Actors joining Hugh Jackman in THE WOLVERINE!

Superhero Hype! has word on four actors who’ve been cast in Fox’s THE WOLVERINE. Director James Mangold, star Hugh Jackman and producers are making sure to stay authentic to the film’s Japanese setting by hiring talent directly from the country.

Hiroyuki Sanada (“Lost,” “The Last Samurai”) is set to play Shingen; veteran actor Hal Yamanouchi (“Push,”) plays Yashida; fashion model’s Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima play Wolverine’s love interest Mariko and the deadly female ninja Yukio, respectively.

Production begins in a matter of weeks at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia, with on-location filming planned for Japan. A theatrical release date of July 26, 2013 has been set.

Inspired by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s classic Marvel comic book arc, the film follows Wolverine as he treks Japan and falls in love with Mariko, a woman whose hand is promised to another. When he doesn’t back down, her powerful crimelord father summons the Silver Samurai and other deadly threats in the X-MEN universe to push his healing-factor to the limit.