The Wolverine and the Top 10 Hugh Jackman Movies You Don't Want to Miss

Good news for "X-Men" fans this weekend, as director Darren Aronofsky confirms that the upcoming Wolverine release will not be a traditional sequel. In an interview discussed on "Hit Flix," Aronofsky was quoted as saying that the new Hugh Jackman movie will be a "one-off," as opposed to a conventional sequel. Hopefully, this will help it dodge the usual sequel bullets and prove to be yet another hit for the adamantium-infused superhero.

The new movie, officially titled "The Wolverine" will also star Kevin Bacon, January Jones and Jennifer Lawrence. "Screencrave" announced that the movie will be telling the story of the Wolverine's adventure's in Japan and will pit the Wolverine against the Silver Samurai. "The Wolverine" is set for release in 2011.

Like many, I became a huge fan of Hugh Jackman after I saw him in the role of Logan/The Wolverine in the popular 2000 movie, "X-Men." Ever since then, I've been sure to check out some of his lesser-known or more recent roles. If you're a Hugh Jackman fan as well, or if you're just curious about watching more movies that star the actor who plays Wolverine, be sure to pick up some of these great Hugh Jackman movies:

Top 10 Hugh Jackman Movies Not to Miss (in no particular order)

"X-Men" - The movie that started it all, "X-Men" was released in 2000 and starred Hugh Jackman along with other amazing actors and actresses, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin and Halle Berry. Based on a series of Marvel comics, "X-Men" introduced the characters to the world, as well as telling of the conflict between Professor Xavier's X-Men, the world, and Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants. While I'm normally not a fan of superhero movies, I couldn't pass this one up, as I'd been an avid fan of the comics during my youth. Not many movies based on comic books do the original prints justice, but I really feel this one does. It's a must-see, whether you're a fan of comic books or not.

"Kate & Leopold" - I couldn't wait to see this movie after I heard about it, simply because it reminded me of one of my favorite romance novels, the 1989 best-seller "A Knight in Shining Armor" by Jude Deveraux (oh, I just admitted to reading those in public, didn't I?). Even if you're not a fan of sappy romances, this is a comedy worth watching. Starring Hugh Jackman as a handsome duke who travels from 1876 into the present, the movie also stars the ever-adorable Meg Ryan as the modern New York career woman with whom his life soon becomes entangled. Hugh Jackman was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. "Kate & Leopold" also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Song, for the song "Until" which was written and performed by Sting.

"X2" - Hugh Jackman returns in his role as the Wolverine in this 2003 tale of the superheroes, the X-Men. Inspired by the graphic novel "God Loves, Man Kills," "X2" pits both the X-Men and the Brotherhood up against Colonel William Stryker (played by Brian Cox), a genocidal fanatic who sets out to create his own version of Professor Xavier's mutant-tracking computer Cerebro. And why does he want to locate all of them? So he can destroy every mutant on Earth. "X2" also introduces one of my favorite X-Men, Kurt Wagner/Night crawler (played by Alan Cumming).

"Van Helsing" - Okay, I'll admit it - I was pretty skeptical when I heard about this one. I love my vampire films and the idea of watching a movie about vigilante monster hunters didn't hold too much appeal for me. However, on a "let's have a Hugh Jackman marathon" night, I checked this one out and was, oddly enough, not disappointed. In fact, I was pretty impressed. While it's not a brilliant film, it does have its moments and both the action and special effects are good. If you're looking for outstanding dialogue and a thought-provoking film, hold off on this one until you're in the right mood, but if you just want a light-hearted action/adventure with a lot of moody ambience, give it a whirl.

"Happy Feet" - I will say, up front, I did not want to watch this movie. I'm not too big on animated films and I've never been the kind of person to dig penguins. But my son really wanted to see it and, grudgingly, I ordered it up on Netflix. Despite my reluctance, I have to say that I really enjoyed this movie about a little penguin who can't sing like all the other penguins and has little hope of ever being able to find a mate. One thing this little penguin can do, however, is tap dance. Hugh Jackman stars as Memphis, the father of this little toe-tapping superstar.

"Flushed Away" - Remember how I said I didn't usually watch animated movies? Yeah, yeah... okay, so my family likes pet rats. Needless to say, we had to check out "Flushed Away," where Hugh Jackman provides the voice for Roddy St. James, a pampered pet rat who winds up getting flushed down into the sewage system. If you have kids or if you love animated movies, this is another one that's definitely worth watching. I really found myself enjoying it and Jackman is hilarious in this role.

"The Prestige" - One of my favorite Hugh Jackman films (other than the Wolverine films) is the 2006 mystery thriller "The Prestige." Telling the story of two rival stage magicians, performing in London near the end of the 19th century, the two are continually locked in a battle, trying to one-up the other. Unfortunately, this takes a tragic turn and events spiral out of control. Also starring Christian Bale, Rebecca Hall and David Bowie, this is a great movie for anyone who likes mental twists and turns, as well as those who are fans of magic. It's a very entertaining film for an evening's watching.

"X-Men: The Last Stand" - Of course, we have to add in the third X-Men movie on the list because, let's face it, they are all pretty awesome. Returning in his role of Logan/Wolverine, Hugh Jackman does an exceptionally good job portraying Wolverine's swinging emotions throughout the film. In a particularly touching moment, we finally hear Logan's confession of love for the beautiful Jean Grey but don't worry, this film is anything but a sappy romance.

"Australia" - Okay, here's the sappy romance in my listing. Well, not really. If anything, this is an amazing epic adventure set in Australia between 1939 and 1942, telling the tale of a woman (played by Nicole Kidman) who attempts to run a large cattle station on her own after her husband is murdered. Employing the aid of an independent cattle drover (played by Jackman), she aspires to drive 1,500 head of cattle across country and through the desert, to get them to Darwin before she is ruined. Even if you don't like romances, check this movie out because in addition to the love story, it's an amazing adventure that's filled with great action and breathtaking scenes. Definitely one of my favorite films.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" - What's better than another superhero movie with Hugh Jackman starring as the Wolverine? Another superhero action movie with Hugh Jackman starring as the Wolverine AND the introduction of Taylor Kitsch as my other favorite X-Men character, Remy LeBeau / Gambit. Telling the story of how the Wolverine came to be, this is a must-see for any fan of the "X-Men." It has some pretty awesome effects an epic battle, and who can resist "the look" Wolverine pulls off when he comes up out of that water tank? Le purr.