'Of course there'll be another Wolverine': James Mangold confirms second solo movie

Shooting for The Wolverine 2 is set to start after X-Men: Apocalypse wraps

Hugh Jackman bears his claws and loses the plot in X-Men movie 'The Wolverine' (Twentieth Century Fox Film)

James Mangold has announced his plans to shoot The Wolverine sequel after production wraps on X-Men: Apocalypse, meaning fans are looking at a 2017 or later release date.

The director responded to a fan's question on Twitter, indicating that the schedule is yet to be finalised for the follow-up to last July's spin-off movie, the second highest-grossing X-Men film to date.

"We are figuring it all out," he wrote. "At the moment, I'm shooting the next #Wolverine after #XmenApocalypse."

Mangold later removed the post, replacing it with another more detailed message hitting out at social media-fuelled sensationalism: "With cost of 117m and WW gross of 415m (#2 of all X's), of course there'll be another Wolverine solo. Manufactured internet drama is boring!"

However, Jackman has made it clear that he would only do another solo Wolverine movie if there was reason to do so, after telling Digital Spy that he knows there's "an expiry date" on playing Marvel’s clawed mutant. 

"I'm not 100 per cent sure when that is," he said. “I’m also really sure it’s not just my decision. In fact, more than likely not my decision! We'll see."

Meanwhile, X-Men: Days of Future Past reaches UK cinemas on 22 May this summer, with the storyline set to lead into the plot of Apocalypse, due in 2016.

Wolverine has a central part in Days of Future Past but it is unknown how crucial the character is to Apocalypse. Jackman has been playing Wolverine since the first X-Men film in 2000.