Canadian actor Hayden Christensen's career-making turn in the next "Star Wars" film hasn't even opened yet, but he's already cutting deals like an established star.

The Zap2it.com site reports New Line Cinema has inked Chistensen to a two-year, first-look production deal. The actor's highest-profile released film was last fall's "Life As A House."

"(Hayden's) performance (in 'Life') blew me away," New Line production president Toby Emmerich told Variety.

"By having a deal, my gut is that some really great things are going to come out of it."

The deal with New Line is technically with Forest Park Pictures, the production company Christensen operates with his brother, Tove, who is also a Toronto native, but has been living in Los Angeles for six years, working on his own film career.

Hayden's "Star Wars" role "made things a lot easier and a lot more complicated" for Forest Park, Tove said.

"We're interested in developing character-driven material. We want to make movies that are more than a reason to go to the theatre and eat popcorn."


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