Steven Seagal Wants His Oscar

With Steven Seagal’s “Marked for Death” riding high at the box office--it grossed nearly $12 million in its first four days of release--the tough-guy star is at work on his native turf, Brooklyn, where he’s just started shooting his next film.

It’s called “The Price of Our Blood” and Seagal tells us: “I’m finally doing a picture I’m excited about.”

The actor and martial artist calls it “a wonderful character piece that’s about friendship--two guys who grew up together who find themselves on different sides of the law, and then have to react to a personal tragedy.”

Directed by John Flynn, and co-produced by Arnold Kopelson and Seagal for Warner Bros., “The Price of Our Blood” is from a script by Lance Hill.

Or at least it was .

“I’ve completely rewritten it,” declares Seagal unabashedly. “I’m sure Lance Hill is a nice guy, but I’m also sure he’s never been to Brooklyn. I’ve made the movie feel more real--and I’ve emphasized the friendship, and the idea that these two guys who grew up together are suddenly working against each other.”

Known for his less-than-subtle action roles, Seagal adds that “The Price of Our Blood” “is my attempt at an Academy Award.”

Seriously?

“In this film, audiences are going to see a performance they aren’t expecting,” he insists. “Yeah, I could deliver an Academy Award performance. But I’m not kidding myself. Because I’m Steven Seagal, I will never get an Academy Award.

“This industry has already made its mind up about me.”