Russell Crowe looking for 'Les Miserables'

CroweJackmanUniversal is able to get its "L'ensemble des Miserables" adaptation off the floor as Russell Crowe is placed to star opposite Hugh Jackman within the pic, that will bow 12 ,. 7, 2012. Tom Hooper is onboard to direct, using the musical's original producer, Cameron Mackintosh, creating. Composer Claude-Michel Schoenberg's original score is going to be used. William Nicholson composed the script in line with the Mackintosh-created tuner (itself in line with the classic Victor Hugo's novel), which follows Jean Valjean, the smart protagonist away from home throughout in france they Revolution. Jackman will have Valjean, and Crowe will have his enemy, Inspector Javert. Mackintosh will produce together with Tim Bevan, Debra Hayward and Eric Fellner through Working Title Films. Variety first reported in June the studio had strong curiosity about Jackman which the actor seemed to be high in playing Valjean. The studio had also circled Crowe for a while but required to finish off certain particulars on Hooper's deal before it might move ahead about the actors' deals. The program would be to begin shooting the pic between the very first quarter of 2012 so Jackman can squeeze it in before jumping into Fox's "The Wolverine." Since announcing the film could be Hooper's follow-as much as "The King's Speech," the studio has had a while in determining the cast. U had contacted Jackman for his part at the start of the project's development but needed to determine the arranging. With Crowe, the problem was quite different because the studio and director were weighing other available choices, for example Paul Bettany, for Javert. Ultimately, Crowe's larger appeal and musical chops (he sings in the own band) brought U to favoring the Aussie for that role. Crowe's participation in "L'ensemble des Miserables" may finish his participation in a number of other high-profile projects scheduled to shoot around the same time frame. Relativity was thinking about the actor for among the starring roles in "From the Furnace," and that he seemed to be a front-runner for among the male leads in Akiva Goldsman's "Winter's Tale," but both projects are required to shoot around the same time frame as "L'ensemble des Miserables." The 1998 bigscreen version of Hugo's novel -- one of several motion picture adaptations through the years -- starred Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Hurry and Uma Thurman but handled only $14 million in the domestic box office. Crowe is presently filming Universal's "The Guy With Iron Fists" before jumping into "Guy of Steel" at Warner Bros., where he'll play Superman's biological father, Jor-El. He's repped by WME. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Watch Movies Online Free Streaming