Hugh Jackman to star in Ridley Scott’s ‘Treasure Island’

Hugh Jackman has joined Ridley Scott’s upcoming film adaptation of the literary classic ‘Treasure Island’. Jackman will portray the legendary pirate character, with reports identifying his role as Long John Silver.

In an interview with Variety, Jackman revealed that the screenplay written by Jack Thorne was the primary reason he accepted the role. Despite the story's massive cultural impact, Jackman admitted he had never read Robert Louis Stevenson’s original 1883 novel nor seen previous film adaptations. He noted that while he was familiar with certain tropes like treasure maps and parrots, he did not realize how foundational the story was to the adventure genre until reading the script.

Jackman expressed that the script’s unpredictable direction and satisfying conclusion were particularly compelling. The cast also includes Hollywood actor Hugh Grant and newcomer Owen Cooper. The film follows the story of Jim Hawkins and his perilous journey to find buried treasure.