Aaron Sorkin vanishes from upcoming Houdini musical, tricks up sleeve remain

Aaron Sorkin -- Oscar winner and probably the only screenwriter you can name off the top of your head -- was originally supposed to pen the book for the musical about America’s most famous magician, the famous escape artist Harry Houdini.

This would have been Sorkin’s return to the stage (he wrote A Few Good Men as a stage play before turning it into a screenplay) and he is reportedly very sorry to be backing out of the project, but says he has to leave due to an extremely busy TV and film schedule.

The producers of Houdini were also sorry to see him go, but the musical still has another trick (or er star) up its sleeve.

Oscar nominee and Les Mis star Hugh Jackman is reportedly very excited to take the stage as a magician he says he has admired since childhood. Although fellow magic fans should be warned, this isn’t a traditional take on the life of Houdini but rather a story of the magician battling three female “Spiritualists” who convince millions of people that they can communicate with the dead.

We’re definitely curious to see how that all comes together, although it would have been even more interesting to see the performers trying to do that Sorkin walk and talk on a stage.