe-Sixpack loves. As my cousin and her husband once said of Jackman, "He seems like a real nice guy, not some Hollywood asshole!" It has a director in place with Denis Villeneuve (Incendies), a November 2013 release date and scheduled to start shooting after the Wolverine sequel early next year. It says as much on the press release you can read at Variety.

That's all well and good. But something caught my eye I don't think anyone else has noticed correct me if I'm wrong. THR reports of a contractual tug-of-war between Fox and Lionsgate over Jennifer Lawrence. The latter is so confident in The Hunger Games (and this was before all those wacky box-office tracking reports hit), they set a November 2013 release for the follow-up Catching Fire. In the event it lives up to the commercial hype, production would start this summer in order to meet that date.

But Fox wants her for the sequel to X-Men: First Class, now with Matthew Vaughn, Bryan Singer and Simon Kinberg all set to return, and mulling over a fall start-date. Though no release date has been lined up for a second swinging, 60s-muttie adventure, there lies the issue. If the Wolverine sequel is a go, and to film this year, why would they be looking to start up that First Class sequel in 2012?

Again someone correct any errors on my end, but what was the last firm information we've had on The Wolverine? That James Mangold was directing and that July 26, 2013 release date. That's it. Shouldn't we be hearing about additional casting, location-scouting and the like? Of course if you've followed the history of the big-screen X-Men, you'll know every film has had nut-crunching tight schedules with the filmmakers racing to the finish line to meet deadlines. Most recent case in point: the production of First Class.

Also the afore-mentioned Lawrence article could be nothing more than news being "leaked" as to give one side the edge for negotiation purposes and Fox, truthfully, has no intention to move forward with X-Men: Second Class this quickly. Not trying to be a non-news running, hit whore but that struck me as off. Strictly playing devil's advocate, folks. We could look up and start seeing official Wolverine information thus making my speculation null and void, and that's fine.

Just some food for thought.