McAvoy is a 'Wanted' man for Uni
McAvoy 'Wanted' man
Aug 18, 2006
James McAvoy has landed the starring role in Universal Pictures' "Wanted," a sci-fi actioner that will mark the English-language debut of Russian filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov.
"Wanted" is based on a comic book series by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones published by Top Cow. The story follows a put-upon young man who discovers that his long-lost father is an assassin. After his dad is murdered, the son is recruited into a covert organization of killers and trained to follow in his father's footsteps.
The comic is considered hard-core, and the movie probably will be rated R.
Universal-based Marc Platt set up the series in March 2004 and will produce with Jason Netter and Jim Lemley. Top Cow's Marc Silvestri is exec producing.
The script was penned by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, who wrote Universal's "2 Fast 2 Furious."
The movie is a priority for the studio and is anticipated to go into production in first-quarter 2007 with a budget of less than $100 million. "Wanted" likely will be the first go-picture under the studio's new plan of making cutting-edge action movies that are reasonably priced yet have international appeal.
"With the convergence of new visions and new technologies, the genre is changing," Universal president of production Donna Langley said. "We want to capitalize on it with filmmakers who have an affinity for working in these kinds of worlds. The model is reasonably priced action movies, movies that deliver, but look like they cost twice as much."
The studio has quietly lined up some of the filmmakers it considers suited for such an approach. Last week, the studio hired award-winning commercial director Neill Blomkamp to helm "Halo" and added Guillermo del Toro and his "Hellboy 2" this month. It also has Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead") attached to "Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life," which it hopes to make next year.
"With Timur, Mark, James and the underlying material, it's going to be a new kind of action movie that kids and adults are going to embrace around the world," Universal co-chairman David Linde said of "Wanted."
Universal vp production Jeff Kirschenbaum and creative executive David Ortiz will oversee the project for the studio.
McAvoy's credits include the role of Mr. Tumnus, the Faun, in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." He has three movies in the can, including "Starter for Ten," "The Last King of Scotland" and "Penelope." He is repped by WMA and PFD London.
"Wanted" is based on a comic book series by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones published by Top Cow. The story follows a put-upon young man who discovers that his long-lost father is an assassin. After his dad is murdered, the son is recruited into a covert organization of killers and trained to follow in his father's footsteps.
The comic is considered hard-core, and the movie probably will be rated R.
Universal-based Marc Platt set up the series in March 2004 and will produce with Jason Netter and Jim Lemley. Top Cow's Marc Silvestri is exec producing.
The script was penned by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, who wrote Universal's "2 Fast 2 Furious."
The movie is a priority for the studio and is anticipated to go into production in first-quarter 2007 with a budget of less than $100 million. "Wanted" likely will be the first go-picture under the studio's new plan of making cutting-edge action movies that are reasonably priced yet have international appeal.
"With the convergence of new visions and new technologies, the genre is changing," Universal president of production Donna Langley said. "We want to capitalize on it with filmmakers who have an affinity for working in these kinds of worlds. The model is reasonably priced action movies, movies that deliver, but look like they cost twice as much."
The studio has quietly lined up some of the filmmakers it considers suited for such an approach. Last week, the studio hired award-winning commercial director Neill Blomkamp to helm "Halo" and added Guillermo del Toro and his "Hellboy 2" this month. It also has Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead") attached to "Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life," which it hopes to make next year.
"With Timur, Mark, James and the underlying material, it's going to be a new kind of action movie that kids and adults are going to embrace around the world," Universal co-chairman David Linde said of "Wanted."
Universal vp production Jeff Kirschenbaum and creative executive David Ortiz will oversee the project for the studio.
McAvoy's credits include the role of Mr. Tumnus, the Faun, in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." He has three movies in the can, including "Starter for Ten," "The Last King of Scotland" and "Penelope." He is repped by WMA and PFD London.
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