First Photo: Hugh Jackman’s Ragged ‘Les Miserables’ Look

Hugh Jackman looks like he's ready to put the "miserable" in "Les Misérables."

After 25 years and over 10,000 performances, the Tony award winning musical "Les Misérables" is finally becoming a movie, and photographers in London snagged the first shots of Hugh Jackman in costume as the lead character, Jean Valjean.

It looks like Jackman is filming scenes for the beginning of the story, where Jean Valjean has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing bread. With his bushy beard, scarred, gaunt face, and tattered clothes, you'd barely know that the man best known as Wolverine was also playing Prisoner 24601.

While Jackman got his start in musicals and has performed on Broadway twice, this will be his first movie musical. Jackman tweeted last month that he was rehearsing with Claude-Michel Schönberg, the composer of the musical, who has written a new song for Jackman for the film. He also noted he was working with Colm Wilkinson, the actor originated the role of Valjean in London, who will also appear in the movie.

Jackman will be joined in the film by Russell Crowe, who will play Valjean's adversary, Inspector Javert. Reportedly, Crowe was the first choice to play Wolverine in the original "X-Men" movie, but he passed and the role went to the then-unknown Jackman.

Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen will also appear in the film that is being directed by Tom Hooper, who won an Oscar for "The King's Speech."

"Les Misérables" is scheduled to open on December 14.

[Photos: Hugh Jackman red carpet gallery]

Watch a much healthier looking Hugh Jackman learn to box in this behind-the-scenes video from "Real Steel":