Taylor Lautner to stretch his acting muscles with another toy movie

Back in December it was announced that Twilight and New Moon actor Taylor Lautner would be taking on the role of Max Steel in a film based on the Mattel action figure, and now Variety reports that Lautner has signed on to play Stretch Armstrong (a toy version of Mr. Fantastic from Fantastic Four).

He certainly has a good agent. Not only is he lining up quite a few big roles, he is also the highest paid teenage actor, getting around $7 million per film, although I’m not really sure why. Yes, New Moon did well at the box office, but that wasn’t because of Lautner. He wasn’t even the lead. Studios are throwing projects his way based on the current buzz surrounding him, despite the fact he has yet to prove he can carry a movie.

Another risk for the studios lining him up for these big tentpole action films is that his fan base is 98% female. If Max Steel and Stretch Armstrong are going to be successful he’ll need to develop a male following (well not a following necessarily, but he needs to win over the male demographic who currently aren’t interesting in any of his movies), and it won’t be as simple as just showing off ones stomach muscles.

Stretch Armstrong is set for a March 2012 release, and it will be in 3D.