Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Wolverine 2 In Development And More For Hugh Jackman

Fox and Seed Productions are already developing on a sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which they are squarely focusing on the samurai storyline originated in the comic series, and whose Japanese locale was teased after the film's final credits.

A writer has yet to be hired. Seed will produce.

Variety also reported that Seed Productions and Hugh Jackman are lining up other projects for Hugh Jackman to star in, Fox has just closed a deal to acquire 'Personal Security,' a spec script by Matt Lieberman. Jackman will star as a tough Gotham police detective forced into bodyguard duty for a spoiled teen heiress who is receiving kidnapping threats. Jackman and Palermo will produce with Tapestry's Michael Schreiber.

While Jackman has not set his next star vehicle, he has gotten revved up over 'Drive,' a Seed-produced adaptation of the James Sallis novel set up at Universal.

Jackman will play a solitary man who drives race cars by day and getaway cars by night in Los Angeles. Jackman was energized by the latest draft written by Hossein Amini, who turned in a script that Jackman said captured the tone of a Steve McQueen film.

Long-in-the-works 'Carousel' is also now a priority at Fox 2000, after David Magee turned in a script that Jackman and Palermo said keeps the timeless spirit of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, but injects relevance for a contemporary audience. Jackman will play Billy Bigelow. On Jackman's wishlist for the role of Julie Jordan is Anne Hathaway, who dueted with him in the Oscarcast opening number. Negotiations have not begun with the actress.