Hugh Jackman is set to play legendary pirate Long John Silver in a new adaptation of Treasure Island.
The Greatest Showman actor will reportedly lead the cast of Sir Ridley Scott’s planned take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, which he will direct from a script by Adolescence writer Jack Thorne, who will also serve as executive producer.
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According to Deadline, the package is set to hit the market next Monday (15.06.26) and while 20th Century – who will release Scott’s next movie The Dog Stars in August – did get a first look, the ultimately turned down the project. This was because 20th Century is a Disney division, where Pirates of the Caribbean is a priority and they didn’t want to take on competing projects.
Treasure Island – which has sold over 100 million copies and been translated into more than 50 languages since its release in 1983 – follows a young boy, Jim Hawkins, who embarks on a dangerous sea voyage to claim a fortune after uncovering a map to legendary buried treasure, only to get embroiled in a deadly battle of wits with Long John Silver.
Every major studio is expected to be in the mix for the film.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt previously voices Jim Hawkins in a space-set animated adaptation titled Treasure Planet back in 2002 alongside Brian Murray as Long John Silver, Martin Short as the robot Ben and Dame Emma Thompson as Captain Amelia.
Meanwhile, Jugh recently teased he could return as Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) one day.
After leading 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise for nearly two decades, the 57-year-old actor appeared in the MCU with 2024’s Deadpool and Wolverine, and while he has not confirmed whether he will return, Jackman has hinted his time wielding the claws could continue.
During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the host asked Jackman: “Every time you’re on, you gotta go, ‘Nope, I’m not doing that again.’
“But then you keep making another one. And it’s a big, big hit. So are you gonna have to do it again?”
Jackman teased: “Maybe … I am never saying ‘never’ again!”
The Song Sung Blue star added he had initially planned to retire Wolverine for good following 2017’s Logan, but he eventually “changed his mind” and agreed to star opposite Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth in Deadpool and Wolverine.
He continued: “I did mean it when I said ‘never’, until the day when I changed my mind. But I really did for quite a few years, I meant it.
“I have done 10 films now, so I think they have enough for an AI version of me!”
