I know I reviewed the film yesterday, so apologies for continuing to discuss peripheral aspects of the movie. I wanted to point out what I thought was a bit of a discrepancy in the movie poster: see the main poster image for X-Men Origins: Wolverine above (I’ve used the landscape version for ease of comparison; you can see the portrait version in my review).

Now, the first thing that is wrong with this image (apart from losing the colon that is part of the title for the sake of a prettier-looking setting for the words) is that this is supposed to be the solo film for Wolverine but he is surrounded by people. Not only is it a waste of Hugh Jackman’s impressive shape and look, but it is also a mixed message. Wolverine is so popular after three X-Men films that he gets his own film but he apparently needs a supporting cast to entice you to watch this film. Also, the film is supposed to be about the main character you know about, but what about these other people only the fans know about? The free weekly magazine ShortList provided a handy guide to some of these people – they also provide information about people who aren’t even on the poster (see this scan from the paper):

Now, I realise that this is a paid-for promotion, but who the hell wrote this rubbish? It’s cornier than the poorly written explanations in Previews. For Sabretooth: ‘Trust us, this is one family domestic you don’t want to get involved in.’ I feel dirty just writing that out. Not to mention the mention of a teleportation device for Wade Wilson that is never actually used in the film. And why mention that Gambit is Cajun? Is that a defining characteristic? It’s just depressing. But ShortList, in a small item in the magazine, also says that Barry Windsor-Smith was ‘one of the men responsible for the X-Men franchise’, so facts are something with which they are only on passing terms. In a previous issue, they stated not once but twice that Max Payne was a comic-book adaptation.

The other nonsensical aspect of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine poster is that it has Cyclops and Emma Frost on it. Why are they there? In the film, they are barely on screen for more than a few minutes, yet somehow they warrant a place on the poster? The presence of Kayla Silverfox on the poster also seems odd (much like her presence in the trailers), suggesting her importance and ultimate position in the narrative beyond what should be revealed before the film. The whole composition annoys me and sends out the wrong message about the film: it may be called Wolverine but these people are important as well, even though you have no idea who they are. That’s not the way to get people to watch your film.