Jackman aspires to be new 'Fred Astaire'

Hugh Jackman has announced a lucrative film deal with Walt Disney studios that could make him the Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly of the new millennium.

The multi-movie deal will create musical films for Jackman to star in.

He will also take a producing role in the projects, which could include remakes of some Hollywood musical classics.

"As an art form, the musical is Mt Everest," Jackman told Hollywood trade magazine Variety.

"Tough to pull off, but exhilarating and timeless when it works. And when it is done badly, it stinks to high heaven."

The deal was hatched after Disney executives Dick Cook and Nina Jacobson saw Jackman in his Tony Award-winning role as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz.