The Odyssey film: Hugh Jackman to lead retelling of Homer’s classic

Hugh Jackman may start in The Odyssey film, which is currently in development at Lionsgate

The Odyssey film is in development at Lionsgate, and it is being reported that Hugh Jackman is the man they want to lead the cast.

Hugh Jackman is in talks to star in a film retelling of Homer’s classic poem The Odyssey. The film is being developed over at Lionsgate, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay director Francis Lawrence is to helm the movie for the studio.

TheWrap broke the news, but added that a source told them; “this is a conversation at this point. Very early stages and nothing is confirmed.”

If you’re unfamiliar with The Odyssey, read the following synopsis from Penguin Books.

[quote_box_center]The epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan war forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats – from the witch Circe who turns his men into pigs, to the twin terrors of Scylla and Charybdis; from the stupefied Lotus-Eaters to the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon himself – Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely. But the danger is no less severe in his native Ithaca, as Odysseus finds himself contending with the suitors who, in his absence, have begun to surround his wife Penelope… [/quote_box_center]

The Odyssey film is currently in development at Lionsgate.

Peter Craig, who wrote The Town and the last two ‘Hunger Games’ movies, has written the screenplay for the planned film.

Jackman has been busy of late. He has just finished up work on an Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards biopic, is currently pumping up to play Wolverine one last time for director James Mangold, and will next be seen in Joe Wright’s Pan, a re-telling of the Peter Pan story.