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Eye popper <i>du jour</i>: John Singleton will be Taylor Lautner’s next director

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We reported in early March that John Singleton was the lead candidate to direct ‘Abduction,’ the Taylor Lautner movie from Lionsgate about a teenager who realizes his parents may not actually be his parents -- and then gets caught up in a web of government agents, espionage and other intrigue.

Now it’s official. The director of the iconic ‘Boyz n the Hood’ and producer on edgy urban movies such as ‘Hustle & Flow’ will be the man who next directs the teen pinup. Sources confirmed the hire; Lionsgate could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Lionsgate aims to shoot ‘Abduction’ this summer, ahead of Lautner’s fall responsibilities for ‘Breaking Dawn.’ Based on an original script from Shawn Christensen, the film has a thriller conceit, which is not necessarily what one thinks of when one thinks of John Singleton. But hey, directors need to work. And many filmmakers these days seem to be taking on some pretty unlikely material. If Stephen Daldry and Gus Van Sant could be considered for a ‘Twilight’ movie, anything is possible.

-- Steven Zeitchik

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