Hugh Jackman has revealed that he relished the prospect of going even further physically for The Wolverine.

The 44-year-old, who reprises his role as Logan and clawed immortal alter-ego Wolverine in James Mangold's film, had to bulk up again after losing weight for Les Misérables.

"I've always loved playing this character but I've always felt like I wish I had gone a little bit further physically with him," he said.

"I started training and started a very strict diet far in advance, and I think the results have paid off - because when I look at the screen, I see Wolverine."

The Oscar-nominated actor added: "I think it's important for him to be lean, to see veins, to be vascular yet very strong obviously. I've always wanted people to look at the screen and go, 'Whoa!'"

Hugh also had to learn new fighting styles, a variety of ninjitsu and other Japanese martial arts.

"I was training every day. I thought gym work was hard but training on the martial arts floor is ten times harder," he admitted.

The latest instalment, based on Chris Claremont and Frank Miller's Volume One of the Marvel comic book series, follows the events of X-Men: The Last Stand and the actor, who was also one of the film's producers, revealed Wolverine is more "vulnerable" than ever.

"At the beginning of our movie, Wolverine's probably more isolated than you've ever seen him. He's struggling with identity, with his reason to exist, and now he faces the choice of whether to embrace his true nature or not."

Source: Press Release