Taylor Lautner Books A Trip To ‘Cancun’

Taylor Lautner got his start in the world of martial arts long before finding fame as a werewolf in the Twilight Saga and now the 17-year-old will get to display his combat skills in the action movie Cancun.

The film, produced by New Moon studio Summit Entertainment in conjunction with Lautner’s production company, Tailor Made, is being described as Taken meets Die Hard. Tailor Made was formed by the actor and his dad, Dan Lautner, with Temple Hill partners Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen. Taylor’s dad is also in discussion to produce the movie with Temple Hill’s Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen.

Lautner is a fan of 2008’s Taken starring Liam Neeson, and wanted to make a similar film. And the project provides Lautner the opportunity to display his skills in extreme martial arts. “We wanted to continue working with Taylor and feel he’s got the chops to become a big action star,” Godfrey said, adding that he expects the film to go into production by June 2010. Still, Cancun isn’t likely to be a hard-edged, R-rated action film. Given the tropical setting and Lautner’s current fan base, it’s a safer bet that Cancun will be a lighter fight flick.

Cancun is about a teen whose injury prevents him from becoming an elite soldier. Rather than pursuing that line of work, he goes to college, meets a girl and goes on spring break in Cancun. While there, his friends are kidnapped and held for ransom in exchange for the release of a drug cartel leader who’s about to be extradited. Lautner’s character uses his martial arts training to save them.

Next up for Lautner is the release of Valentine’s Day in February and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in June. He will most likely shoot the final film in The Twilight” saga, “Breaking Dawn later in 2010. Lautner is also reportedly considering a superhero role in a film based on a comic book called Max Steel.