Lionsgate has emerged as the winner in the bidding war over the Taylor Lautner starring film “Abduction.” The company acquired rights to produce Shawn Christensen’s script for nearly $1 million.
Deadline reports that Lionsgate will have to find a director and a script polish by July in order to accommodate a shooting schedule for Lautner, otherwise the “Twilight” werewolf will have to be recast. The film will be yet another in a string of several films cashing in on the newfound fame of 18-year old Lautner, also lined up to star as the lead title characters of both “Stretch Armstrong” and “Max Steel” in addition to his usual Twilight gig. Lautner, currently the highest paid teenage actor in America, seems to be the only one, in contrast to his Twilight costars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, to be cashing in on his fame and taking big roles for big Hollywood pictures such as this one.
“Abduction” will feature Lautner as a teen who discovers his own picture on a missing persons website and then gets caught up in a Bourne-esque web of intrigue. Look out Matt Damon, you’ve got a tweenager looking to take over your territory.