Gavin Hood ("Tsotsi," "Rendition") is set to direct the X-Men spin-off "Wolverine" for 20th Century Fox reports the trades.

Penned by David Benioff, the story explores the origins of the hairy mutant with retractable metal claws from the "X-Men" films.

Hugh Jackman reprises the title role in this spin-off which mixes action with an origin story about how Logan emerged from a barbaric experiment that gave him the claws - something glimpsed in flashback during the "X-Men" films.

A Fall start date is being set. Lauren Shuler Donner, Jackman and John Palermo are producing the movie.