There are a lot of different ways a studio can go with a sequel, especially if a new director is brought in. Without any preconceptions or biases toward the first installment, a new director is, in many ways, a lot more free to radically change course. Darren Aronofsky, normally known for his gritty dramas, is at the helm for the upcoming second Wolverine flick, and it’s pretty clear he has no intention of simply taking the original a step or two further.
According to HitFix, the man behind Requiem For A Dream has revealed the new film will be simply titled The Wolverine. I support this because, as with the Batman, adding "the" before a superhero's name always makes him sound more human. In addition, Aronofsky also went on to say the picture will definitely be a one-off, likely meaning it, perhaps more than other superhero movies, will stand on its own merits rather than be seen as one in a series. Then again, he might also be putting his foot down to let everyone know he has no plans on abandoning the indie world for a career in high budget action films.
Reaction to Gavin Hood’s original was lukewarm, though something tells me an Aronofsky superhero flick will end up being a little more polarizing for audiences. We shall see. Aronofsky is emphasizing that this isn't a sequel really. If accurate, the title could indicate that they're simply ignoring the previous Wolverine movie, and starting over. That would be in keeping with Fox's plans for Deadpool, who also played a pivotal role in Wolverine. The Deadpool script being used for that planned Ryan Reynolds vehicle also ignores the previous Wolverine, except when it subtly mocks it.
