Director James Mangold and Hugh Jackman are in negotiations for a sequel to The Wolverine!

Looks like it's Wolverine news hour today!

Deadline is reporting that director James Mangold is currently in negotiations to direct a sequel to this year's THE WOLVERINE with star Hugh Jackman strapping on the claws for another turn as the famed character. Currently, "Mangold is making a deal to write the treatment, with X-Men franchise matriarch Lauren Shuler Donner producing. The storyline is being kept under tight wraps."

With a $120 million budget, THE WOLVERINE has made $413 million worldwide, with $132 million domestic and $280 million in international revenue. Although some considered it to be a lower earner stateside, the bottom line is that U.S. box office is hardly the deciding factor on sequels anymore. With the character's popularity expected to be punctuated even more with next year's X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, it seems like a smart move to continue his onscreen journey, especially if Jackman is game for it.

Personally, I thought THE WOLVERINE was a great 3/4 of a movie with the final act crumbling into a slash-em-up that didn't match the tone or pace of the rest of the film. That said, it was still an enjoyable flick with Jackman's charisma for playing ol' Logan being the chief selling point. If Mangold and Jackman are happy enough to continue the franchise, I certainly can't complain.

More as this develops.