Zac Efron launches production company

London: Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron has launched his own production company. The "High School Musical" star has partnered with his manager Jason Barret to form Ninjas Runnin` Wild Productions and employed Fox network executive Jason Young as head of development and Angie Edgar of Alchemy Production Group as his creative executive, contactmusic.com reports.

"We`re looking for stuff that is original, that doesn`t necessarily have a brand associated with it. You can make something truly brilliant now and it doesn`t have to be a remake," Efron said. Company executives have already lined up a series of projects with Efron in the starring roles. The planned ventures include: "Art of the Steal", about an unlikely geeky criminal mastermind; time travel story "Einstein Theory"; action adventure "Fire"; a remake of Swedish thriller "Snabba Cash", and an as-yet-untitled workplace comedy. Meanwhile, the 22-year-old actor has denied that he splurged $2,000 during a night out with a friend in a strip club in New York. Reports suggested that by the time the duo left in the early hours of Monday morning, Efron had spent thousands on the dancers. "I`m not really the type of guy that does that type of thing often...No, not at all. It was like $6. I don`t remember. I don`t think I opened my wallet. It was more of a celebratory thing," he said. IANS