Jackman Film Role News

[jo]

Can't post too much (using tablet via my sister's WiFi) as my internet service has been down for a few days, but this is exciting news - Hugh has that heroic charisma even during antiquities. Angelina Jolie as Penelope (wink)?

jo

[mamaleh]

Oh, Deb wouldn't like that.

Hope your Internet gets back to speed soon, Jo.

Ellen

[njr]

Aug 21, 2015 21:54:22 GMT -5 jo said:

Can't post too much (using tablet via my sister's WiFi) as my internet service has been down for a few days, but this is exciting news - Hugh has that heroic charisma even during antiquities. Angelina Jolie as Penelope (wink)?

jo

You're back! Did you see the Jo BOLO thread (Be On The Lookout) I started for you in Off Topic? LOL! Thought something might have happened to you after not hearing from you in 2 days!

Nancy

[jo]

Thanks for concern. I am not up to par yet re posting links here, but has someone noted the gossip in Sydney that Hugh might be announcing an Aussie version of Back on Broadway on Monday? If true, he's certainly keeping his musical chops busy. Hopefully, this is a prelude to his working on Showman after Wolv-3.

[ocjackie]

I heard that rumor too. Got to start saving those pennies. I've been wanting to go back to Australia anyway, and wouldn't this be a wonderful reason (along with walking a Wombat LOL).

[jo]

If Hugh takes on the role of Odysseus, it could be because he has Greek ancestry!

I bet the chance to retell the story of an ancestor from the time of antiquity might be too tempting to forego for a romantic like Hugh

Hugh does like to take us on journeys of literary difficulties - LOL! After Les Miserables, now he may be asking us to take a journey through the pages of The Iliad and The Odyssey by Greek poet Homer. I have only seen one movie about Odysseus ( the Armand Assante TV movie)... that seems like a good beginning. There was a much older movie with Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, and Sylvana Mangano, but it was called ULYSSES ( Odysseus's name according to the Romans), where the acting is supposed to be more compelling.

I wonder when we will know if he is going to accept the project?


Jo

[jo]

I was backtracking on some of the feature items re the possible casting of Hugh Jackman as Odysseus -- and it seems this is one movie that will cater a lot to the male demos. One film site ( IGN) had 93 comments to the possible casting of Hugh, with not one saying he would be wrong for the role (in some cases, suggesting one or two other names). It seems Greek mythology tales are also fanboy stuff -- superhero exploits, dated give or take thousands of years ago.

As for the ladies - so long as he wears the short toga ( barely covering the torso) and the sandals for the legs

Jo

[jo]

More like a wish than anything else -- Bindi Irwin wants Hugh Jackman to portray her Dad, Steve Irwin, in a possible biopic project.

www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/steve-irwin-biopic-to-star-hugh-jackman-if-bindi-gets-her-way-report-20150915-gjne2p.html

Jo

[jo]

From his recent interview re WOLVERINE 3 ( via Collider) --

"I’m starting the training, I’m starting the eating and mentally really preparing for it. It’s not just me, the studio as well – I’m trying to do something with this that’s a little special, a little different. I’ve got a very, very strong idea of what that is. I really have known for quite a long time how I want to finish this sort of odyssey that I’ve been on, this amazing journey...

Odyssey? Is the word on his mind? Is he in deep negotations now for the film adaptation of THE ODYSSEY?

I know he is referring to his almost 17-year Wolverine journey, but...

PS: I was at a local bookstore and saw some pretty good special sales -- one of them was a hardcopy version of the literary epic by Homer called THE ODYSSEY, supposedly complete with annotations and illustrations. I had seen the TV movie with Armand Assante before and thought this well-praised translation by literary icon Alexander Pope would not be difficult reading...I could not thumb through it because it was in a special package ( with a special book cover enclosing the book)... When I came home and opened it -- I had to burst out laughing. I had forgotten that it would be like Shakespeare - written in complete verse! It may take me a whole reading odyssey to go through it - hopefully, Hugh would look at the film adaptation favorably -- so it is not all for naught

That reminded me the of the  first time I read the original novel of Les Miserables (when I first saw the stage musical...and did it again when they started filming the movie adaptation) 



Jo

[JH4HJ]

Will there ever be a Steve Irwin bio-pic?

While Jackman insisted that there currently aren’t any concrete plans to actually make a Steve Irwin biopic, the Australian actor admitted that he’d jump at the opportunity to represent his fallen comrade if one was put in motion.

Jackman explained that he previously had a special bond and relationship with Steve Irwin, which means that he would adore the chance to portray him on the big screen.

“I would definitely consider that [playing Steve Irwin in a biopic,” Jackman revealed to the website.

Jackman then opened up about how he was forever touched by his interaction with the wildlife expert, even though it was only brief.

Full article and a pic of them together

[mamaleh]

Maybe Bindi Irwin can hurry the project up with the cachet she's building up on DANCING WITH THE STARS.

Ellen

[jo]

More speculation than rumor, Hugh is among those whom this filmsite thinks can fill the role of INDIANA JONES ( now that Disney has bought the franchise rights).

www.latinoshealth.com/articles/15123/20160106/indiana-jones-5-cast-trailer-who-will-be-the-next-indy-5-actors-who-will-rock-the-role.htm

Hugh is a natural for action movies, especially those requiring a dashing type of hero

Jo

[jo]

variety.com/2016/film/news/second-life-of-nick-mason-equalizer-writer-1201747652/

The “Nick Mason” deal was the first major acquisition since Bobby Cohen joined Gillian Bohrer as Lionsgate’s co-president of motion picture production. Jacobson is producing “The Odyssey” for Lionsgate with Francis Lawrence directing and Hugh Jackman in talks to star.

Is this still current information -- although Variety is usually reliable when it comes to reporting factual info?


Jo

[mamaleh]

I hope so. Would love to see Hugh in such an epic adventure.

Ellen

[jo]

Remember how I got a copy of a translated versio of Homer's epic poem? Yes, all in verse form! I am still biding my time about reading it since Hugh has not been announced for the role.

Jo

[jo]

I wonder how the major project which has Hugh co-producing with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the story of APOSTLE PAUL is coming along? At the time it was announced, a script was still to materialize.

Jo

[mamaleh]

Well, this feature on Playbill.com listing upcoming movie adaptations of stage musicals hardly qualifies as "news" inasmuch as the latest report is two years old. For what it's worth (probably not much):

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
• Production Company: Rhombus Media
• Screenplay: Bob Martin, Don McKellar
• Director: Fred Schepisi
• Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway
• Geoffrey Rush will reportedly executive produce and star in an adaptation of Lisa Lambert, Bob Martin, Don McKellar and Greg Morrison's musical.
• Latest Update: Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Barbra Streisand "Interested" in Drowsy Chaperone Film; Director Fred Schepisi Attached (6/2/2014)

I wouldn't hold my breath.

Ellen

[jo]

Can you imagine Hugh as Adolpho?

I would rather hold my breath for the filming of GREATEST SHOWMAN


Jo

[jo]

According to IMDB, there was an update on the status of the script of APOSTLE PAUL on April 19, 2016.

Is this project a go?

[jo]

LARRRIKINS, the animated film which will include Hugh Jackman among the voiceover roles, will have a release date in the USA of February 16, 2018.

www.imdb.com/title/tt3801316/releaseinfo?ref_=ttfc_sa_1


That will be less than 2 months after the release of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH on December 25, 2017.

The movie is produced by DREAMWORKS ANIMATION and will be distributed by UNIVERSAL.


Jo

[jo]

A new role for Hugh announced!


EDIT: It seems that earlier reports are incorrect about Hugh appearing in a supporting role in the film adaptation -- he may be serving only in the capacity as a producer!



www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hugh-jackman-fox-2000-team-ya-best-seller-absolutely-true-diary-a-part-time-indian-951763?utm_source=twitter

Hugh Jackman, Fox 2000 Team for YA Best-Seller 'Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' (Exclusive)
7:39 AM PST 12/1/2016 by Tatiana Siegel


Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic; Courtesy of Lee Towndrow/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Hugh Jackman, Sherman Alexie

'Smoke Signals' writer Sherman Alexie penned the book and will adapt the screenplay, with Temple Hill ('The Fault in Our Stars') and Donners' Company ('Deadpool') producing.

Fox 2000 has acquired Sherman Alexie's best-selling YA book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Hugh Jackman, who has a first-look deal at Fox, will play a supporting role in the film as well as serve in some capacity.

The story centers on a teen named Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, he leaves his troubled school on the reservation to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Temple Hill, which has teamed with Fox 2000 on a number of YA hit adaptations including The Fault in Our Stars, will produce alongside and Donners' Company (Deadpool).

Alexie, who grew up on the very same reservation depicted in the book, is no stranger to Hollywood, having written the 1998 indie breakout Smoke Signals, another coming-of-age story set on a reservation.

Temple Hill's Wyck Godfrey and Isaac Klausner are producing Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian alongside Lauren Shuler Donner and Jack Leslie .

Though the book was published nearly a decade ago, it continues to sell briskly, appearing on the NY Times best seller list years after its initial run. It remains a favorite among middle-school teachers but also is credited with dealing realistically with harsh issues including poverty and bulimia.

Elizabeth Gabler and Erin Simonoff are overseeing the film at Fox 2000.

Jackman is currently shooting The Greatest Showman for Fox. He is repped by WME, Lou Coulson Associates and the law firm Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Alexie is managed by Anonymous Content.

Re Hugh also "serving in some capacity " - could he be a co-producer?


Jo

[jo]

Check out the Amazon.com Page on THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN for more information on the story.

It is a well-reviewed book meant for young adults ( although the much older folks who have read it think the subject deals with more mature issues.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 7–10—Exploring Indian identity, both self and tribal, Alexie's first young adult novel is a semiautobiographical chronicle of Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, WA. The bright 14-year-old was born with water on the brain, is regularly the target of bullies, and loves to draw. He says, "I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats." He expects disaster when he transfers from the reservation school to the rich, white school in Reardan, but soon finds himself making friends with both geeky and popular students and starting on the basketball team. Meeting his old classmates on the court, Junior grapples with questions about what constitutes one's community, identity, and tribe. The daily struggles of reservation life and the tragic deaths of the protagonist's grandmother, dog, and older sister would be all but unbearable without the humor and resilience of spirit with which Junior faces the world. The many characters, on and off the rez, with whom he has dealings are portrayed with compassion and verve, particularly the adults in his extended family. Forney's simple pencil cartoons fit perfectly within the story and reflect the burgeoning artist within Junior. Reluctant readers can even skim the pictures and construct their own story based exclusively on Forney's illustrations. The teen's determination to both improve himself and overcome poverty, despite the handicaps of birth, circumstances, and race, delivers a positive message in a low-key manner. Alexie's tale of self-discovery is a first purchase for all libraries.—Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


From Booklist

Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time lamenting life on the "poor-ass" Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons (which accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative), and, along with his aptly named pal Rowdy, laughing those laughs over anything and nothing that affix best friends so intricately together. When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a rich white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his own community as he is a curiosity in his new one. He weathers the typical teenage indignations and triumphs like a champ but soon faces far more trying ordeals as his home life begins to crumble and decay amidst the suffocating mire of alcoholism on the reservation. Alexie's humor and prose are easygoing and well suited to his young audience, and he doesn't pull many punches as he levels his eye at stereotypes both warranted and inapt. A few of the plotlines fade to gray by the end, but this ultimately affirms the incredible power of best friends to hurt and heal in equal measure. Younger teens looking for the strength to lift themselves out of rough situations would do well to start here. Chipman, Ian --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

It has an approval rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars among those who wrote personal reviews. Reading through the 5-star and the 4-star reviews, one gets a feeling that the book may be a true gem piece of literature.


I could not glean any hints on which character Hugh may be playing, except possibly to that of a math teacher who encourages the young Arnold to leave the Indian Reservation?

Just a guess - but I wonder if Hugh found the book not just a very good read but that he can also relate to some personal level because his son Oscar has a mixed-race background ( including part-Indian)? Could there also be some personal advocacy implications for Hugh to push for a wider appreciation of this coming-of-age book for another minority segment of society? It could also be related to his work with an aboriginal community when he was a young man in Australia?

I wonder if this is a soon-to-be realized film project or something that may take some time to develop as a film adapation? The Donners are partly producing and maybe that is why it was also brought to Hugh's attention?


Hope we hear more about it and Hugh's professional part in the project!

Jo

[jo]

www.thewrap.com/hugh-jackman-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-fox-2000-sherman-alexie/


This article is a revised version of an earlier reported news that Hugh would be playing a role in the movie adaptation.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated Hugh Jackman would also star in the film, but his reps and the studio have confirmed he is only serving as a producer. TheWrap apologizes and regrets the error. 

[jo]

Variety's report --

variety.com/2016/film/news/hugh-jackman-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-movie-1201931194/

Hugh Jackman Boards Movie Adaptation of YA Novel ‘Diary of a Part-Time Indian’

Dave McNary
Film Reporter
@variety_DMcNary


December 1, 2016 | 09:51AM PT

Fox 2000 is developing a movie based on Sherman Alexie’s YA novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” with Hugh Jackman on board to produce.

The studio has set the project up with Fox-based Temple Hill and The Donners’ Company. The producers are Jackman, Temple Hill’s Wyck Godfrey, and Isaac Klausner, with Lauren Shuler Donner and Jack Leslie. Jackman is not involved in an acting role at this point.

Alexie’s novel, published in 2007, is a first-person narrative by Native American teenager Arnold Spirit, Jr. (aka “Junior”) — a 14-year-old cartoonist living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He’s always been picked on and is encouraged by a high school teacher to go to an all-white public high school off the reservation.
“Part-Time Indian” centers on Junior’s first year at the new school, where he’s the only Native American. The book features 65 comic illustrations by Ellen Forney.

Alexie grew up on the Spokane reservation. He wrote the short story collection “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,” which he adapted for the screenplay for the 1998 movie “Smoke Signals.”
Elizabeth Gabler and Erin Siminoff are overseeing “Part-Time Indian” at Fox 2000.

Jackman is currently starring in and producing the P.T. Barnum biopic “The Greatest Showman” for Fox. He is repped by WME, Lou Coulson Associates, and the law firm Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Alexie is managed by Anonymous Content.

[jo]

From the original article by The Hollywood Reporter --

Hugh Jackman, who has a first-look deal at Fox, will play a supporting role in the film as well as serve in some capacity.

And from Wikipedia (re FIRST LOOK DEAL) --

In the film industry, it is an agreement between a writer and an independent producer (production company) or an independent producer and a film studio in which the potential buyer (producer or studio) of a not-yet-written script or in-development movie or television project pays a development fee to the writer or producer for the right to have the first look at the new material before others in the industry get to see it, and at that time make an offer to purchase or distribute or adhere to purchase or distribution terms already stated in the agreement.[1]

Did the "first-look" deal originate with and continue from the moribund SEED Productions's business relationship with FOX? Or is this a new one for Hugh and Fox?

The Variety article also confirms that Hugh is a producer for GREATEST SHOWMAN.


It looks like he is becoming more active as a producer now.

Jo