'The Social Network' Scribe Writing Broadway Musical For Hugh Jackman

Aaron Sorkin is writing the story for 'Houdini,' starring Jackman and featuring music by composer Danny Elfman.
By Josh Wigler

Aaron Sorkin
Photo: Steve Granitz/ WireImage

If you thought that writing a movie about Facebook was a bit of a stretch for acclaimed scribe Aaron Sorkin, just wait until you hear about his latest project.

Sorkin, the screenwriter responsible for "The Social Network," is currently writing the story for "Houdini," a developing Broadway musical starring "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" actor Hugh Jackman and with music by celebrated composer Danny Elfman. Elfman confirmed the news in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying that Sorkin is already hard at work on the stage adaptation of famed magician Harry Houdini's life.

"Right now, Aaron Sorkin is writing," said Elfman. "He's writing away, and we all have high hopes that Aaron's going to come through and do some good stuff."

Elfman revealed that development on "Houdini" has been going on for the past two years. The composer, best known for his work on film scores such as "Beetlejuice," "Spider-Man" and "Alice in Wonderland," said that the transition from scoring motion pictures to a Broadway musical hasn't been without its challenges.

"I'm just trying to go with it and learn," he said. "It's such a different process [from my film-scoring work]. For me, it's taking forever. But other people say, 'Oh, no, you've only been on that a couple of years, that's nothing!' "

There's even a chance that "Houdini" won't materialize onstage at all. "Hopefully [the show] will happen, but I know that there are so many things that need to still happen, and reasons why it may or may not. I just try to take an attitude of, 'If it happens, great, and if it doesn't, I'll have learned what it's like working on a Broadway musical,' " Elfman explained.

Although Elfman is a newcomer to the world of Broadway, both Sorkin and Jackman are seasoned veterans. Sorkin has written numerous plays including "A Few Good Men" and "The Farnsworth Invention," while Jackman famously played Australian songwriter and entertainer Peter Allen in "The Boy From Oz" from 2003 to 2004. Jackman's performance earned him a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical in 2004.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1651439/20101103/story.jhtml

Haylie Duff