After seeing their latest films open to massive Christmas Day box office returns, Hugh Jackman and Christoph Waltz have earned a brief respite from weeks of tirelessly plugging “Les Miserables” and “Django Unchained” on the national press circuit. However, that’s not to say those junket days yielded nothing, as the actors’ cameo comments on both the latest 'X-Men' and 'Muppet' movies prove just the intriguing opposite.
Try as he may with 'Les Mis,' Jackman’s signature role will likely forever be Wolverine, and during a talk (via Comic Book Movie) with Parade Magazine, he discussed the next James Mangold-helmed installment, “The Wolverine.” While placing the film time-wise as post-“X-Men: The Last Stand” and with the character “at his lowest,” the actor also revealed a key aspect to the film’s story direction. “He is supposed to be able to heal himself, but he may encounter someone who has worked out a way to really hurt him,” Jackman said. “And there is a cameo from one of the past X-Men in it.”
While the remark may seem to hold some mystery to it, actress Famke Jannsen has long been rumored to reprise her Jean Grey role in another X-Men film. "One never knows," Famke said in October. "Jean Grey, the Phoenix … she finds a way to reincarnate herself constantly, so one never knows." A sly way to hint at an appearance, but Jackman's comment has added more fuel to that fire.
In a more unguarded verification of casting news, Christoph Waltz recently talked (via Collider) during the “Django” junket about “The Muppets 2” — in which he was originally cast as the film’s villain, before being replaced by Ty Burrell due to scheduling issues — and focused on his renewed role in the Ricky Gervais-led project. “We were talking about it again today,” he said, “But it might not be a proper part. It might just be one of these little cameos.” Of course, that’s brilliant news to anyone looking to see a wholeheartedly lighter side to Waltz, but for the meantime Dr. King Schultz will have to do.
“The Wolverine” hits theatres on July 26, 2013, while production on “The Muppets 2” starts up in January.