Hairspray director to climb Rock of Ages
Hairspray director to bring Rock of Ages to screen
Also In The News
|
By Adam Leveridge
Jenson Button drove the race of his life at Interlagos yesterday to clinch the 2009 drivers' world championship with one race to spare and he said that the title was unexpected. |  |
Tuesday, 20, Oct 2009 08:43
By Lewis Bazley.
A musical described as "Mamma Mia! for dudes" is to be adapted for the big screen by the director of Hairspray.
Adam Shankman, who helmed the film version of stage hit Hairspray, will direct and choreograph a movie of the Tony-nominated Rock of Ages for New Line Cinema, with a 2011 release planned.
Created by Chris D'Arienzo, Rock of Ages tells the story of a couple who meet and fall in love at the titular rock music club on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles but see their relationship put to the test by the rigours of rock 'n' roll.
Having started its own run in a Hollywood rock club, Rock of Ages grew in popularity with an off-Broadway run and has received five Tony nominations since its move to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
Shankman will direct the film version with a script by D'Arienzo and Carl Levin, Matt Weaver, Scott Prisand, Tobey Maguire and Jennifer Gibgot producing.
"I had the best time of my life making Hairspray and badly wanted another musical, and when I watched Rock of Ages, I was struck by the fact that not only had much of the audience seen it more than once, every guy in the audience knew the words to the songs," Shankman told Variety.
"I thought, 'this is Mamma Mia! for dudes'. What an extraordinary opportunity to open the genre to an audience that otherwise wouldn't go see a musical."
Production on the 80s rock anthem musical will begin next summer.