SUBMITTED BY Wolvietattoo

October 25, 2007 —

Child actor Kodi Smit-McPhee has reportedly been cast as the young version of Logan (Hugh Jackman) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

The 11-year-old Aussie actor is currently grabbing headlines thanks to his critically-hailed performance in Richard Roxburgh's Romulus, My Father. In fact, Smit-McPhee will go up against Romulus co-star Eric Bana for the best actor prize at this year's Australian Film Institute awards.

Word of the purported casting comes via the SuperHeroHype.com website, which adds that Smit-McPhee will start filming his scenes at Fox Studios in December.

20th Century Fox has X-Men Origins: Wolverine set for a May 1, 2009 release.

The film follows Logan through his violent past and early relationships, while exploring his connection with Victor Creed and the mysterious Weapon X program. The story is also expected to feature his encounters with other mutants -- some we've seen in the earlier films and some that we haven't.

Liev Schreiber plays the villain in the movie, a younger version of the William Stryker character played by Brian Cox in X2.

- Don Arnold/WireImage.com

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Tsotsi helmer Gavin Hood is directing from a script by David Benioff.

Incidentally, we're sure that Smit-McPhee will make a fine mini-Jackman, but the kid is an absolute dead ringer for a young version of Scarecrow actor Cillian Murphy should one be needed by casting directors in the future.