AceShowbiz -

"Wolverine 2" has an Academy Award-winning writer aboard the "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" sequel project. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christopher McQuarrie has signed on to write the script for the movie that deals with a mutant with healing powers and a skeleton laced with the indestructible metal.

McQuarrie, the producer/co-writer of "Valkyrie", is no stranger to the "X-Men" series. The scribe, who won an Oscar for writing "The Usual Suspects", teamed up with director Bryan Singer in penning the 2000's "X-Men" film. However, he voluntarily took his name off the movie because the final version was more in line with David Hayter's script.

"Wolverine 2" will be produced by Hugh Jackman under his Fox-based Seed shingle along with Lauren Shuler Donner. The story reportedly will be based on the early 1980s Chris Claremont/Frank Miller miniseries, and thus will be set in Japan and feature Wolverine battling with ninjas as he deals with his internal conflicts on whether he should follow his animal killer instincts or the samurai's code of honor and respect.

During the 11th Annual Teen Choice Awards held Sunday, August 9, Jackman who will reprise his Wolverine role opened up on the current status of the sequel. "Japan is where we're heading, [and] we're starting to work on it now," the 40-year-old actor stated. "We're in ... the first steps of developing that story."