Hugh Jackman ventures into producing

Seed Productions, the new production company headed by Tony-winning Boy From Oz star Hugh Jackman and John Palermo, has sown a first-look deal at 20th Century Fox for an X-Men spin-off featuring Jackman's character, Wolverine. According to Daily Variety, the film will begin production after the third X-Men installment, X3, wraps. David Benioff is expected to turn in a first draft of the Wolverine script shortly. While Jackman hasn't produced a film yet, he has participated in the behind-the-scenes action on X3. He got a taste of crisis management when director Matthew Vaughn abruptly departed and Brett Ratner was hired to replace him. "It got to be a roller-coaster ride there, but I wasn't worried, because the script is so strong," Jackman said. "Matthew had his reasons but helped make the movie better before he left. Brett has come in with a lot of enthusiasm and full understanding of the franchise. It has been a real learning curve, as has been putting together the script on Wolverine. That project is a good start for me as producer, because I have intimate knowledge of the character." The Fox deal will be separate from a nonexclusive alignment Jackman and Palermo made with Disney and Storyline partners Craig Zadan and Neil Meron to develop musical vehicles for Jackman.