Fox Chases Russell Crowe For Next Project

Posted Friday, January 18, 2002 at 10:16 PM Central

by Heather Koehler

After a year of negotiating, it looks like a green light for 20th Century Fox and Russell Crowe. The mega-star is set to sign on the dotted line for ‘Master And Commander,’ the studio’s next movie.

Russell is set to play Royal Navy Captain Jack Aubrey. The Captain gets his first assignment taking a British ship to battle. Fox wants to shoot the movie at Fox Studio Baja, the Mexico studio that houses the huge water tank where Titanic was filmed

No absolute word on when the project will begin, although Fox is hoping immediately. But Russell’s schedule is packed. He is also starring in Cinderella Man, the story of heavyweight champ Jim Braddock. The studios may switch, putting ‘Master’ first and waiting for the boxing story.