It’s about time for Wolverine to get underway. The X-Men adaptation is only waiting on Hugh Jackman to finish up on Baz Luhrman’s current film before donning his claws and wild hair. The production appears to be using the time to get some last minute crew pulled together and scout out some filming locations.

According to X-Men Films, director Gavin Hood and his crew have been spotted around New Zealand doing some location scouting over the past week. It’s a bit of a departure for Wolverine’s Canadian origins, or his X-Men New York scenery, but this is a solo chapter so I guess anything goes.

As the filming date approaches, Hood’s crew comes together as well. Cinematographer Donald McAlpine (Moulin! Rouge, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) has come on board to handle the camera work. The Oscar-nominated cinematographer brings more credibility to the production and a greater chance that this isn’t just a tossed together prequel. In fact, with Hood and McAlpine attached, this has a chance of being greater than Brent Ratner’s X-Men: The Last Stand.

Along with McAlpine, makeup artist Kenny Myers joins the production. He’s already handled some X-makup in The Last Stand, but we’ll try not to hold that against him.

Here’s hoping Wolverine shapes up to be a worthy chapter of Bryan Singer’s super-hero franchise.