Urinetown Movie ???

yes. currently this project is on hold after attempts to find a director because of other developement projects the araca group has got on their plate right now. :)

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The latest "official" word was this:

http://www.moviemusicals.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=96

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Not to bump this without any solid information, but filmtracker has had information updated on August 28th. I can't say for sure what has been added, but it currently lists Mark and Greg as adapting the screenplay, with Tommy O'Haver ("Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss") mentioned as director. Again, nothing more substantial, but it's kind of nice to know this is still being kicked around.

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Jeff would be great, but the trouble with Urinetown is that it's not a concept that "sells itself" on film, and so you'd need a very specific type of star power for this movie, especially in large roles. I'm not talking the "OMG WHO'S HOT TODAY" type that informs casting of some films (hello Hairspray). It's more along the lines of the Judd Apatow films, such as Walk Hard.

Walk Hard gave us maybe one A-list performer, and a few B-list performers, but EVERYONE in the movie was recognizable, whether from today or yesterday.

I got your cast right here...his name is Paul Revere.

Neil Patrick Harris as Bobby Strong
Amy Adams as Hope Cladwell
Richard Gere as Cladwell B. Cladwell
Patti LuPone as Penelope Pennywise
Will Arnett as Officer Lockstock
Sarah Silverman as Little Sally
Ed Helms as Officer Barrell
Fred Armisen as Hot Blades Harry
Kristen Wiig as Becky Two-Shoes

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The entire cast of SNL can have the ensemble roles...except Keenan Thompson, who cannot act to save his life.

Officer Lockstock: Kevin Kline
Officer Barrell: Danny DeVito
Caldwell B. Cladwell: Ian McKellan
Little Sally: Dakota Fanning
Bobby Strong: Jake Gyllenhaal
Hope Cladwell: Amy Adams
Miss Pennywise: Glenn Close
Hot Blades Harry: Robin Williams

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I like the idea o Neil Patrick harris as Bobby

I just love some of these casting ideas, especially Neil Patrick Harris as Bobby, Glenn Close as Miss Pennywise, and Richard Gere as Caldwell B. Cladwell.

Here are a few of mine:
Bobby Strong: NPH
Hope Cladwell: Scarlett Johansson
Caldwell B. Cladwell: John Travolta/Alec Baldwin
Little Sally: Abigail Breslin (Who will probably be 33 when the movie is made.)
Officer Lockstock: Jeff McCarthy! He's not just Broadway, he was also the voice of the "Hello My Baby" singing frog on the WB network.
Officer Barrel: Jack Black
Miss Pennywise: Glenn Close/Susan Boyle (Oh just give her a chance already)
Old Man Strong: Robin Williams
Villagers waiting in line to pee (great ensemble number):
Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Ozzy Osbourne, Courtney Love, Amy Winehouse (no make up or costuming necessary)

I always thought Urinetown would make a good stop-motion movie, a sort of Rankin & Bass special-esque thing, with Lockstock filling the role of the celebrity narrator character (a la Burl Ives, Fred Astaire, Jimmy Durante, etc).

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I have no idea if he can sing, but doesn't Patrick Warburton have the perfect speaking voice and acting style for Lockstock?

That said, URINETOWN is an AWFUL idea for a movie.

URINETOWN would most definitely work on film. You need to stop thinking about the stage PRODUCTION and think just the script. The DIRECTION and CHOREOGRAPHY is what makes you think it can't work on film, or at least that's the initial way I felt. But the bare bones script will translate brilliantly. You just need to adapt it to the new medium. The direction of the film should have, in my opinion, the spirit of the stage production but certainly adjust to alter for film.

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I think you'd have to abandon all the "inside musical theatre" jokes and references, and replace them with movie references.