Future Direction in Hugh Jackman's career

[jo]

We have seen how post-Wolverine, Hugh has moved on to more dramatic fare.

The Son is expected to be a major dramatic work given what Florian Zeller has accomplished with his English adaptation of The Father ( a first from his trilogy of stories). Interestingly, Zeller's trilogy of interconnected themes started as a trilogy of French plays which were successfully staged in Paris.

Reminiscence delves into romance, action/thriller and sci-fi genres.

We have seen Hugh try the music tour concept over 90 shows across many parts of the world in 2019 ( TheMan.TheMusic.TheShow).

Soon, he will back on Broadway for The Music Man.

On film, he has tried taking on a producer's role ( Origins: Wolverine, projects of the ill-fated SEED, and likely uncredited producer role in Logan & The Greatest Showman).


There was an item in a UK tabloid magazine which hints that Hugh and Deb may be interested in producing shows on stage on Broadway. This is very different from producing films which is usually more time-bound ( once it is released - that's it!). On stage, it is a continuing process as long as the show is playing.



BWW opened a thread on the subject -- with some contributing their views on the difficulty of producing for the stage.


www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1125176

The opening post adds a seemingly negative slant to the story -- although some expressed some level of cynicism as to the veracity of the story, given the source.

"According to the friend, Jackman and Furness ... "can't wait to collaborate. They feel like there's nothing they can't accomplish together." … With new Broadway projects in mind, it may be that Jackman is trying to save face in the theatre community after sources said that the actor was "feeling pressure" to pull out of starring in The Music Man …:

okmagazine.com/p/hugh-jackman-producing-projects-with-wife-deborra-lee-furness/

[jo]

Some thoughts -- and my speculations could all be wrong


Producing plays ( I am assuming they are thinking of straight plays to start with... although musicals can be as risky given the financial support they need) is not often a profitable venture - will they want to risk that?

Will Hugh have less time for filmmaking - or will it be Deb who will want to get involved solo when Hugh has a movie to make?

If they are thinking of Australian plays - hmmm... not sure they will appeal to Broadway audiences enough to make money. If Aussie plays are like Erskineville Kings ( which originally started as a play, written by Hugh's classmate at WAAPA and also starred in the movie with Hugh), that is too intense to appeal to a big swath of theatregoers.

I wonder if Hugh is now feeling that he wants to expand his presence on the theatrical stage instead of simply being in a production...and to be involved in stage production since he had done something similar for movies?

But just like SEED -- hopefully it will not force Hugh to star in all of its projects, which will deprive him of other opportunities ( theatre or film) because he was not available.

I also remember that very early in his career, he and Deb set up a production company with Mark Pennell called DHM. They were supposed to produce a movie with an Aussie culture theme...but it seems it did not attract enough investors ( at that time, it was budgeted at A$ 33 M).

And when Hugh had just graduated from WAAPA, he said that his plans then were to set up a theatre company with a friend/co-graduate ... and to give himself 5 years to see if it can be his livelihood. But Correlli got in the way -- and that changed his life to some extent, followed by Beauty and the Beast.

I wonder if the "friend" who is supposed to have spilled the beans to the tabloid rag is really someone who is making the pitch for Broadway shows - and he is putting on the pressure on Hugh and Deb?


But more interestingly --

I wonder if Scott Rudin, after he made a decision to step back from all his producer projects. offered to Hugh a chance to co-produce (not solely. but maybe as co-producer) TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD or THE MUSIC MAN?

Hmm... since those have ready-made markets -- Hugh could be interested.

But to do it from scratch -- hmm... I hope he realizes that straight plays do not make money ( except if it is TKAM) while musicals can be headaches.

Jo

[jo]

Is this an indication of any future projects?

[mamaleh]

Maybe Hugh will voice a character on “The Simpsons”?

Ellen

[jo]

Since Chris Evans was announced to be in a new movie ( his idea) with him as Gene Kelly, so many have tweeted that Hugh Jackman is the better fit for the role, such as this --

[jo]

****************


Christine Pendell
liked your reply
Have you seen Hugh in a live musical performance? He is currently on Bway in a remake of another classic musical @musicmanbway . True triple threat!

[jo]

[jo]

Hugh once said that he would like to do a movie directed by Tarantino --

Maybe he did have some conversations with Tarantino about the role but it never happened.


jo

[jo]

Dec 12, 2022 19:53:04 GMT -5 jo said:

From one artist to another ( after Florian Zeller posted his Instagram tribute to Hugh Jackman) --

florianzellerofficiel
Verified
Huge Congratulations to @thehughjackman on his BEST ACTOR nomination at @goldenglobes for his performance in THE SON. I couldn’t be more grateful.
😃🙏🦋



thehughjackman's profile picture
thehughjackman
Verified
This nomination is because of you. Your words. Your direction. Your trust and faith in me. We’ve got much more to do. H x

Looking forward to any future collaborations - on film or on stage!

Jo

Hugh has also mentioned in a recent article that he almost did a stage play written by Florian Zeller on Broadway. Was it one of his choices, before finally deciding on THE RIVER ( 2014/2015)?

Jo

[jo]

Too bad he did not get some past roles whose storyline is in the Continent --

*Dan Brown had him in mind when they were casting Da Vinci Code, but Ron Howard wanted his favorite male star Tom Hanks in it.

*Hugh was attached to the forthcoming film FERRARI but the pandemic delayed his commitment for The Music Man... and he had to give up the role, as filming had to start in the fall of 2022. That story would be based in Italy. Adam Driver replaced him in the role.

*Years ago, he seemed to be a candidate for the Casino Royale movie in the Bond franchise. Daniel Craig ended up with the role.

*Many years ago, he was asked for his availability for the film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera - but he was committed to The Boy From Oz.

Only European-based film he ever did was VAN HELSING, which happened centuries ago in eastern Europe.

Jo

[jo]

[jo]

[jo]

Feb 24, 2023 21:14:55 GMT -5 jo said:

Feb 24, 2023 21:13:27 GMT -5 jo said:

Another great interview with BBC --

*about THE SON
*his forthcoming Wolverine-Deadpool movie
*impact on his voice of roles like Wolverine

and --

*The Music Man may come to London, but NOT with him

*wanting to come back to London -- maybe another musical, but more of classics, including the Greeks (he has just seen MEDEA and that has roused his desire to do a Greek play).

Okay- so, practice your English accents in case that is not going to be that long into the future.

I bet it will have something to do with FictionHouse & Kate Horton project. Kate & her FictionHouse group were producers of THE MUSIC MAN on Broadway and are now producers for MEDEA!

Jo

I forgot to include the link to the BBC interview -- this is different to the 30-minute long BBC interview. This one is only about 14 minutes- long.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001jc28

Jo

Re Greek plays--

The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance

The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance Greek statuette. Two strolling actors with comedy masks in the Louvre, Paris


The Ancient Greeks took their entertainment very seriously and used drama as a way of investigating the world they lived in, and what it meant to be human.

The three genres of drama were comedy, satyr plays, and most important of all, tragedy.

Comedy: The first comedies were mainly satirical and mocked men in power for their vanity and foolishness. The first master of comedy was the playwright Aristophanes. Much later Menander wrote comedies about ordinary people and made his plays more like sit-coms.

Tragedy: Tragedy dealt with the big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods. Typically the main protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him. The three great playwrights of tragedy were Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

Aristotle argued that tragedy cleansed the heart through pity and terror, purging us of our petty concerns and worries by making us aware that there can be nobility in suffering. He called this experience 'catharsis'.

Satyr Plays: These short plays were performed between the acts of tragedies and made fun of the plight of the tragedy's characters. The satyrs were mythical half-human, half-goat figures and actors in these plays wore large phalluses for comic effect. Few examples of these plays survive. They are classified by some authors as tragicomic, or comedy dramas.

[jo]

Will Hugh eventually consider one of these Greek tragedies, IF he decides to do a Greek play in London ? Maybe as produced by Kate Horton and Fictionhouse?


www.thecuriousreader.in/bookrack/greek-tragedies-you-must-read/

[jo]

He also said in the BBC interview that it could be a musical ( most likely a short-term engagement?)?

London seems to be able to stage many revivals or transfers from Broadway much easier ( less stringent conditions compared to Broadway) -- which will it be for Hugh, if he ever does that?

Jo

[jo]

[jo]

Also -

Hugh also prefers ACTING to SINGING - 100%, per his declaration on the HugoTravers French media interview.

Rock Music per se does not really leave much opportunities for acting - except for the yelling and more yelling

No offense meant to rock music afficionados!

Jo

[jo]

The last update on IMDB re the status of the project, which has Hugh Jackman as rumored star of the movie, was in 2018!


We don't know if this is still a live project.


This could have been a very good biopic cum action project for Hugh.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ames_(CIA_official)

Ames was killed on April 18, 1983, when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the United States embassy in Beirut. A total of 63 people were killed in the explosion, including Ames, the CIA Lebanon station chief and his deputy, as well as six other CIA officers and eight other Americans.[2][3] CIA Director William Casey described the loss of Ames as "the closest thing to an irreplaceable man".[4]

US President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan, attended the ceremony marking the arrival of the victims’ coffins at Andrews Air Force Base.[5] A memorial service for them, held at Washington National Cathedral, was attended by three thousand people.[5] Ames is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[5]

[jo]

Hugh Jackman is considering doing a support show for the Australian National Rugby League exhibition games in Las Vegas in 2024. Gus Worland is facilitating the event to be happening.


articles.listnr.com/sport/hugh-jackman-in-talks-to-lead-nrls-las-vegas-entertainment/

‘Sensational’: Hugh Jackman In Talks To Lead NRL’s Las Vegas Entertainment, Says Gus Worland
Triple M’s Gus Worland has revealed close mate and Australian Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman is in talks to be the NRL’s entertainment act for the competition’s blockbuster doubleheader in Las Vegas next season.

LISTEN HERE:


Worland’s revelation comes after the NRL reportedly locked in a deal to kick off the 2024 season in Las Vegas with a doubleheader as part of a long-term deal to stage matches in the United States until the end of 2028.


All eyes now turn to what the entertainment will be, with Worland revealing he’s facilitated discussions behind the scenes to have Jackman headline the event.

“He (Hugh Jackman) wants an opportunity to go and have a fantastic time,” Worland said on Triple M’s Rush Hour.

Hugh is expanding his performing horizon further! Although around 2004/05, he performed a show for the inauguration of WYNN LASVEGAS. Guests included 2 presidents (Bush Sr/Trump), Elizabeth Taylor & Steven Spielberg whom he dared called on stage.


Jo

[jo]

What next ??

Is he aiming for the SUPER BOWL ?11


Jo

[jo]

MOVIES & TV
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GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT > Movies & TV

Exclusive: Hugh Jackman In Talks For Villain In Logan’s Run Remake


We've exclusively learned Hugh Jackman is in negotiations to play the bad guy of Gore Verbinski's upcoming Logan's Run remake.

By Michileen Martin | Published 48 minutes ago


hugh jackman
If you’re going to hunt down Logan in Logan’s Run, it makes sense to hire Logan, right? Someone clearly thinks so because, as we’ve learned from our trusted and proven sources, Hugh Jackman is currently in talks to star as a villain in the upcoming Logan’s Run remake. We previously reported that Gore Verbinkski (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) has been tapped to direct the feature.

We don’t know the precise role Hugh Jackman is in talks for, but — depending on how closely Verbinski’s remake follows the 1976 original — it seems likely he would play Francis 7. The late Richard Jordan (The Hunt for Red October) is Francis 7 in the original — a Sandman whose job is to hunt and execute Runners like the titular hero. As for who will fill Michael York’s shoes for the title role, there is no word just yet.

hugh jackman logan's run
Richard Jordan as Francis 7 and Michael York as Logan 5 in Logan’s Run (1976)
It would be fitting to see Hugh Jackman cast as a bad guy in the Logan’s Run remake, and not just because of the nice symmetry of the name “Logan.” Including Wolverine, Jackman is known mostly for playing heroic leads, but one of the few prominent bad guys he’s gotten to play was Vincent Moore in 2015’s Chappie. Directed by Neil Blomkamp (District 9) Chappie is, like Logan’s Run, a dystopian sci-fi film.

Hugh Jackman told Collider in 2015 he was thrilled to finally get to play villains in Chappie, as well as Blackbeard in that year’s Pan, and we’re guessing he’ll feel similarly if he ends up signing on for Logan’s Run.

hugh jackman
Hugh Jackman in Pan (2015)
Logan’s Run is perhaps not as popular as Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings, or other record-breaking intellectual properties that Warner Bros. Discovery is desperate to milk under David Zaslav’s direction, but it’s a cult classic that did a lot to pave the way for dystopian sci-fi storytelling on the screen. It’s practically impossible to be taken seriously in a discussion of films like The Hunger Games or The Matrix without mention of Logan’s Run.

logan's run gore verbinski
Michael York in Logan’s Run (1976)
The story Hugh Jackman could soon be joining starts with William F. Nolan’s 1967 novel Logan’s Run which was adapted to the big screen in 1976. The film finds what’s left of humanity living under domes and taking their directions from an overseeing computer. Everyone beneath the domes is sacrificed at the age of 30, and anyone who tries to flee before their “Last Day” is labeled a Runner.

Runners are pursued by the lethal police force of Sandmen, and both Logan 5 and Francis 7 — the role we believed Hugh Jackman is in talks for — are Sandmen when the film begins. Logan and Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter) eventually become runners, with Francis pursuing them.

Once we know more about the Logan’s Run remake, including whether or not Hugh Jackman signs on, we’ll make sure you know.

[jo]

More details on Wikipedia --

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan%27s_Run


It seems the remake of the movie has been the subject of several attempts in the past.

How grounded are the new plans to remake it?



On the other hand - here was the initial news re Gore Verbinski planning to direct it.

www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/logans-run-gore-verbinski.html?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=other


Jo

[jo]

Most of the many planned remakes were focused on new directors and screenwriters.

This time, they are focusing on casting a well-known action star in the person of Hugh Jackman. Whether he portrays Logan who turns from hunter to hunted or one of those who hunt these people -- Hugh will likely look at the role that will be more challenging for him.

Hope we hear the developments on this project soon.

Jo

[jo]

Someone did say that the storyline called for villains and heroes not to be older than 30. And that Hugh is way too old for the role. Maybe the script has been changed... otherwise why would he be in talks if he is considered too old for the role?


Jo

[jo]

In case you're interested - a synopsis of the original movie.

Synopsis
In the year 2274, the remnants of human civilization live in a sealed city contained beneath a cluster of geodesic domes, a utopia run by a computer that takes care of all aspects of life, including reproduction. The citizens live a hedonistic lifestyle but, to prevent overpopulation, everyone must undergo the rite of "Carrousel" when they reach the age of 30. There, they are killed under the guise of being "renewed".

To track this, each person is implanted at birth with a "life-clock" crystal in the palm of the hand that changes color as they get older and begins blinking as they approach their "Last Day." Most residents accept this chance for rebirth, but those who do not and attempt to flee the city are known as "Runners". An elite team of policemen known as "Sandmen", outfitted in predominantly black uniforms and serving in an agency of the city called "Deep Sleep", are assigned to pursue and terminate Runners as they try to escape.

Logan 5 and Francis 7 are both Sandmen. After terminating a Runner, to whose presence they were alerted during a Carrousel rite, Logan finds an ankh among his possessions. Later that evening, he meets Jessica 6, a young woman also wearing an ankh pendant. Logan takes the ankh to the computer, which tells him that it is a symbol for a secret group whose members help the Runners find "Sanctuary", a mythic place where they will be safe to live out the rest of their lives.

Logan learns that the Sandmen have lost 1,056 Runners this way. The computer instructs Logan to find Sanctuary and destroy it, a mission which it code names "Procedure 033-03", which he must keep secret from the other Sandmen of Deep Sleep. Then, by a procedure it calls "retrogram", the computer changes the color of his life clock to flashing red, suddenly making him four years closer to Carrousel. Scared, he asks if the four years will be restored to him when his mission is completed but receives no response. In order to escape this, Logan is now forced to become a Runner. Logan meets Jessica and explains his situation. They meet with the underground group that leads them to the periphery of the city.

Logan learns that the ankh symbol is actually a key that unlocks an exit from the city. They come out into a frozen cave, with Francis following closely behind. In the cave, they meet Box, a robot designed to capture food for the city from the outside. Logan discovers, to his horror, that Box also captures escaped Runners and freezes them for food. Before Box can freeze Logan and Jessica, they escape, causing the cave to collapse on the robot.

Once outside, Logan and Jessica notice that their life clocks are no longer operational. They see the Sun for the first time and discover that the remains of human civilization have become a wilderness. They explore an old, seemingly abandoned city which was once Washington, D.C. In the ruins of the United States Senate chamber, they discover an elderly man living with many cats. His appearance is a shock to them, since neither has ever seen anyone over the age of thirty. The old man recounts what he remembers about what happened to humanity outside the city, and Logan realizes that Sanctuary has always been a myth.

However, Francis has followed them and he and Logan fight. Logan fatally wounds Francis; as he dies, Francis sees that Logan's life clock is now clear and assumes Logan has renewed. Logan and Jessica persuade the old man to return to the city with them as proof that life exists outside the domed city. Leaving the man outside, the two enter and try to convince everyone that Carrousel is a lie and unnecessary. The two are captured by other Sandmen and taken to the computer, which interrogates Logan about Procedure 033-03 and asks if he completed his mission.

Logan insists, "There is no Sanctuary". What he had found was "old ruins, exposed", "an old man", and that the missing Runners were "all frozen". These answers are not accepted by the computer, even after scanning Logan's mind, and the computer overloads, causing the city's systems to fail violently and release the exterior seals. Logan, Jessica, and the other citizens flee the ruined city. Once outside, the citizens see the old man, the first human they have met who is older than thirty, proving that they can, indeed, live their lives much longer.