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It really doesn't make sense that Baz didn't have him singing and dancing in Australia

Kim Hollis: Does this opening prove that Hugh Jackman is a star, or does it reinforce the thought process that he is a one-trick pony?

Josh Spiegel: I think this opening says more about the name Wolverine than it does about Hugh Jackman being a star or not. I'm a relative know-nothing in the world of X-Men, but even I know who Wolverine is. For Jackman, it does help his career, but without those claws on his hands, I'm not sure he's a bona fide cash cow.

Brandon Scott: I agree with Josh. Wolverine is a known entity. Jackman is a star but not a box office shape-shifter. Australia proved that I think. This is the official opening of summer, so while I personally like Jackman, and he IS a star, he isn't mega-star. If you put, say Chris Pine, in the role of Wolverine, the movie doesn't do nearly this sort of business, so Jackman deserves credit for being a pull, but in a non-Wolverine role he hasn't exactly bankrolled other movies. This figure can only help him, but I dont think it elevates his profile much higher than where he has already been.

Pete Kilmer: Jackman *is* Wolverine. He's solid in the role. But he'll need to continue to do some more action films to become a huge star, his stabs at other kinds of movies just haven't worked out (Australia, Kate & Leopold, The Fountain). But when he takes the safe action role movies like Swordfish and Van Helsing, he brings people to the theaters.





Reagen Sulewski: Let's look at all the hits Chris Reeve had where he wasn't in blue tights. No, I'll wait.

Max Braden: It demonstrates the match of a highly marketable character with perfect casting. That shouldn't take away from Jackman's stardom, though. Tobey Maguire had three huge movies with Spider-Man, but isn't nearly as recognizable as Jackman. If you wanted to sell magazines, which one would you rather have on the cover? I think that measure is enough to call him a star even if he's not as bankable as Will Smith.

Jim Van Nest: I can tell you this, Jackman is a star in MY house. I've had to see them all. That rom-com with Ashley Judd? Oh yeah, we own it. The aforementioned Kate and Leopold? Yep, it has a slot in our DVD case. I was able to draw the line at Van Helsing, though. Outside of my house, I don't think he's that big of a star. And I honestly think the Oscar gig will go further to making him a huge star than Wolverine. People saw in that one night, that he has more in him that just a really bad hairdo and metal claws. But what do I know...we also own The Fountain.

Sean Collier: The bump in the Oscar ratings are the proof that he's a star. Keep in mind that he's the first non-comedian to take on the ceremony in...ever? Not to mention the fact that there is probably more general cultural buzz around the previous two hosts, Jon Stewart and Ellen DeGeneres, then there ever was around Jackman. People just like him. Would I trust him with a movie that had no other appeal but the stars (like, you know, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past)? Maybe not yet. But he is definitely something of a star, and still probably on the rise.

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