Hugh Jackman 'Beyond Excited' to Start to Work on 'Greatest' Musical Les Miserables

Tony winner Hugh Jackman doesn’t have any plans to stop singing once the run of his smash hit solo show, Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway, concludes its limited run early next year. In February 2012 Jackman is scheduled to start filming the long-awaited movie adaptation of the Tony-winning musical Les Miserables.

“I’m beyond excited,” Jackman, who will play former prisoner Jean Valjean, recently told Broadway.com. “Les Miserables is one of the greatest musicals ever written and the part of Jean Valjean is extraordinary. It’s a dream to be in it.”

Despite his Broadway pedigree and strong box office track record, landing the job was not necessarily a guarantee for the triple-threat Aussie. “I chased it hard,” Jackman said, “and I’m thrilled to have gotten it, so I’m going to give it my best shot.”

Jackman will headline the film alongside Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine and Tony winner Eddie Redmayne as Marius. Directed by Oscar winner Tom Hooper, Les Miserables is scheduled to hit theaters on December 7, 2012.