Hugh Jackman in Talks to Star in ‘The Odyssey’ for ‘Hunger Games’ Director

With Hugh Jackman hanging up his Wolverine claws fairly soon, the actor is seeking non-X-Men-related films for the near future. His next project could very well find him stepping into another major franchise role, as Jackman is currently in talks to headline The Odyssey for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay director Francis Lawrence.

As previously reported, Lawrence is set to re-team with Lionsgate to direct a big screen version of Homer’s classic epic, which the studio is eyeing as a potential franchise. Lawrence directed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and both parts of Mockingjay.

Per The Wrap, Jackman is in talks to play the lead role of the heroic Odysseus, who embarks on a lengthy and perilous journey home following the end of the Trojan War. His wife Penelope, assuming her husband is dead, struggles to fight off several suitors, while Odysseus himself is faced with numerous dangers including cyclopean men, witches, cannibals and Sirens.

Homer’s epic poem has been translated several times over the years, and adapted twice, first into a 1955 film and again in 1997 as a TV miniseries.

Jackman will soon portray Wolverine one last time, re-teaming with The Wolverine director James Mangold for The Wolverine 2. He also appears as Blackbeard in Joe Wright’s Pan, hitting theaters in October.