The actor who played Charlie for 3 seasons on the ABC hit SF show “Lost” can now be found on the set of the newest mutant film, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”

Dominic Monaghan will star as Barnell in the film. His character is this weird mysterious fellow from Wolverine’s foggy past. Barnell, a mutant himself, can make different forms of energy due whatever he wants.

Joining the cast with Monaghan is relative newcomer Daniel Henney. Called Agent Zero, he is a member of the secretive Weapon X program, the place where Wolverine was hatched. Zero is the program’s crack marksman and tracker.

Dominic Monahan and Daniel Henney join a cast that includes Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Taylor Kitsch, will.i.am, Lynn Collins and Ryan Reynolds.

This is a worldwide filming event, shooting in locations as vastly different as New Zealand, Australia and New Orleans. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is set for a May 1, 2009 release in most of the world and opens one day earlier in Germany and the Netherlands.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” has lengthend its cast of supermutants, according to Variety.

The biggest kudo of the new breed is Ryan Reynolds (”Smokin’ Aces,” “Blade: Trinity”). He will portray Deadpool, an assassin with self-healing abilities. Also on hand are Taylor Kitsch (”Friday Night Lights”), who is set to star as Gambit and rap/hip-hop artist will.i.am from the famous group Black Eyed Peas will be John Wraith. Wraith’s claim to mutant fame is his ability to teleport. Like Wolverine, he too was a creation from the horrendous experiments done by the Weapon X program.

They join the current existing cast comprised of Hugh Jackman who is, of course the title character, Wolverine,
Liev Schreiber (”The Omen”) will play Victor Creed aka Sabretooth, Danny Huston (”30 Days of Night”) has been cast as Colonel William Stryker, replacing actor Michael C. Hall, who was originially rumored for the role, and the beautiful Lynn Collins (”The Number 23,” “Bug”) is Kayla Silver Fox.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is scheduled for a May 1, 2009 theatrical release.

20th Century Fox gave an update yesterday on the status of the next X-Men film dealing with Wolverine, the character from the comic series, played in the first successful three X-Men movies by Hugh Jackman. This next movie will center entirely on Wolverine and has the unsubtle title of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”

“‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ is set to star [Hugh] Jackman and will be directed by Gavin Hood (’Tsotsi,’ ‘Rendition’),” stated the official studio statement. “The producers are Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter (who produced all three previous ‘X-Men’ films), along with Jackman and his Seed Prods. producing partner, John Palermo. The film will be executive produced by Marvel Films’ Kevin Feige.

“Leading up to the events of ‘X-Men,’ ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’—written by David Benioff (’The Kite Runner,’ ‘Troy’)—tells the story of Wolverine’s epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed [aka Sabertooth], and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.”

“X-Men” was created by the legendary Stan Lee and his co-creators Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, the same geniuses behind “Spider Man,” “Hulk,” “The Fantastic Four” and many other great comic heroes and supervillains that have become household names.

The movie will see a return of Brian Cox reprising his role of William Stryker. Kodi Smit-McPhee (”Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King”) is set to star as the younger Wolverine. Also attached to the film is Liev Schreiber (”Repossession Mambo,” “Omen”) and, Maggie Q from “Mission Impossible III” and “Live Free or Die Hard” is rumored to be in it as well.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is scheduled for a May 1, 2009 theatrical release.

The LA Daily News is reporting that a possible X-Men 4 may be in the works. If this holds true then the production is in for a real up-hill climb before it will see the light of day.

For those who stuck around after the end credits of “X-Men: The Last Stand,” then this announcement of a possible fourth film should come as no surprise as that short surprise clip after the credits finished rolling left enough speculation-room for a followup feature.

Now executive producer Lauren Shuler Donner is reporting that negotiations will soon be started to get back all the primary actors for a fourth installment of the big-screen mutant saga.
“The newer cast members are signed, and the older cast members are not,” reported Donner. Of course the older cast members he speaks of are Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen and Anna Paquin.

Regardless if there is a fourth X-Men or not, Hugh Jackman is set to reprise his role as Wolverine for his own film. “Next, we’re going to do ‘Wolverine,’ but not before the end of the year because he’s in the Baz Luhrmann film,” Loren said speaking about Jackman’s upcoming Australian epic with leading lady Nicole Kidman. However, “We have the script and are working on it.”

Shuler Donner reports, “We also have ‘Young Magneto’ in development [at this time].”

X-Men Game Garners Big Talent

Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Alan Cumming and Shawn Ashmore will reprise their X-Men film roles and lend their voices to Marvel’s world famous mutants – Logan (Wolverine), Professor Charles Xavier, Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler) and Bobby Drake (Iceman), in Activision Inc.’s “X-Men: The Official Game.”

The game places its players into an original storyline that is linked to the 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studio’s blockbuster film “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

“X-Men: the Official Game” gives participants control over the unique abilities of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they battle against enemies, both mutant and non-mutant. The strategy is set to changing environments and diverse scenarios as they try to save their fellow mutants. Through the game, the mysterious absence of Nightcrawler from The Last Stand can be discovered.

The game, co-written by the great Zak Penn and Chris Claremont, made its debut earlier in May and can be found in retail stores everywhere.

Submitted by: Kyle Nin (SoSF Staff Reporter)

Aside from Wolverine, Magneto and a possible bid for an Angel mutant movie, USA Today is reporting that a mutant not featured in any of the first three big X-Men movies is being strongly considered for a future big screen treatment. That particular mutant is Emma Frost (a.k.a White Queen), a real steamy number that plays on both sides of the fence when it comes to mutant issues and can transform her outer skin layer into razor sharp glistening diamonds. A member of the “Hellfire Club,” Frost later joined up with Xavier and taught at the Institute becoming its headmistress.

The studio is also looking at the possibility of developing more stories centering on the students at Professor Xavier’s special school. Hugh Parker, 20th Century Fox’s production chief said, “We’ve also talked about doing something on the kids in (the) school, focusing on their lives, and less of a global adventure for the team.”

“X-Men: The Last Stand” has unseated “Spiderman 2″ from its box US office pinnacle. The third mutant installment garnered over $120 million this weekend, easily besting Spiderman’s previous weekend premiere record of around $104 million. Despite this fantastic showing, don’t expect an X-Men 4 flick any time soon. Ratner is opting for specialty flicks for the future of the franchise, highlighting on one or two of the characters per pic to better develop the character and plotlines. The next on tap is “Wolverine” followed by “Magneto.” Talks are currently ongoing about showing off “Angel” in his own venue.

In other news, “The Da Vinci Code” held firm to its box-office place in the Top 10 by adding another $43 million to its international totals.

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox here are five exclusive behind-the-scenes and on-the-set pictures of shooting on “X-Men 3: The Last Stand.”