Wanted 2 Already in the Works

Variety says that Universal Pictures has reupped Wanted producer Marc Platt for five years, keeping Marc Platt Productions on the lot through late 2012.

The deal comes as Platt begins work on Wanted 2 with director Timur Bekmambetov and writers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.

For Wanted 2, Platt acknowledged that the creative team is still working on the challenge of continuing the story after most of the principal characters ended the original in no position for an encore. But the film was designed as a potential franchise, Universal production president Donna Langley said. The intention is to get James McAvoy back.

"The writers are at work already, and those creative discussions are taking place," said Platt, who is producing once again with Jim Lemley.

That duo also is teamed with Bekmambetov on a Universal adaptation of the Christian Gossett sci-fi graphic novel The Red Star, which has a script draft by Matthew Sand.

Platt also just set up a remake of the 1973 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, and Platt and the studio are taking formative steps toward a screen adaptation of "Wicked," the stage musical that Universal co-finances and Platt produces with David Stone. Book writer Winnie Holzman will write the script.