Mangold X-plains Why Wolverine Follows X-3

Durector James Mangold tells EW why he decided to set "The Wolverine" after the events of "X-Men: The Last Stand" in the franchise's continuity. It is a long answer, but in the process Mangold gave up some big insight about what we can expect from the film's story.

The script initially written by Christopher McQuarrie--then reworked by Mark Bomback--is set mostly in Japan and based on the great mini-series by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont. The sequel will find our steel clawed hero (star Hugh Jackman) going toe to toe with the Silver Samurai.

Mangold:

"It’s set after 'X-Men 3', but I wouldn’t call it a sequel to 'X-Men 3'. Because of some of the themes in the Claremont/Miller saga. I felt it was really important to find Logan at a moment where he was stripped clean of his duties to the X-Men, his other allegiances, and even stripped clean of his own sense of purpose.I was fascinated with the idea of portraying Logan as a ronin – the definition of which is a samurai without a master, without a purpose. Kind of a soldier who is cut loose. War is over. What does he do? What does he face? What does he believe anymore? Who are his friends? What is his reason for being here anymore? I think those questions are especially interesting when you’re dealing with a character who is essentially immortal.What I wrote on the back of the script when I first read it was 'Everyone I love will die'. The story I’ve been telling, he enters it believing that. Therefore he’s living in a kind of isolation. He gets drawn to Japan by an old friendship and then finds himself in a labyrinth of deceit, caught up in the agendas of mobsters, of wealth, and other powers we come to understand...You find Logan and his love is gone, his mentors are gone, many of his friends are gone, his own sense of purpose – what am I doing, why do I bother – and his exhaustion is high. He has lived a long time, and he’s tired. He’s tired of the pain."

Will Yun Lee will play Harada, aka. The Silver Samurai - a crime lord's illegitimate son with an electrified suit of armor. Brian Tee ("Grimm") is Noburo Mori, a corrupt justice minister about to marry the crime lord's daughter (who is Logan's love interest).Also cast are Hiroyuki Sanada ("Lost," "The Last Samurai") as Shingen, Hal Yamanouchi ("Push") as Yashida, and Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima as Mariko and Yukio. Svetlana Khodchenkova ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy") plays 'The Viper' Famke Janssen will cameo as Jean Grey-A role she played in the first 3 films in the X-Men film series.

The Wolverine has a July 26th 2013 release date.