8. Director James Mangold Is Better With Adult Content
Wolverine 3 director James Mangold has been in the Hollywood game for over 20 years, and in that time, he's worked on everything from action to romance to comedy - but on the whole, it's his more adult-friendly projects that stand out. In 2007 he crafted a superbly put-together western and fantastic all round thriller, titled 3:10 To Yuma. The film featured some extremely mature, graphic content combined with an emotional resonance that brought many a tear to the eyes of the audience. In fact, 99 percent of Mangold's work is on the mature side, with The Wolverine being a notable exception. His other 12a efforts - like the Tom Cruise action-comedy Knight and Day - generally prove to be misfires, disliked by most audiences and critics. In short, Mangold knows what he's doing in adult territory, and he's better with it. Wolverine needs a healthy dose of heart to go along with all the bodily mutilation, and the director has proved he can handle both, in spades.
