Hugh Jackman Officially Addresses His Role in New Adaptation of a 143-Year-Old Classic With Exciting Update

Despite being 88 years old, director Ridley Scott remains incredibly active. His latest film, the sci-fi drama The Dog Stars, comes out this summer, and he’s already begun working on his next project: a new version of Treasure Island. Hugh Jackman is set to star as the famous pirate Long John Silver. This role follows Jackman’s recent trend of playing well-known literary characters, like Robin Hood in The Death of Robin Hood, but the actor says this is purely accidental.

Hugh Jackman recently told Discussing Film what attracted him to the Treasure Island project. He clarified he wasn’t specifically looking for adaptations of classic novels. “I don’t actively seek those out,” he explained. “I simply read the script and trust my instincts.” Surprisingly, Jackman admitted he’d never read or seen Treasure Island before, only being familiar with the character of Long John Silver. He understands the script is a slightly updated version of the story. Jackman was immediately interested when Ridley Scott sent him the script by Jack Thorne, saying he’s eager to see if the project gets made and is fully on board if it does.

Will Ridley Scott’s Treasure Island Happen?

Okay, so the really interesting part of what Hugh Jackman said is that this Treasure Island movie, even with all the great people working on it, doesn’t have a studio backing it yet! Apparently, 20th Century Studios – they’ve worked with the director, Ridley Scott, a lot, even on a movie this year – decided not to do it. Why? Because Disney is still planning more Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and they didn’t want any overlap. That means this Treasure Island is now looking for a studio to take it on, and honestly, it’s a bit up in the air whether anyone will! It’s a little worrying as a fan, but I’m still hoping it gets made.

Just because a movie is announced doesn’t mean it’s definitely going to be made, or even close to starting. Currently, Treasure Island is in the very early stages of development and still faces challenges, particularly figuring out the budget. Director Scott is known for ambitious, large-scale films which tend to be expensive, so the filmmakers and studio need to agree on the financial details. This can often be a problem – for example, Denzel Washington’s historical movie Hannibal was recently paused due to budget issues.

Hugh Jackman is being cautious about getting ahead of himself, but most industry insiders still expect Treasure Island to get made. The project – a big-budget adventure directed by Ridley Scott and starring Jackman as a legendary character – is incredibly appealing, given the reputations of both men. The script by Jack Thorne might be the biggest selling point. If it’s as good as Jackman claims, a studio will likely be eager to produce the film. While Treasure Island has been adapted many times before, a creative new take could make this version feel fresh and exciting. It will be fascinating to see how Scott reimagines the classic story.

There’s a lot of interest in making Treasure Island; nearly every major movie studio is expected to compete for the project, potentially leading to a significant bidding war. Hopefully, that competition will resolve quickly so production can begin. The film already has a well-received script and an Oscar-nominated actor lined up, which suggests it could move forward quickly. If Hugh Jackman has been cast, filming might start very soon.

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2026-06-16 17:41