I know that I’ve said that this isn’t a musicals blog, but considering how they are such an integral part of themovie-going experience, you really can’t get away from hearing about a new musical being greenlit for the big screen.
This time around, it’s Bye Bye Birdie that gets a nod, and Hollywood Reporter notes that the lucky director to get this project is Adam Shankman, likely because he did such a great job with Hairspray and his riding on the success of Bedtime Stories (worldwide gross of $98 million as of last night, and only on the 12th day of its run).
Of course, this being Hollywood, they can’t leave well enough alone:
Columbia has been developing an updated version for a number of years, with the logline at one point re-imagining the title character as a hip-hop star.
Ugh.
But you know what would be awesome in that ironic sort of way? If Justin Timberlake were to star in the Conrad Birdie role—because he actually does have acting chops.
And with the right screenwriter (which the project doesn’t have yet) the new Birdie could have just the right things to say about fleeting stardom and the slide into mediocrity.
That’s a movie I’d like to see.