Baz Luhrmann: you just got rid of Hollywood’s bad boy, Russell Crowe, for your next film. Who are you going to replace him with?

How about Hollywood’s current golden child; an actor noted for playing a bad boy on the screen, but being one hell of a nice guy behind the scenes?

According to Hollywood Reporter, X-Men star Hugh Jackman has been named the latest successor to the vacancy left in Luhrmann’s next film when Russel Crowe was removed from the production recently. Luhrmann told the press: "He just continues to astound in terms of his range, whether it's 'Boy From Oz' or Wolverine. He's always been a leading man, but he is moving toward being an iconic leading man, which is perfect for the story we're doing.”

The currently unnamed project will place Jackman opposite Nicole Kidman as a cattle driver who gives aid to Kidman’s aristocratic character as they attempt to drive cattle in an effort to save her newly inherited Australian ranch. The couple will face all the plights Billy Crystal suffered in City Slickers plus the bombing of Darwin, Australia by the Japanese. Does this thing have Oscar written all over it or what? Cows! Explosions! Accents! Love!

The Hollywood Reporter article continues the ambiguity about Crowe’s departure, announcing at first that Crowe left, but later stating he was dropped by the studio. Heath Ledger was initially rumored to take over the leading role, but yesterday the announcement came that Ledger was refusing to take the role. Luhrmann says Ledger is still a possibility for the film however, with a role for the film’s third lead still available. Luhrmann also stated he plans to work with Crowe again in the future, removing his name from the possible reasons Crowe is no longer attached to the project.

The Jackman/Kidman film will begin shooting in February, with an undetermined release date.