Shortly after Dave Elsey won the Saturn Award for Best Make-Up in X-Men: First Class (which he shared with Fran Needham and Conor O'Sullivan) I got to speak with him backstage.  We talked about what it was like to work on X-Men with Nicholas Hoult, what the Saturn Awards mean to him, new characters and other rumors for the upcoming sequel to X-Men: First Class, and more.   In addition, while I'd heard screenwriter David Hayter (X-Men, X2, Watchmen) was making his directorial debut with an original screenplay called Wolves, I didn't know much about it.  But with Elsey doing the make-up, he revealed that casting has begun, it's filming in Toronto, a stunt arranger who works with Jackie Chan has been brought onto the project, and he said:

"It’s very violent and bloody, but it’s less like The Wolfman and actually a lot more like an X-Men kind of movie.  It’s more of a kind of action movie.  Our werewolves…one of the big differences is our werewolves speak in this and they have hopes and dreams like anybody else."

More after the jump.

As usual, I've time indexed the interview so you can watch the parts that interest you.  Also, below the video is exactly what Elsey said about Hayter's Wolves.

Dave Elsey Time Index:

  • 0:20 – Dave Elsey talks about his love of genre movies and what the Saturn Awards mean to him.  He also comments on his mentor, Rick Baker.
  • 1:30 – Elsey, who won the Saturn Award for X-Men: First Class, talks about the make-up process for the film and working with Nicholas Hoult.
  • 2:20 – Talks briefly about new characters and other rumors for the upcoming sequel to X-Men: First Class.
  • 3:00 – After X-Men: First Class, Elsey took a bit of a break, but did a series of make-up demonstrations for “Famous Monsters” magazine that appeared at Comic-Con.
  • 3:30 – Talks about a new werewolf project, called Wolves, the directorial debut of X-Men  writer, David Hayter.
  • 4:05 – Wolves is filming in Toronto, but Elsey talks more about the make-up process for the film.
  • 4:30 – Talks about the violent, bloody aspect of Wolves, but calls it an action movie closer to the vein of X-Men.  A stunt arranger who works with Jackie Chan has been brought onto the project.
  • 5:05 – According to Elsey, the casting has begun for the film; a few of the casting arrangements have the make-up artist very excited.
  • 5:30 – Elsey comments that the shooting schedule is still being worked out.

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Collider:  Did you work on anything after X-Men?

Dave Elsey:  Now I’m actually just about to start, actually, we’ve already started a werewolf project.  Seems like all the hairy projects come my way now.

Which werewolf project? Who’s this with?

Elsey:  Forgive me, I’m actually not supposed to say the word “werewolf”…but they’re werewolves.  It’s a thing called Wolves, which gives you some impression.  It’s being directed by…there’s an X-Men connection actually, in that the writer of X-Men, a guy called David Hayter, David Hayter is directing Wolves.  This is his first movie and we’re doing a whole bunch of really interesting werewolves for it. 

I know David’s work.  Where are you filming?

Elsey:  We’re filming in Toronto, Canada.  We’re doing the build over here.  I’m actually working out of ADI, Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff’s workshop where they did the Alien and things like that.  I’m just babysitting the workshop for them.  Yes, once again, we’re up to here in fur and hair.

Is it going to be a violent, bloody kind of thing?

Elsey:  Yes, it’s very violent and bloody, but it’s less like The Wolfman and actually a lot more like an X-Men kind of movie.  It’s more of a kind of action movie.  Our werewolves…one of the big differences is our werewolves speak in this and they have hopes and dreams like anybody else.  There’s going to be a lot of really cool action.  They’ve actually hired one of Jackie Chan’s stunt arrangers to come in and do some of the stuff.  I only hope our make-ups and suits survive.

Have you guys starting casting this thing yet?

Elsey:  We’ve begun casting.  There are a few people who’ve begun to slot into place which I’m really excited about.  Again, I’m not supposed to say anything, it’s too soon, but hopefully, if the person who I think is on board is on board, then I’m more excited than I’ve ever been to start make-up.

Do you know the shooting schedule yet?

Elsey:  Still kinda working out the shooting schedule.