Hugh Jackman is pushing ahead with plans to spin his “X-Men” character of Wolverine off into his own series of movies. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is going to be directed by Gavin Hood (“Rendition”) later this year and will be in theaters on May 1, 2009. Circling the cast is Liev Schreiber for the part of Colonel William Stryker. Stryker was played by Brian Cox in the second “X-Men” movie but because this is a movie about the origin of Wolverine’s special metal claws and why he suffers from amnesia the part is being recast with a younger actor. Jackman’s mutant also doesn’t age the same as regular people do which allows him to look just the same as he does in the “X-Men” movies.

It is rumored that the “Wolverine” movie will introduce a host of new mutants familiar to fans of the Marvel comic book series. One character that seems a given is Gambit, a southern gentleman thief who made his base of operations in New Orleans. Coincidentally or not that city is also where Hood will film part of the “Wolverine” movie as well as New Zealand and Australia, Jackman’s home continent. Maybe one or two of the other “X-Men” cast will turn up for a cameo appearance in the “Wolverine” movie. What’s Halle Berry doing right now anyway?

Two spin off movies are now in development to continue on the “X-Men” franchise. 20^th Century Fox has just hired “Blade: Trinity” director and writer David S. Goyer to direct “Magneto”, a new tale about the X-Men’s most dangerous villain. Sir Ian McKellen may reprise his role as the mutant that has absolute control over magnetism but he would only appear in bookend sequences at the start and ending of the picture since most of the action takes place in the past. The new movie would show how a young Magneto was saved from a German concentration camp at the end of the war by a young Professor X (played by Patrick Stewart in the three “X-Men” movies) and how the war changed his outlook on justice and revenge. After being freed Magneto would use his powers to seek justice on escaped Nazis which would place him at odds with Xavier’s more compassionate teachings.

Also in development is a stand-alone “Wolverine” movie which would see Hugh Jackman playing the clawed crime fighter once again. Wolverine is the most popular of the X-Men and his solo movie would expand upon his mysterious origins and how he came to be molecularly bonded with the metal adamantium. No director has been hired so far for this project but Fox is hoping to make an announcement shortly.