'Wanted' producer inks Universal deal

Wanted producer Marc Platt has signed a five-year deal with studio Universal, says Variety.

Platt's priority will be to steer a sequel to this month's action hit Wanted with director Timur Bekmambetov and writers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.

Platt also has a remake of Jesus Christ Superstar lined up and is in the early development stages on a big screen version of Wicked, a musical co-financed by Universal with songs by Stephen Schwartz.

The latter, a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz, has been a lucrative money-spinner for the studio, having grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Universal's production president Donna Langley praised Platt's commercial instincts and vowed to press on with a Wicked adaptation.

She said: "Our goal now is absolutely to make the Wicked film, but much like Judy Craymer wouldn't give up screen rights to Mamma Mia! until the stage show had reached its pinnacle, Marc and Stephen Schwartz are very mindful of the right timing. But we're dying to do it."