Variety is reporting today that Hugh Jackman is in talks to lead Lionsgate’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey, which will be based on the famous poem by Homer.
So far, Jackman is the only actor attached to the project, though the studio has already set Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence to helm and producer Nina Jacobson to oversee the film. Penning the script will be another Hunger Games alum, Peter Craig. The scribe wrote both Mockingjay films, and it’s clear that him and Lawrence worked well together on that franchise, which should bode well for The Odyssey.
The studio is hoping for Jackman to take on the lead role here, that of Odysseus, a Greek hero who “makes the long voyage home to Ithaca after the fall of Troy. This 10-year journey sees Odysseus’ ship blown off course, which leads him and his men into a variety of thrilling adventures.”
Other than that, details are slim on this one, as it’s still in the very early stages of pre-production. No release date has been set yet, but I can’t imagine we’ll be seeing it anytime soon. A big budget adaptation like this will surely take some time getting off the ground, and with only one cast member on board, I think we’ve still got a ways to go before it gets in front of the camera.
We’ll let you know when we get any further updates, but for now, tell us, are you excited to see Hugh Jackman lead The Odyssey? Or would you have preferred him to crank out a few more Wolverine films? Sound off below!