I've been wondering about this one for a while, such an obvious choice and Hollywood finally agreed. Yes, from my post header you can see that the Broadway musical hit, Into the Woods, is going to get a movie treatment. Yes, there is a DVD of the Broadway performance, but that's not nearly the same is it?
From 'Chicago' Director Rob Marshall Tackles Fairy Tales with 'Into the Woods' at Hollywood.com:
The man behind the Academy Award-winning Chicago and minor dud Nine has signed on to shepherd a feature version of Stephen Sondheim's classic Broadway show Into the Woods for his Pirates family, Disney. Marshall began cooking the idea up a year ago when he was working with mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer on On Stranger Tides and the adaptation couldn't make more sense in the current landscape. After Tim Burton's blockbuster Alice in Wonderland, fairy tales are all the craze, with ABC's Once Upon a Time and NBC's Grimm bringing in solid ratings and Snow White and the Huntsman, OZ: The Great and Powerful and Maleficent all prepping for release in the next two years. Into the Woods, which melds a series of fairy tale characters and stories, including Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Cinederella, is a perfect fit.
It's unclear if Into the Woods will be Marshall's next project—he's currently working on a remake of The Thin Man with Johnny Depp, plus a possible fifth entry in the Pirates saga—but without he pressure of the current fad, we may see the musical sooner than later.
And what? Thin Man? Oh noes! I love Thin Man. I adore Thin Man. I am very worried about The Thin Man now. William Powell and Myrna Loy cannot be replicated. We own and watch the box set regularly.
But that isn't pertinent to SurLaLune, is it? Now is your chance to think up your dream cast for a film version of Into the Woods. Who would you want to play who? Of course, we would love to see Bernadette Peters reprise along with some others. I enjoyed Vanessa Williams when I saw her in Los Angeles. But I am not really attached to any current stars. What about you?
I wonder if they'll keep the Wolf and Prince Charming as the same person (like in the play) or if they'll cast two different actors to play them.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Bernadette reprise her role. No one else can do it like she can in my opinion. Everyone else though, I could see them casting from that hybrid-actor pool we have now of very good film actors who have singing experience and are vocally trained. Hugh Jackman as Prince Charming anyone? :) I wonder if Jamie Bell can sing (I know he dances)--he'd make a good Jack. Definitely no voice dubbing in this film--all the actors need to actually sing their roles, otherwise what's the point. This is SUPER exciting though, I just hope it's executed well and Sondheim is involved in the production elements (the vocal recordings at least, and any composition adaption that is needed to translate to film).
ReplyDeletewow i am excited but the stage version with Bernadette Peters et al is such a love of mine and a strong childhood memory, I don't see how a movie could ever be as good!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw Bernadette Peters in Into the Woods when I was a kid, as a birthday present, and she was amazing, and I just saw her in Follies, and she has not aged one little bit.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of remaking The Thin Man is an abomination in the sight of all gods ever worshipped. It would feature 100% more explosions and gunshots and 100% less witty banter. Not Acceptable. There is no need to remake something that is perfect as it is.