In fact, rather than say it myself and risk you not believing me, I’m going to just quote the results of a recent interview Woo did with Cinema Blend. Dig the word:
Yeah, a musical, yeah! I have a script for a musical for 12 years that I paid for with my own money. I still want to make a musical. It’s an original, not from any well-known existing musical. It’s an action musical. (laughs) It’s true! We have a very good script, I wanted to make it, but it’s hard to interest studios to make a musical right now. It’s in English. I love All That Jazz, Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story. I miss musicals.
A John Woo musical. Now, while that might be fun, especially if it were something like Hard Boiled-The Musical (especially if he does the double handgun thing that is his hallmark, along with the slow motion dove release), I’m terrified that some day I might well wake up and find Paint Your Wagon, directed by John Woo, on my list of things to watch.
I just got goosebumps. And they’re not the fun kind, either.
And I don’t mean A Terminator, either. I mean the whole shooting match. Lock, stock, boxtop and rights. You too can own the rights to a pretty successful franchise that usually costs plenty to exploit, though it usually makes its money back.
Interestingly, though, Joss Whedon actually made an offer for the Terminator rights, but it was significantly less than the current owners wanted: a whopping ten grand.
He even had some pretty sweet ideas, including branching out into porn (cue that wa-wa pedal guitar!) and even doing a musical. He thought twice about the musical, but I say it could work. I’ve actually got part of the opening song already written and would be happy to contribute for the low, low cost of ten percent of the grosses. You’re welcome, in advance.
But seriously, this is a move that might actually end well, assuming the right people get a hold of the rights. I doubt they’ll get the twenty five million they want for them, though.
After the low-rent cinematic flop that was Bruno, you’d think that Sacha Baron Cohen would go away and lick his wounds for a while, because even he’d have to be thinking there’s just no way to get that whole Borat thing back up and running. Everyone sees it coming now; how can he pull off a joke without stacking the deck like he did in Bruno?
The current rumor is, however, that he’s already planning another try by bringing us a “Eurovision-style pop star”. For those of you not currently living in Europe, Eurovision is similar to American Idol, except across more countries where entire countries submit a song which is then voted on by the populace of Europe. It can, naturally, get bizarre–for instance, Lordi opened the 2007 installment. Lordi is essentially the live-action equivalent of Dethklok, except Lordi’s from Finland and came first.
So for Cohen to be portraying one of these acts could, admittedly, get interesting. And for Cohen to pass himself off as a third-tier D-list pop star from Europe may not be quite as hard as a pathologically homosexual fashionista from Germany. But will this be just more of the same? We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know.
“Forever Plaid,” one of Off-Broadway’s most popular and applauded musicals, is making its first appearance on the big screen in the Forever Plaid 20th Anniversary Special event on Thursday, July 9th. Some members from the original “Forever Plaid” cast will present the event LIVE from the red carpet at Los Angeles’ Club Nokia to viewers in movie theaters across the country, followed by a specially-taped 20th Anniversary performance of “Forever Plaid.” Don’t miss the first-ever LIVE, coast-to-coast in-theater sing-a-long with “The Plaids.”
Tickets for the Forever Plaid 20th Anniversary Special on July 9th at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. MT and 8 p.m. PT (tape delay) are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For those unfimiliar, “Forever Plaid” focuses on the four members of a fictional 1950s close-harmony group who were killed just before their big break. Miraculously, the four dead singers are given a second chance to perform their cabaret act almost 50 years after their deaths, putting on the show they never had the chance to perform in life.
Kenny Ortega, who made his fame directing each High School Musical for Disney, has reached an agreement with Chace Crawford of “Gossip Girl” to star in his Paramount Pictures’ remake of Footloose.
With Crawford on board to sing and dance, Kenny Ortega is set to direct the more mature and edgy version of the original 1980’s Footloose.
Variety reported that the project was put on hold when Zac Efron, who originally was to star in the remake, bowed out from making another musical so soon after High School Musical 3. Efron decided to instead sign on and star in The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.
Crawford is a handsome young man, whom I am sure is musically talented as well. He definitely has that sparkle similar to Efron. Another interesting point in casting Crawford is that “Gossip Girl” draws a more mature audience, which will benefit the remake of Footloose.
Filming is schedule to begin in March, not all too soon.
Fame’s first trailer is on the Internet and I just love this young woman who performs the song. Several unknowns are in this remake with Debbie Allen returning. Kelsey Grammar is also starring in the musical. The movie opens in September, so we will be hearing more about Fame in the months to come.
Mamma Mia! Giveaway Winners: Peggy Gorman (386) is the first place winner and Amy Delong (366) is the second place winner. Congratulations.
Unleash your inner “Dancing Queen” just in time for the New Year! The record-breaking Mamma Mia! The Movie has hit the DVD shelves and Screenhead is co-sponsoring a giveaway, which includes a first and second prize.
Mamma Mia! is such a fun film to watch and sing along with the ABBA songs. My favorite is toward the end of the movie where Meryl Streep sings “The Winner Takes It All.” The whole set up is an actor’s dream – she sings with the Mediterranean Sea behind her on a cliff – astounding award winning scene. You got to see it to appreciate it. Streep is magnificent.
Here’s some more info on the DVD features:
- Join in the fun with the sing-along bonus feature! On-screen lyrics for
22 musical numbers
- Includes all-new musical number, “The Name of the Game”
- Deleted scenes and Outtakes
- Featurettes that give an in-depth look at the making of Mamma Mia! The Movie.
- 2-Disc Special Edition available for a Limited Time Only with digital copy
Check out the Mamma Mia! Conga Line website for more information and fun stuff here.
The giveaway prizes: First Prize: Mamma Mia! DVD and Poster and Second Prize: Mama Mia! DVD
Screenhead got their hands on this coupon code for the Mamma Mia! DVD. The coupon code lets you get $3 off – click here to redeem the coupon.
Hugh Jackman has bowed out of Steven Soderbergh’s Cleo, a 3-D live action musical due to schedule conflicts. Jackman will be hosting the Oscars this February, and then his X-Men Origins: Wolverine sequel will be in the movie theaters.
Soderbergh is also negotiating with Catherine Zeta-Jones to play Cleopatra while Ray Winstone might play Julius Caesar.
According to Variety, Soderbergh has said he wants to inject the famous historical love story with rock n’ roll songs and a style akin to an Elvis musical. The music was written by the indie rock band Guided by Voices, and the script is by the group’s former bass player, James Greer, who is also an author.
Unleash your inner “Dancing Queen” just in time for the New Year! The record-breaking Mamma Mia! The Movie has hit the DVD shelves and Screenhead is co-sponsoring a giveaway, which includes a first and second prize.
Mamma Mia! is such a fun film to watch and sing along with the ABBA songs. My favorite is toward the end of the movie where Meryl Streep sings “The Winner Takes It All.” The whole set up is an actor’s dream – she sings with the Mediterranean Sea behind her on a cliff – astounding award winning scene. You got to see it to appreciate it. Streep is magnificent.
Here’s some more info on the DVD features:
- Join in the fun with the sing-along bonus feature! On-screen lyrics for
22 musical numbers
- Includes all-new musical number, “The Name of the Game”
- Deleted scenes and Outtakes
- Featurettes that give an in-depth look at the making of Mamma Mia! The Movie.
- 2-Disc Special Edition available for a Limited Time Only with digital copy
Check out the Mamma Mia! Conga Line website for more information and fun stuff here.
The giveaway prizes: First Prize: Mamma Mia! DVD and Poster and Second Prize: Mama Mia! DVD
Post your name and Screenhead will pick the winner Friday January, 9, 2009.
Screenhead got their hands on this coupon code for the Mamma Mia! DVD which will let people get $3 off starting December 26th — chick here on or after the December 26th to redeem the coupon.
I just got my review copy of Mamma Mia! I am so excited. This DVD is selling like fish and chips over in the U.K. A total of 3.1 million copies to date have been snatched off the shelves. Now, the United States will have the same opportunity December 16, 2008. Take a look at a behind-the-scenes clip of Mamma Mia!
No, seriously, you won’t.
And I don’t mean 
After the low-rent cinematic flop that was Bruno, you’d think that Sacha Baron Cohen would go away and lick his wounds for a while, because even he’d have to be thinking there’s just no way to get that whole Borat thing back up and running. Everyone sees it coming now; how can he pull off a joke without stacking the deck like he did in Bruno?
Hugh Jackman has bowed out of Steven Soderbergh’s Cleo, a 3-D live action musical due to schedule conflicts. Jackman will be hosting the Oscars this February, and then his X-Men Origins: Wolverine sequel will be in the movie theaters.