Production on Hugh Jackman's forthcoming movie The Wolverine is facing further delay - film executives have ordered a complete rewrite of the script.

Shooting on the latest installment in the X-Men franchise has already been pushed back until the spring due to unpredictable weather conditions in Japan, where part of the mutant superhero action blockbuster was due to be filmed later this year.

But according to Variety.com, the project has hit another stumbling block - director James Mangold has replaced The Usual Suspects screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie with Mark Bomback, who penned 2007's Live Free or Die Hard.

The Wolverine has already gotten off to a rocky start - Mangold was drafted in to take charge of the movie after Black Swan filmmaker Darren Aronofsky quit the project due to creative differences.

The movie is expected to be released in 2013.