Taylor Lautner has signed on to star in “Stretch Armstrong,” Universal’s movie based on the Hasbro toy.
The studio is also making the movie in 3D, which will push back the release date of the movie from May 15, 2011 to some time in 2012.
The story developed for the movie, being produced by Imagine and Hasbro, sees an uptight spy who stumbles across a stretching formula, which he takes and must now adjust to in everyday life and when fighting crime.
“In the past two years, Taylor has emerged as a real star at the global boxoffice. He brings the perfect balance of energy and athleticism to the role of an unlikely super hero with a fantastic super power,” said Universal co-chairman Donna Langley.
More so than Rob Pattinson, who seems content to work in indie movies, Taylor has emerged as the mainstream star from the “Twilight” movies, signing on to major tentpoles such as “Max Steel” or action vehicles such as “Cancun.” The actor, repped by WME and Management 360, has shown charisma and physical prowess on screen beyond the “Twilight” movies (a recent “Saturday Night Live” appearance is an example) and Lautner is being positioned to be this decade’s action star.
In a related move, Universal has also pushed back the release date of “Battleship,” its action movie based on the Hasbro naval game. The studio is introducing a sci-fi component to the movie adaptation, and the film project was “moved to give it the time and resources to thoroughly realize its huge-scale ambitions and position it for Memorial Day weekend in 2012,” according to the studio.
Taylor Lautner as Stretch Armstrong? Are you kidding? When's the last time you had your eyes checked? Lautner is too dark and to ethnic in appearance to give real credibility to the character - who is decidedly Nordic blonde in appearance and features. But who cares, Hollywood only wants Twilight mini-babes to fork over the dough. How many guys who actually played with the real toy will fork over $10 to watch this? I bet very few.
Posted by: tommyflorida | February 05, 2010 at 06:43 PM
That thing is SO ugly.
Posted by: Kyle | February 05, 2010 at 07:03 PM
Well, a good thing to take out of this is that they didn't go into the bodybuilding circus to get the next Ahhhh-nold. Looking at that toy that could have easily have happened.
Posted by: nintendo ds r4 | February 05, 2010 at 07:33 PM
wow this kid, he is a HORRIBLE actor, he agent needs a raise
Posted by: hello | February 05, 2010 at 07:42 PM
This is exactly what's wrong with Hollywood. Execs, if you want to make T-Shirts or Bumper Stickers, then go into that business because you obviously do not love movies. If you did, you wouldn't just pick whoever the newest teen star of the past year was.
Of course, you love your Excel sheets and paint-by-numbers formulas. I bet you don't even have a script yet. You just have an "idea" for a movie.
Whatever, I'm not even into "Stretch Armstrong." I was more of a Plastic-Man guy myself.
Posted by: Moboslomo | February 06, 2010 at 01:01 PM
All im going to say is that if i have to watch anybody's arms...i'd want to see his.....
Posted by: Jayme | February 06, 2010 at 08:45 PM
He's kind of an uggo.
Posted by: Missi | February 07, 2010 at 09:17 AM
This is why I turned my back on the film industry
Posted by: anon | February 07, 2010 at 11:41 AM
Hi Guy's,
you love your Excel sheets and paint-by-numbers formulas. I bet you don't even have a script yet. You just have an "idea" for a movie.
Posted by: 8gb usb flash drive | February 09, 2010 at 01:39 AM
i wonder what muscles look like when u stretch em. not cute probably but i like taylor lautner so its acceptable.
Posted by: philosophizer | February 10, 2010 at 02:17 PM
i am going to say is that if i have to watch anybody's arms...i'd want to see his.....
Posted by: usb flash drive | March 10, 2010 at 04:50 AM