Logan(film)

Logan
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	James Mangold
Screenplay by	Scott Frank James Mangold Michael Green
Story by	James Mangold
Based on	Wolverine by Roy Thomas Len Wein John Romita Sr.
Produced by	Hutch Parker Simon Kinberg Lauren Shuler Donner
Starring	Hugh Jackman Patrick Stewart Richard E. Grant Boyd Holbrook Stephen Merchant Dafne Keen
Cinematography	John Mathieson
Edited by	Michael McCusker Dirk Westervelt
Music by	Marco Beltrami
Production companies	20th Century Fox Marvel Entertainment Kinberg Genre Hutch Parker Productions The Donners' Company TSG Entertainment
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release dates	February 17, 2017(2017-02-17)(Berlinale) March 3, 2017(2017-03-03)(United States)
Running time	137 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$97–127 million
Box office	$619.2 million

Loganis a 2017 Americansuperhero filmstarringHugh Jackmanasthe titular character.It is the tenth film in theX-Menfilm seriesand the third and final installment in theWolverinetrilogy, followingX-Men Origins: Wolverine(2009) andThe Wolverine(2013). The film, which takes inspiration from the "Old Man Logan"comics storyline byMark MillarandSteve McNiven,follows an agedWolverineand an extremely illCharles Xavierwho must defend a young mutant namedLaurafrom theReaversled byDonald PierceandZander Rice.The film is produced by20th Century Fox,Marvel Entertainment,TSG EntertainmentandThe Donners' Company,and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is directed byJames Mangold,who co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Green and Scott Frank from a story by Mangold. In addition to Jackman, the film also starsPatrick Stewart,Richard E. Grant,Boyd Holbrook,Stephen Merchant,and introducesDafne Keenin her film debut as Laura.

Loganwas designed to look like it takes place in the near future, with slight updates to technology and the social environment, and written with a dark and violent tone closer to theWesternthan the traditional superhero genre.Principal photographybegan inLouisianaon May 2, 2016, and wrapped on August 13, 2016, inNew Mexico.The locations used forLoganwere mainly in Louisiana, New Mexico, andMississippi.The film was given thefalse titleofJuarezto lower visibility during production.

Loganpremiered at the67th Berlin International Film Festivalon February 17, 2017, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 3, 2017. The film was praised for its emotional depth, particularly Jackman's performance, becoming the best-reviewed film in theX-Menfranchise. It was selected by theNational Board of Reviewas one of thetop ten films of 2017,and nominated forBest Adapted Screenplayat the90th Academy Awards,becoming the first live-action superhero film to be nominated for screenwriting. Grossing $619.2 million worldwide, it became thethird-highest-grossing R-rated filmat its release.

Plot

In 2029, nomutantshave been born in 25 years, and an agingLogansuffers as his healing ability is failing. Working as a limousine driver inEl Paso, Texas,he and mutant trackerCalibantake care of 97-year-oldCharles Xavier,founder of theX-Men,in an abandoned smelting plant innorthern Mexico.Xavier suffers fromdementiathat causes him to have destructivetelepathicseizures, one of which injured 600 people and killed several X-Men the year prior.

Logan reluctantly agrees to escort Gabriela López, a former nurse for biotechnology corporation Alkali-Transigen, and a young girl namedLaurato Eden, a supposed refuge near theAmerican-Canadian border.After finding Gabriela dead, Logan is confronted by her killerDonald Pierce,who is Transigen'scyborgchief of security. Pierce is looking for Laura, who has stowed away in Logan's limo and has powers similar to his. She, Logan, and Xavier escape from Pierce and hisReavers,but Caliban is captured. Pierce tortures Caliban into tracking Laura. Xavier and Logan watch a video on Gabriela's phone, revealing that Transigen created Laura and other children from mutantDNAto become weapons. The children proved challenging to control and were to be executed, but Gabriela and other nurses helped some escape. Xavier reveals to Logan that Laura was created from Logan's DNA and calls her Logan's daughter.

InOklahoma City,Logan discovers that Eden appears in Laura'sX-Mencomicand tells her it is fictional. The Reavers arrive, but Xavier has a seizure that incapacitates everyone except Logan and Laura, who kill the attackers and inject Xavier with his medication. As they flee, Dr.Zander Rice,the head of Transigen, arrives to help Pierce.

Logan, Laura, and Xavier help farmer Will Munson and his family after a traffic incident, accepting an offer of dinner at their home, where Logan drives off enforcers from a corporate farm. Rice unleashesX-24,a mindlesscloneof Logan in his prime created as Transigen's ultimate weapon. X-24 murders Will's family and Xavier before capturing Laura. Caliban sets off grenades, killing himself and several Reavers but only injuring Pierce. Logan is outmatched by X-24, but Will pins X-24 with his truck before dying from his injuries. Logan and Laura escape with Xavier's body.

After burying Xavier, Logan passes out. Laura takes him to a doctor and persuades him to prove that the site in North Dakota is not Eden. There, they findRictorand other Transigen children preparing to cross into Canada. Laura finds anadamantiumbullet that Logan has kept since he escaped from theWeapon Xfacility, which he once considered using to commit suicide. Logan decides not to accompany them, to Laura's dismay.

When the Reavers ambush the children, Logan takes an overdose of a serum given to him by Rictor that temporarily enhances his healing abilities and boosts his strength. With Laura's help, he slaughters most of the Reavers before the serum wears off. As Pierce holds Rictor at gunpoint, Rice tells Logan, who killed Rice's father years ago at the Weapon X facility,that no new mutants have been born due to genetically engineered crops created by Transigen and distributed through the world's food supply. Logan, having found a gun, shoots Rice dead and injures Pierce. X-24 fights Logan as the children combine their powers to kill Pierce and the remaining Reavers. Rictor uses his powers to flip a truck onto X-24, but X-24 frees himself and impales Logan on a large tree branch, mortally wounding him. Laura loads Logan's revolver with the adamantium bullet and shoots X-24 in the head, killing him.

Near death, Logan tells Laura not to become the weapon she was made to be, and after she tearfully acknowledges him as her father, Logan dies peacefully in Laura's arms. She and the children bury Logan, and before they depart, Laura tilts the cross on his grave marker to create an X.

Cast

Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Wolverine for 17 years in nine films earned him theGuinness World Recordstitle for "longest career as a live-action Marvel superhero" in 2019.

(left to right) DirectorJames MangoldwithPatrick Stewart,Dafne KeenandHugh Jackman.

• Hugh JackmanasLogan / X24:
  A former member of theX-Menand a physicallyenhancedmutant with accelerated healing. Charles Xavier's former pupil and Laura's biological father, dealing with his age and ailment.He is one of Charles Xavier's caregivers, alongside Caliban.Mangold spoke of Logan's age influencing his regenerative capabilities, which he stated may no longer produce soft skin, "so we imagined he heals quickly, still, but it leaves a scar. The simple idea was that his body would start to get a little more ravaged with a kind of tattooing of past battles, lacerations that remain of previous conflicts."On the second page of the screenplay, Mangold spoke of Logan as "... he's older now and it's clear his abilities aren't what they once were. He's fading on the inside and his diminished healing factor keeps him in a constant state ofchronic pain—hence booze as a painkiller. "In 2015, Jackman requested fan input for the direction Wolverine's story should go in the next film while seeming to confirm that the project would serve as his farewell to Logan.To prepare for his role, Jackman ate a minimum of six meals per day when working with trainer Mike Ryan.Ryan stated that an average workout session for Jackman lasts up to three hours, beginning at 4:00 a.m.Jackman stated, "It's going to be very different. Very different in tone and hopefully different to anything we've done."Regarding the more personal tone, Jackman noted, "That's always been really his dilemma, coming to terms with who he is".Jackman has also explained that comedianJerry Seinfeldwas indirectly responsible for his decision to stop playing Logan after 17 years, with Jackman stating, "I was having a chat with [Seinfeld] about a year ago... he was talking about why he finishedSeinfeld... He said he'd always had this feeling and belief that you never know when either your energy or the audience's energy is going to dip over into people [saying] 'Oh, please go.' "Jackman accepted a pay reduction to ensure that the film would be produced to receive anR-rating.Additionally, Jackman portrays Logan's clone, X-24.
• Patrick StewartasCharles:
  A mutant who is the world's most powerfultelepath,the founder and former leader of the now-defunct X-Men and formerly known as Professor X.Charles's telepathic abilities have become unstable due to age (over 90 years) and an unknown brain disease, and at times, he does not recognize Logan.During the events ofLogan,Xavier is cared for by Logan and Caliban.Regarding Xavier and the themes of aging and loneliness, Mangold said,"We've seen these characters in action, saving the universe. But what happens when you're in retirement and that career is over?...The really interesting thing to me, or a place to dig that hadn't been dug, was the idea of mutants when they're no longer useful to the world, or even sure if they can do what they used to do. Their powers are diminished like all of ours are by age...Our Charles is a very sweet character in this film. I think he's always been an incredibly sweet character. With the addition of his own physical fragility in this movie, he becomes an incredibly powerful paternal figure in the movie. Logan is more of a reluctant one, I think you can easily guess. "Stewart remarked that "... this is probably the end of this franchise for me. But the thing about science fiction and fantasy is that you can never, ever say it's the end, it's over."
• Dafne KeenasLaura:
  A mysterious young girl, who is "very much" like Logan as well as Logan's biological daughter. She is also subject "X-23".On Keen's portrayal of Laura, Mangold mentioned, "If anyone could steal a movie from [Jackman], it would be Dafne. She carries, all the time, a slight strangeness."In an interview withDigital Spy,Mangold stated, "... [Keen] was 11 years old when we were shooting. She's a remarkable kid. Her parents are actors, and she's kind of a very modern kid. Very physically capable. Incredibly gifted as an actress. I mean, it was a huge risk for Fox to allow me to make a movie where the third point of the triangle was built upon someone so young." Mangold stated that the worldwide search for an actress to portray Laura was one in which he was seeking "someone who was bilingual because I wanted aLatinakid—one who was between 10 and 12, and was a credible child. "He later stated of Laura that:" She's an 11-year-old girl equipped with all the volatility, instability, mood swings, shadows and potential violence of our hero. "Co-writerScott Frankpushed for the character to speak as little as possible when he joined the project to avoid making her into a typical kid sidekick, explaining, "I read a few other drafts of the script that Jim worked on, and in all those drafts she was talking from the beginning and had an attitude. I thought that was a giant mistake."11-year-old Nayah Murphy served as Dafne's stunt double.Millie Bobby Brownauditioned for the role before Keen was cast.Loganwas Keen's film debut.
• Boyd HolbrookasPierce:
  Transigen's relentless, calculating, and intense head of security and leader of the militantReavers,who is sent to retrieve Laura, which brings him into conflict with Wolverine. Holbrook said of the character, "He's an innovative engineer and he's a big fan of Wolverine. He just wants to hang out with him... There's a lot of surprising stuff in it."Mangold praised Holbrook's performance, saying that "[he] is just a fabulous actor. I wanted this film to feel intimate and real and truthfully acted, and I wanted very much to break away from the kind of bloated feeling I've gotten from a lot of comic-book movies."
• Stephen MerchantasCaliban:
  Analbinomutant who can sense and track other mutants, who is helping Logan take care of Xavier.On Merchant taking the role, Mangold mentioned, "I'm always interested to find the thing that looks most interesting on the actors. Stephen is a huge man. One of the things that is so wonderful filming with him for a character like this is that he's a good six inches taller than Logan, and huge over Patrick. The little kid in the movie would come up to basically his knee. So there's a wonderful sense of scale—but he has heart too." Mangold concluded by stating, "... So that was a wonderful energy to enter the movie, and someone who instead of turning things into their own energy kind of joined ours."A younger Caliban was previously portrayed byTómas LemarquisinX-Men: Apocalypse.
• Richard E. GrantasDr. Rice:
  The surgical head of Transigen,whose father was killed by Logan during his escape from theWeapon XHeadquarters at Alkali Lake.On the character of Rice, Mangold stated, "He's the puppet master behind Pierce and the Reavers, and has a much larger role in the sense that he's actually the kind of brilliant mind that is trying to grow mutants."

Eriq La Salle,Elise Neal,andElizabeth Rodriguezappear as Will Munson, Kathryn Munson, and Gabriela, respectively.Doris Morgado, David Kallaway, Han Soto,Jason Genao,Krzysztof Soszynski,andAlison Fernandezappear as Maria, Rhodes, Valet,Rictor,Mohawk, and Delilah, respectively.In the commentary toX-Men: Apocalypse,directorBryan Singerhad stated that his film'spost-credits scenewould directly connect with the on-screen debut ofX-MenantagonistMister SinisterinLogan.In January 2017, Mangold stated that the character – a genetic manipulator and surgeon – would not appear in this film. However, the DNA from several mutants, including Logan, in that film was used to create the clones that are seen in this film.

Production

Development

Hughand I have been talking about what we would do since we were working on the last one, and for both of us it was this requirement that, to be even interested in doing it, we had to free ourselves from some assumptions that had existed in the past, and be able to change the tone a bit. Not merely to change for change's sake, but also to make something that's speaking to the culture now, that's not just the same style—how many times can they save the world in one way or another? How can we construct a story that's built more on character and character issues, in a way as if it almost wasn't a superhero movie, yet it features their powers and struggles and themes?

—James Mangold,on the development and approach ofLogan

In November 2013,20th Century Foxinitiated discussions over another solo film starring Wolverine, withJames Mangoldin negotiations to write the treatment for the film andLauren Shuler Donnerreturning to produce under The Donners' Company.At the time,Hugh Jackmanneither confirmed nor denied his reprisal of Logan in a new film.Jackman clarified that his lapsing contract with Fox, which reportedly would need to be renegotiated afterX-Men: Days of Future Past(2014),did not mean he was leaving the franchise, as he had been working movie-by-movie sinceX2(2003).He also stated, "I do want to do it with Jim and with [producer] Lauren Shuler-Donner because we had such a great experience. I'm really proud ofThe Wolverine(2013). "Later in the month, Mangold announced that thepre-productionaspect of the film had not yet begun, nor the writing process, though he furthered this by stating, "... I would say I'm not there yet. But I have taken finger to key. Let's say that. There's been typing. And ideas. And talking amongst all the principles."

Shortly after the release ofThe Wolverine,Mangold spoke of a potential sequel with the aim of not converting it into a "Will the world survive?" film, while also stressing his need "... not to make the same picture again."In December 2013, Jackman spoke of nearing the end of his tenure as the character, while stating that the film was in the very early stages of development.Jackman also revealed that Mangold and he had begun speaking of potential ideas, adding, "... Jim Mangold and I were literally on the phone last night talking about ideas but there is no script and no writer yet so it's a way off."Mangold would later reveal that Jackman was very involved in developing the story, saying, "Hugh and I have been friends for almost twenty years now, and he was there every step of the way. For Hugh and I, the first goal was to construct something more intimate. Hugh often brought upThe WrestlerandUnforgivenas examples. I used those references as well as others. I pitched to both Hugh and the studio that I had an idea for an extremely bloody, existentialLittle Miss Sunshine."

By March 2014, a decision was made to begin shooting afterBryan Singer'sX-Men: Apocalypse(2016), with the tentative plan to shoot the filmsback-to-back,with producer Hutch Parker stating, "... the goal will beX-Men: Apocalypsefor 2016, which means at the latest [filming begins] in summer 2015, and then the same thing withWolverine,either before or after, but based on the script. "Also in March, 20th Century Fox set a release date of March 3, 2017,Mangold boarded the project as director,Jackman signed on to reprise his role,and David James Kelly was hired to pen the screenplay.In April 2014, Jackman spoke about his ambitious feelings for the character of Logan while mentioning that they can go further than what they achieved inThe Wolverine.Jackman also expressed his feelings of finality with portraying the character of Logan,while in terms of storyline, he explained that nothing had been decided as of yet.Jackman concluded by highlighting that the success of the script development would determine whether Jackman would return at all:"I haven't signed on. I'm genuinely at that point where unless it's better than the last one I'm not going to do it. I think it has to be better. I can still see where we can improve on the last one. I love the intimacy of that story, I liked the small stuff, I liked that it was a little unexpected."

In February 2015,Patrick Stewartspoke of discussions about the third Wolverine film, centering around a team-up between Jackman's Wolverine and himself as Charles Xavier,with Stewart stating to Marc Mohan that "... we have been talking about a Wolverine movie, which would team Hugh Jackman and myself together... That would be a very different sort ofX-Menfrom the four movies that I've already done. "By April 2015,Michael Greenhad taken over screenwriting duties, with Mangold still actively overseeing the script development process.In September 2015, Jackman spoke of the writers being halfway through the script, and that the story would delve into the relationship between Wolverine and Professor X,to which he added, "I think it's a really important relationship but I want to see signs of that quasi-father/son sort of relationship that has not been seen before, and sides of particularly Professor X that have not been seen before."Jackman spoke of Mangold's plan to start filming the next year, though he expressed uncertainty as to filming locations.Also in September,Mark Millar,creative consultant for Fox, confirmed that Mangold's film would be a loose adaptation of the "Old Man Logan"story he had written in 2008, something that was hinted at earlier by Jackman.In October 2016, the title of the film was announced asLogan.

In January 2016, Jackman confirmed that Mangold had a full screenplay, albeit not complete.The following month,Liev Schreiberexpressed interest in returning to portrayVictor Creed / Sabretooth,with Jackman himself mentioning Mangold's vision to Schreiber. After the film's release, it was revealed by Jackman that originally the script had the character play a role in the film, but that Sabretooth was excluded from the final screenplay.By April 2016, Mangold had chosenBoyd Holbrookto portray the main antagonist of the movie,the chief of security for a global corporation that is pursuing Wolverine.Also by April,Richard E. Grantwas cast as a villainousmad scientist,andStephen Merchanthad also been cast.In May,Eriq LasalleandElise Nealwere cast supporting roles,andElizabeth Rodriguezentered negotiations for a small but key role.Also in May, producerSimon Kinbergrevealed that filming had already begun, and confirmed that the movie would beR-rated;regarding the setting and tonality,he stated, "It takes place in the future, and as you and others have reported, it is an R-rated movie. It's violent, it's kind of like a western in its tone. It's just a very cool, different film."

The film included some vintageX-Mencomic books, used both to advance the plot and as ametafictionalreference. The director clarified that Marvel Comics allowed this on the condition that they could use actual characters and designs, but not use any real comic book issues. As a result, the comic book covers and pages seen in the film were made specifically for it, by writerJoe Quesadaand artistDan Panosian.Mangold commented that "The reality was that, like inUnforgiven,when [Clint] Eastwood runs into Richard Harris, who's writing these fictional accounts of the great Western heroes, or Pat Garrett inBilly the Kid,where you've got these aging heroes who kind of are twilight versions of their own legends — I think that idea, of being a kind of celebrity, or like a sports star long past your heyday, was really interesting for me to investigate with this kind of world. "Panosian made 10 fake comic book covers, and interior arts were unused. He pointed that the arts had to resemble the style used in theBronze Age of Comic Books,and pointed out that they also served to contrast their campy style with the darker tone of the live-action film itself. He said that "The colors and art itself juxtaposed against the raw and savage world in the film capture just how much innocence has been lost over time".

Filming

Principal photography forLogantook place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

On March 5, 2015, James Mangold anticipated that filming would begin "early next year."Prior to filming, the film was given thefalse titleofJuarezto lower the visibility of production, but the local media eventually uncovered the ruse.On March 1, 2016,The Times-Picayunehad confirmed that Mangold's film was preparing to shoot inNew Orleans,Louisiana,with a starting schedule of May.Producers Kinberg, Shuler Donner and Parker chose to film in Louisiana because of its popularity in filmmaking locations,as well as itsfilming incentive,which includes a 40% tax credit for movie productions, though it requires a minimum expenditure of US$300,000.Principal photographywas confirmed to have begun in New Orleans, with an original shooting schedule occurring from April 25 to August 13, 2016,albeit shooting was altered to start on May 2, 2016.

On May 23, 2016, filming took place at theNASA Michoud PlantinNew Orleans East,with Jackman being spotted, not far fromSlidell,shooting a fight scene outdoors on the property.On May 26, 2016, the intersection ofLA 16atUS 51was closed for a time due to filming, with local store fronts donning faux signage to transformAmite City,and east of Amite near Bell Road.It was revealed that scenes were filmed prior inHusseron May 25, 2016, with a scheduled daytime shoot to occur at the Greenlawn Cemetery inHammondon May 27, 2016.Filming took place from June 9, 2016, until June 10, 2016, in New Orleans andMetairie,respectively.

On June 1, 2016, it was confirmed that 20th Century Fox had applied to film exterior scenes forJuarezonLouisiana Highway 15between Ferriday and Clayton from June 12, 2016, up until June 16, 2016,at the Ferriday Plaza Shopping Center,while a portion ofU.S. Route 425between Ferriday and Clayton would be closed for a five-day period in connection with Fox's production.On June 1, 2016,The Concordia Sentinelrevealed that Sicily Island High School and a house inSicily Islandwould be used in the production, while a crash scene would be shot on U.S. Route 425 just outside of Ferriday.Producers Kinberg, Shuler Donner and Parker chose to film inFerriday, Louisiana,because ofConcordia Parish's beautiful countryside and green cornfields.On June 16, 2016,Juarezwas originally scheduled to move on toward Sicily Island, however, additional periods of shooting were added.Natchez, Mississippi,had been chosen by producers ofJuarezas the next filming location, for an upcoming scene which required the casting truck drivers,that would be filmed between June 14 up until June 28, 2016.

On July 12, 2016, theAlbuquerque Journalconfirmed thatJuarezwould move on to its third major filming location—New Mexico,which ran through August inAlbuquerque,Rio Rancho,Abiquiú,Tierra AmarillaandChama.The New Mexico Film Office revealed that the production employed about 130 New Mexican crew members and two New Mexican cast members, as well as 600 extras throughout the production, the film office stated.On July 17, 2016, it was reported that the production ofJuarezwas in the process of casting to work on a scene filmed on July 22, 2016, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.On July 25, 2016, it was reported that filming had begun in the Northern Meadows neighborhood of Rio Rancho, while a few miles further down King Boulevard there was an elaborate set built with a toppled water tower,that would be used for exterior shots until June 27, 2016.On August 11, 2016, it was reported that the production ofJuarezwere in the process of seeking worn out cars to work on an upcoming scene filmed on August 12, 2016, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Principal photography was confirmed to have ended in New Mexico on August 13, 2016,with an altered shooting schedule occurring from May 2 to August 13, 2016.Post-productionbegan subsequent to filming closure on August 23, 2016.

Post-production

Hugh Jackman as Logan, with makeup andvisual special effects

Film editorMichael McCuskerwas finishing work on Mangold'sLogan,during the period of October 7, 2016, wherein he spoke of going through the dailies and breaking them down, and figuring out the structure of one scene which he described as a "complicated, multi-component scene".McCusker spoke of the task being rather time-consuming, on the front end, albeit stating, "I am looking at the back end experience with [Mangold] as the more important experience. I don't want to be searching for stuff for him, I want to be working towards getting the cut right."McCusker concluded by stating that another editor onLoganhas use for post-production.Chas Jarrett was the overall visual effects supervisor and visual effects companyImage Engineworked on most of the visual effects onLogan.

Music

See also:Logan (soundtrack)

In July 2016,Cliff Martinezwas announced as the composer ofLogan'smusical score.In December 2016, Mangold announced thatMarco Beltrami,who had previously collaborated with Mangold on3:10 to Yuma(2007) andThe Wolverine(2013), would take over from Martinez and scoreLoganinstead.

Beltrami's musical score received critical acclaim, praising the composition and the minimalistic approach.Jonathan Broxton, in his critical review, wrote "there will be a significant disconnect between it and those who grew up listening toMichael Kamen,John Ottman,andJohn Powell'sX-Menscores, because Beltrami's Logan is justsodifferent from anything we have heard in a super-hero movie before. On the one hand, this is commendable; bucking expectations and taking an entirely new approach to a well-defined musical genre is not an easy thing to do, but that's exactly what Beltrami has done here. On the other hand, listeners will still need to be comfortable with music that shifts between being dissonant, ambient, and jazzy, and which has more in common with the work ofEnnio Morricone,Jerry Fielding,Elliot Goldenthal,andBernard Herrmann,than anyone who has scored a super-hero movie before. If you're cool with that, then Logan will find a way to at least entertain you and allow you to experience its unusual tonal palette. If not, then you may find yourself recoiling in horror like Caliban from the sun, or experiencing a psychic attack of your own. "

Influences

The film takes visual, tonal and thematic inspiration from classic western and noir cinema, with director James Mangold having stated thatLogan's influences included "visual reference points" of cinema, citingShane(1953),The Cowboys(1972),Paper Moon(1973),The Gauntlet(1977),Unforgiven(1992),Little Miss Sunshine(2006), andThe Wrestler(2008).Mangold was also inspired byThe Dark Knighttrilogy,saying "It seemed to me that the only films of this ilk that did interest me, that I did admire, or to useChris Nolan's movies as an example, the ones that have really moved me beyond just the spectacle. There was a very clear decision to apply a film genre to the material, if that makes any sense. ""The film also takes tropes and themes of thecyberpunk,with focus put on automation affecting the world of a near future.

Mangold spoke of visualframing,while noting that he does not necessarily think about the "comic-book" related sort, instead highlighting the variety of stylistic influences that went intoLogan.These influences includefilm noirframings andclassic Hollywood filmmakingstyles, as well as theGermanic expressionist filmmakingstyle of the early twentieth century, which Mangold stated has a commonality with comic-book art.Mangold highlighted "Strong foregrounds, playing things in depth: you have to make an image say more within that one image."

Using the image of Logan at a funeral as an example of his stylistic logic,Mangold concluded by mentioning the aspects within modern filmmaking, primarily everything in close-up format. ForLogan,his aim was to set frames that are descriptive, and evocative ofcomic-book panelsand classical filmmaking.

Release

Theatrical

Loganpremiered at the67th Berlin International Film Festivalon February 17, 2017, inBerlin, Germany,where it was selected to be screenedout of competitionalongsideThe Bar,Final Portrait,The Midwife,T2 Trainspotting,andViceroy's House,before screening in theUnited States,where it was given awide releaseon March 3, 2017.In October 2015, Fox confirmed thatLoganwould be released in theIMAXformat.In the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, the film was preceded by a short film,Deadpool: No Good Deed.In it,Deadpoolnotices a man getting robbed, and springs into action—but first has to change into his costume in a phone booth. As he is finishing up, the man is shot; the short film ends with Deadpool commenting on the strangeness of the phone booth's presence, and eating the man's ice cream. The teaser met with positive reviews.Ryan Reynoldsposted an extended version of the teaser via hisYouTubechannel the day after the film's release.

One Last Timepromotion and future

Prior to the confirmation that the then-untitledLoganwould be his final appearance in theX-Menfilm franchise, Jackman initially denied such rumors. Jackman stated that he was inspired byMichael Keaton's performance inBirdman,and wished to portray the character of Wolverine until his death.In July 2015, Jackman posted an image of Logan giving themiddle fingerwith a claw to hisTwitter.The image, coupled with thehashtag"#OneLastTime", signified that the film would be his last appearance as Logan and officially announced his decision to stop playing the character he had been portraying for the past 17 years.Eventually it earned JackmanGuinness World Recordof the 'longest career as a live-action Marvel superhero'.

During an appearance onThe Dr. Oz Showin May 2015, Jackman clarified the confusion over the conflicting sentiments by stating bluntly that the film would be his final portrayal of the character.In an interview withWillem DafoeonVariety Studio: Actors on ActorsJackman revealed thatJerry Seinfeldhelped convince him to quit the role during a dinner after Jackman asked him why he had decided to end the showSeinfeld.Seinfeld replied "I've always believed, you should never spend everything creatively because it's almost herculean to start up again. You should always have something in the tank," with Jackman summarising his point with "Leave the party before it gets too late kind of theory."

In December 2016,Ryan Reynoldsrevealed that he had been trying to convince Jackman to return for a crossover Deadpool film, urging fans to "convince Hugh" and campaign online.In January 2017, Reynolds and Jackman spoke about the proposed project; Jackman stated, "I'm hesitating, because I could totally see how that's the perfect fit. But the timing may be wrong."Jackman later stated that he would not reprise the role for a team-up film, specifying that he "knew two-and-a-half years ago that [Logan] was the last one ".

Jackman expressed interest in continuing to play Wolverine had the character been brought into theMarvel Cinematic Universe,saying that the prospect "certainly would have made [him] pause" and citing a desire to see the character interact with theHulkandIron Man.Amid rumors ofDisney's prospective acquisition of 20th Century Fox's film division,it was revealed such a deal would indeed allow the X-Men related characters to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.During press forThe Greatest Showmanin December 2017, Jackman denied that he would reprise the role if the acquisition occurred. He stated that while he noted the irony and felt some initial disappointment upon learning the news, he planned on standing by his decision and wanted to see another actor portray the character in future films.

In spite of his adamancy, Reynolds confirmed that Jackman would reprise his role as Logan inDeadpool & Wolverine(2024) on September 27, 2022. Slated for release on July 26, 2024, the film will see the characters integrated into the MCU.The following month, Jackman elaborated that he wanted to return to the role after watchingDeadpool,but sinceLoganwas already being promoted as his final time portraying the character, he felt he had to honor that sentiment and "straight-up lied" to journalists about his plans. He contacted Reynolds about reprising the role in August 2022, shortly before Reynolds met withMarvel StudiospresidentKevin Feigeto discuss a thirdDeadpoolfilm.Shortly after the announcement, Reynolds and Jackman clarified that the film is set "before"Loganand would notretroactivelycontradict Wolverine's death.

As for the other principals and their prospective futures; although Patrick Stewart had stated thatLoganwould be the final time he played the role of Professor X,he later said that he would be willing to return to the role inDeadpool 2orLegion.ThoughLegion'sproducers considered casting Stewart, they ultimately chose to utilize a younger version of the character portrayed by actorHarry Lloyd.Nonetheless, Stewart would go on to portray the character again in the MCU filmDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,where he played a variant of Charles Xavier who was the leader ofthe Illuminatibefore being killed byWanda Maximoff.

Marketing

In April 2016, Fox decided not to showcase its upcoming movie releases, includingLogan,at Hall H atSan Diego Comic-Con,as the studio felt it could not prevent the piracy of custom trailers and exclusive footage routinely screened for fans in attendance.

On October 20, 2016, 20th Century Fox released a 90-secondteaser trailerto promoteLogan,following a six-second sneak peek the prior day.Later that day, 20th Century Fox released an international red band version of the trailer, featuring slightly more graphic violence than the original.Empirechose the trailer as the best trailer of the year.The Hollywood Reporter's Aaron Couch praised the trailer, and stated, "IfLogandelivers on the promise of this trailer, it will be a true rarity in modern superhero movie making. "James Dyer ofEmpireheralded the trailer and its director, James Mangold, by stating: "We've had a veritable feast of great trailers... fromJohn WicktoRogue One,Assassin's CreedandA Cure for Wellness.But none..., no matter how impressive, have been quite so artfully constructed as this glorious first look at [Mangold]'sLogan."Forrest Wickman ofSlatecalled the trailer "surprisingly mournful".

Home media

Loganwas released onBlu-ray,DVD,and4Kon May 23, 2017, and was released onDigital HDon May 16, 2017.The film became available to stream onDisney+on July 22, 2022, alongsideDeadpoolandDeadpool 2.

Logan Noir

On April 29, 2017, James Mangold announced viaTwitterthat a black-and-white version of the film entitledLogan Noirwould have a limited theatrical run in U.S. theaters, an event set to begin on May 16, 2017. Mangold stated thatLoganwas shot as a color film with the awareness that it would play well as a black and white film.The film was re-graded and timed shot by shot for the Noir edition.This version of the film is included on the Digital HD release and also included in the DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack.

Reception

Box office

Cast and crew members at theBerlin International Film Festivalfor the film's premiere in February 2017.

Logangrossed $226.3 million in the United States and Canada and $392.7 million in other countries for a worldwide gross of $619.2 million, against a production budget of $97 million.Worldwide,the film had a global debut of $247.4 millionfrom 82 markets, as well as the second-biggest R-rated IMAX debut, with $20.6 million from 1,068 screens.The film grossed $440.9 million in its first 13 days of release, surpassing the entire theatrical gross ofThe Wolverine($414.8 million).

United States and Canada

Predictions for its opening in the US and Canada were revised upwards from $55 million to $80 million or even higher.Fox, however, predicted an opening in the mid-$60 million range.Some critics said the film's R rating—the second such for aX-Menfilm—might hinder the film's mass appeal.Two days before the film's release, ticket selling siteFandangoreported that the film was outpacing all previousX-Menmovies (exceptDeadpool) at the same point in their sales cycle.

Loganwas released in 4,071 theaters, the widest release for an R-rated film, breakingAmerican Sniper's previous record of 3,888 theaters. Five hundred and eighty theatres were premium large-format screens,including 381 IMAX theaters, setting the IMAX record for an R-rated film.

Loganearned $9.5 million from Thursday night previews, which began at 7 p.m. This marked the second-biggest previews in theX-Menfranchise, behindDeadpool's $12.7 million.On its opening day, the film scored the biggest R-rated March opening with $33.1 million, breaking300's previous record, as well as the third-biggest R-rated opening day, afterDeadpool($47.3 million) andThe Matrix Reloaded($37.5 million).Earning a total of $88.4 million during its opening weekend, the film scored the biggestWolverinemovie opening, the biggest R-rated March opening, the fourth-biggest March opening weekend behindBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice($166 million),The Hunger Games($152.5 million) andAlice in Wonderland($116.1 million), the fifth-largestX-Menopening, and the fourth-biggest R-rated opening weekend overall (ninth in terms of inflation adjusted) behindDeadpool($132.4 million),The Matrix Reloaded($91.7 million) andAmerican Sniper($89.2 million).This made it the highest opening weekend for a 2017 film at the time of its release, surpassingThe Lego Batman Movie($53 million).It was also the biggest R-rated opening weekend that did not take place on a holiday.Additionally,Loganachieved the fifth-highest opening weekend for any20th Century Foxfilm, trailing only behindDeadpool($132.4 million),Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith($108.4 million),X-Men: The Last Stand($102.7 million) andX-Men: Days of Future Past($90.8 million).About 8.2% of the total ticket sales were in Canada, with premium large formats comprising $12.3 million (15%) from 558 screens, and IMAX comprising $10 million (12%) of the film's total opening weekend.

The opening-weekend audience was 63% males and 83% people between 18 and 44 years old.In an opening-weekend poll conducted by Fandango, 71% of responders said that more superhero films should be rated R, while 86% were interested in seeing a more violent, adultX-Menfilm that weekend. Furthermore, 96% said they were excited to see Hugh Jackman, 94% were intrigued to see Patrick Stewart reprise his role as Professor X, and 76% were interested in watching newcomer Dafne Keen.

In its second weekend, the film dropped 56.9%, grossing $38.1 million and finishing second at the box office behind newcomerKong: Skull Island($61 million).In its third weekend, it made $17.8 million, finishing in third behindBeauty and the Beast($174.8 million) andKong: Skull Island($27.8 million).In its fourth weekend, it made $10.1 million, dropping 43.1% from the previous week and finishing 5th at the box office.

Other countries

Loganwas projected to open as high as $105 million. However, US forecasters believed that it could post an even higher opening if it were to overperform in major markets—most notably China. It opened day-and-date in almost every major market except Japan, whereDoraemon the Movie 2017was released. Fox ultimately decided to postpone the film's release there in order to avoid competition.Through Sunday, the film exceeded expectations and posted a five-day opening worth $159 million from 81 markets. This is Fox International's third-biggest launch of all time, behindX-Men: Days of Future Past($172 million) andAvatar($164 million).It debuted at No. 1 in 80 markets, surpassingFifty Shades of Grey($156 million) to have the highest international opening weekend for an R-rated film. It broke the record for the biggest R-rated IMAX release ever and the biggest 2D IMAX opening, with $10.6 million on 687 screens.

Chinais the movie's best-grossing market outside America, contributing $106 million in box office.The film was the first to feature an age-restriction warning in its marketing material, as required by a Film Promotion Law that took effect on March 1, 2017. Nevertheless, the film is still trimmed by 14 minutes, totaling 123 minutes. It is very likely that the move was due to usual censorship by theState Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television,because of the violence depicted.Despite such restrictions, the film managed to debut with a better-than-expected $48.9 million, including previews, according to data from Ent Group (Fox reported $46.3 million). This marked the second-biggestX-Menopening in the country, trailing behind onlyApocalypse.Tracking showed that the film opened with 85,000 screenings on Friday, which increased to about 95,000 on Saturday and Sunday, from a 9.98 million attendance. Included within that total was $4.4 million from 388 IMAX screens.

In Brazil, it recorded the biggest opening for Fox, and the seventh-biggest opening overall, with $8.2 million. The top openings were in China ($46.3 million), Korea ($8.2 million), and Russia ($7.1 million).In the UK,Loganmade $11.4 million during its opening weekend, beatingThe Lego Batman Movieto reach the number one spot, while also achieving the second-highest opening weekend of the year, behindSing.Meanwhile, in India, the film debuted with an estimated 17 crore ($2.5 million) net, equating to a gross of $3.4 million, on 1,400 screens. According to Fox, that was the highest debut for anyX-Mentitle in the territory, marginally ahead ofX-Men: Apocalypse.While the debut was not enough to break any significant records, it ranked as the second-biggest opening weekend for a Hollywood release in the January–March quarter, behindBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Critical response

The performances of (left to right)Hugh Jackman,Patrick Stewart,andDafne Keenreceived critical acclaim.

On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,93% of 429 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.0/10. The website's consensus reads: "Hugh Jackman makes the most of his final outing as Wolverine with a gritty, nuanced performance in a violent but surprisingly thoughtful superhero action film that defies genre conventions."Metacritic,which uses aweighted average,assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, whilePostTrak-surveyed audiences gave the film five out of five.Some reviewers notedLoganas one of thegreatest superhero films ever made.Critics praised the film for its emotional depth, Mangold's direction, action sequences, screenplay, uncompromising tone, thematic profundity, and the performances of Jackman, Keen and Stewart.

Scott Collura ofIGNgaveLogana score of 9.7/10, and called it, "an emotional, heavy picture, but it's also an uplifting one that reminds us that it's okay to fight for something more, something better", and "perhaps the best X-Men movie yet".A. A. Dowd ofThe A.V. Clubgave an 'A−' and said that "[the film] manages to deliver the visceral goods, all the hardcore Wolverine action its fans could desire, while still functioning as a surprisingly thoughtful, even poignant drama—a terrific movie, no 'comic-book' qualifier required".Chris Nashawaty ofEntertainment Weeklygave it a 'B−', and called it "both the most violent film in the series and the most sentimental one. When it's not showering you in blood, it's trying to make you spill tears."Sheri Linden ofThe Hollywood Reporterreacted positively, saying: "Seamlessly melding Marvel mythology with Western mythology, [director]James Mangoldhas crafted an affectingly stripped-down standalone feature, one that draws its strength fromHugh Jackman's nuanced turn as a reluctant, all but dissipated hero. "

Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardiangave it four out of five, stating "It is more like a survivalist thriller than a superhero film, and signals its wintry quality with the title itself" and compared Wolverine's hitting of his truck during the film toBasil FawltyfromFawlty Towers.James Berardinelliof ReelViews gave it three and a half out of four, and said "In terms of tone and content,LoganisDeadpool's polar opposite but both productions refuse to play by traditional superhero movie rules... With his glimpse into what superhero movies can be, James Mangold has given us something sadly lacking in recent genre entries: hope. "Brian Tallerico ofRogerEbertstated, "Loganhas stakes that feel real, and fight choreography that's fluid and gorgeous instead of just computer-generated effects. Most importantly,Loganhas characters with which you identify and about whom you care. It's not just 'great for a superhero movie', it's a great movie for any genre. "

Brian Truitt ofUSA Todaysaid, "Easily the best Wolverine outing,Loganis [the]Dark Knightof the mutant-filled X-franchise, a gripping film that transcends the comic-book genre by saying something important. "Peter TraversofRolling Stonegave three and a half out of four, and called it "a hard-ass, R-rated rager that explodes with action".Amy Nicholson ofMTVcalled it "a phenomenal, throat-slashing, gut-stabbing superhero movie".Germain Lussier ofio9said, "Loganis beautiful, sophisticated, and still a kick-ass superhero film ".Debbie Holloway ofCrosswalkgave the film four out of five, praising how the "script also has several powerful themes, and is truly deft in its handling of them".Michael Roffman ofConsequence of Soundcalled the film "A game-changing masterpiece".Matt Donato ofWe Got This Coveredsaid, "It's not just one of the best superhero movies ever, it's a damn-fine cinematic representation of the human condition in all its agonizing forms."Joe Morgenstern ofThe Wall Street Journalsaid, "It's the best superhero film to come out of the comic-book world, and I'm not forgettingChristopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight'. "Jackman's acting as Wolverine has been praised, and his performance toppedThe Hollywood Reporter's Greatest Superhero Movie Performances of All Time list.

Anthony LaneofThe New Yorkerwas underwhelmed, commenting on the film's parallel withShane,"These quiet images (fromShane) brand themselves on the mind, and the gunshots come as an overwhelming release, whereas when Logan and Laura unleash their furious scythes nothing feels settled or satisfied. "Mara Reinstein ofUs Weeklygave the movie two and a half out of four, in a lukewarm review, said that "[t]he film loses its way during the 20-minutes-too-long journey. For all the breathless talk about howLogantranscends the superhero genre, there's nothing groundbreaking about a road trip movie in which adults try to elude the bad guys to protect a super-special child. "Michael Phillipsof theChicago Tribunegave it two out of four and said, "Loganis deadly serious, and while its gamer-style killing sprees are meant to be excitingly brutal, I found them numbing and, in the climax, borderline offensive. "Stephanie ZacharekofTimemagazine said, "The grim side of human nature is all over James Mangold'sLogan.But that doesn't necessarily make it a good movie. "

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipient(s)	Result	Ref.
AACTA International Awards	January 6, 2018	Best Actor	Hugh Jackman	Nominated
Academy Awards	March 4, 2018	Best Adapted Screenplay	Scott Frank,James MangoldandMichael Green	Nominated
Art Directors Guild Awards	January 27, 2018	Excellence in Production Design for a Contemporary Film	François Audouy	Won
Chicago Film Critics Association	December 12, 2017	Best Adapted Screenplay	Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green	Nominated
		Most Promising Performer	Dafne Keen	Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards	January 11, 2018	Best Action Movie	Logan	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor	Patrick Stewart	Nominated
		Best Young Performer	Dafne Keen	Nominated
Detroit Film Critics Society	December 7, 2017	Best Supporting Actor	Patrick Stewart	Nominated
Dragon Awards	September 3, 2017	Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie	Logan	Nominated
Dublin Film Critics' Circle	December 14, 2017	Best Film	Logan(withGod's Own Country)	9th place
		Best Director	James Mangold	10th place
		Best Actor	Hugh Jackman	9th place
		Breakthrough Artist of the Year	Dafne Keen	Nominated
Empire Awards	March 23, 2018	Best Actor	Hugh Jackman	Won
		Best Female Newcomer	Dafne Keen	Won
		Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy	Logan	Nominated
Golden Tomato Awards	January 3, 2018	Best Wide Release 2017	Logan	6th place
		Best Comic Book/Graphic Novel Movie 2017	Logan	2nd place
Golden Trailer Awards	June 6, 2017	Best Music	20th Century Fox,Rogue Planet	Won
		Best Radio/Audio Spot	20th Century Fox, Picture Production Company	Nominated
Hollywood Music in Media Awards	November 16, 2017	Best Original Score – Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Film	Marco Beltrami	Nominated
Houston Film Critics Society	January 6, 2018	Best Picture	Logan	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor	Patrick Stewart	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actress	Dafne Keen	Nominated
IGN Awards	December 19, 2017	Movie of the Year	Logan	Nominated
		Best Action Movie	Logan	Won
		Best Lead Performer in a Movie	Hugh Jackman	Nominated
		Best Supporting Performer in a Movie	Dafne Keen	Nominated
		Best Supporting Performer in a Movie	Patrick Stewart	Won
Location Managers Guild Awards	April 7, 2018	Outstanding Locations in Contemporary Film	Maria Bierniak	Nominated
London Film Critics' Circle	January 28, 2018	Young British / Irish Performer of the Year	Dafne Keen	Nominated
MTV Movie & TV Awards	May 7, 2017	Movie of the Year	Logan	Nominated
		Best Actor in a Movie	Hugh Jackman	Nominated
		Best Duo	Hugh Jackman and Dafne Keen	Won
National Board of Review	January 9, 2018	Top 10 Films	Logan	Won
Online Film Critics Society Awards	December 28, 2017	Best Supporting Actor	Patrick Stewart	Nominated
Ray Bradbury Nebula Award	May 19, 2018	Outstanding Dramatic Presentation	James Mangold, Scott Frank, Michael Green	Nominated
Satellite Awards	February 10, 2018	Best Sound	Logan	Nominated
Saturn Awards	June 27, 2018	Best Comic-to-Motion Picture Release	Logan	Nominated
		Best Actor	Hugh Jackman	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor	Patrick Stewart	Won
		Best Performance by a Younger Actor	Dafne Keen	Nominated
		Best Writing	Scott Frank, Michael Green and James Mangold	Nominated
		Best Editing	Michael McCusker and Dirk Westervelt	Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards	January 21, 2018	Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture	Logan	Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society	December 18, 2017	Best Picture of the Year	Logan	Nominated
		Best Actor in a Supporting Role	Patrick Stewart	Nominated
		Best Youth Performance	Dafne Keen	Nominated
Teen Choice Awards	August 13, 2017	Choice Action Movie	Logan	Nominated
		Choice Action Movie Actor	Hugh Jackman	Nominated
USC Scripter Awards	February 10, 2018	Best Adapted Screenplay	Scott Frank, James Mangold, Michael Green,Roy Thomas,Len WeinandJohn Romita Sr.	Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association	December 8, 2017	Best Youth Performance	Dafne Keen	Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards	February 11, 2018	Best Adapted Screenplay	Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green	Nominated

Canceled spin-off

In October 2017, it was reported that director James Mangold had begun writing a sequel toLogan,tentatively titledLaura,focusing on Laura and the continuation of her story, with Logan being represented with archive footage of Jackman.AfterDisney's acquisition of Foxwas finalized in 2019, allX-Menfilms in development were stalled, leaving the future ofLaurauncertain.In November 2019, Mangold said he did not think the project would be happening, and that he believed the studio would be trying to figure out where to go in the future with the characters, particularly with Wolverine.

External links

• LoganatIMDb
• LoganatAllMovie