It appears that Javier Bardem has passed on the role of Blackbeard in Joe Wright’s Peter Pan prequel, the aptly titled Pan, as Variety is reporting that Hugh Jackman is in negotiations to play the film’s main villain. The good news doesn’t stop there, either. Jason Fuchs script has landed itself on the 2013 Black List of the best unproduced screenplays, which likely means that we’re in for a treat with this one when it hits theatres on June 26th, 2015.
For those that haven’t been keeping up, the film will act as a prequel, like I mentioned above, that sees an orphan taken to “the magical world of Neverland, where he ends up becoming a hero to the natives and leading a revolt against evil pirates.” And, in a neat twist, Captain Hook will be one of Pan’s allies, not a villain.
As for casting in the other roles, Ryan Gosling has already passed on the role of Hook, so that gives you an idea of the type of actor that the studio is going for. When it comes to the titular role, however, word is that they’re looking for a newcomer. There’s no news on who the studio has their eye on, but with Jackman now set, I’d expect to hear more casting announcements shortly.
Hugh Jackman is a quality actor who is, arguably, at the top of his game right now. Coming off a handful of excellent performances (Les Miserables, Prisoners), he’s an extremely hot commodity in Hollywood these days and seeing him hop on board a high-profile film like this is definitely a good sign. That, combined with the Black List news, indicates that the project is deserving of all the buzz that it’s currently receiving.
Tell us, are you happy to see Hugh Jackman joining Pan? Who do you want to see play Captain Hook? Let us know in the comments section below.