Its official Sunset Blvd The Movie

[Stanton3]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 4:15pm

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/glenn-closes-sunset-boulevard-movie-musical-finds-director-1191627?fbclid=IwAR35L5MV47cYkWd-NJV0VoCuS2FDowDLYfSr0A6wtZ6PdqjLUANBXty1Ee8

 

Click this is from the Hollywood Reporter 

 

Tony-winning choreographer Rob Ashford will make his feature helming debut with Paramount's adaptation of the Broadway musical that in turn was taken from the 1950 silver screen classic.

Tony-winning choreographer Rob Ashford is attached to direct Paramount’s big-screen take of Broadway’s musical adaptation of the screen classic Sunset Boulevard, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Glenn Close, the seven-time Oscar nominee, will star in the production, reprising the role she played to great acclaim on Broadway twice before.

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is among the producers of the project, adapted from the 1950 black-and-white classic that starred Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, a faded and deluded silent-screen star who ensnares a down-on-his-luck screenwriter (William Holden) into her fantasy of making a comeback. A byzantine love story ensues that ends, ultimately, in tragedy.

lose is playing Desmond, a role she portrayed when the musical hit Broadway in 1994, winning her third Tony Award; she reprised the part to great acclaim in a 2016 revival that played both London and New York. The musical features a score by Lloyd Webber, with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The original production won seven Tonys in all, including best musical, book and original score.

Paramount had no comment.

A fall start is being eyed. Close had been loosely attached to the project since last year, but pieces were not coalescing until a director was found.

Ashford won a Tony for best choreography for 2002’s Thoroughly Modern Millie and earned nominations for the musicals The Wedding Singer, Curtains, Cry-Baby, Promises, Promises and Evita. He also earned best director and best choreography nominations for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which starred Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette.

Ashford worked as a choreographer on several Academy Awards shows and gained notices for his stage direction and choreography for the live television presentation of The Sound of Music and Peter Pan Live!

Ashford is currently represented on Broadway as choreographer of Disney's "Frozen" 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 4:51pm

Patti LuPone has already lit the Black Flame Candle, ensuring this will never happen.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 4:59pm

Paramount has no comment because this is nonsense.

Also, Glenn Close would never allow a newbie film director to helm this. This has been a passion project for her for 2 decades. She’s smart enough to connect established names on this project, not someone learning on the job on HER project.

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 6:25pm

If Ms Close is doing this, why not Ms Streisand--a much better sell [and voice].

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 6:32pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Also, Glenn Close would never allow a newbie film director to helm this. This has been a passion project for her for 2 decades. She’s smart enough to connect established names on this project, not someone learning on the job on HER project."
 

Maybe established directors all said no? Maybe she met Rob Ashford and got a good feeling from him? This property has had a lot of "hands" on it over the years, and it takes balls to remake Billy Wilder. Glenn Close has had multiple passion projects that took a decade + to make and they haven't had major directors (Albert Nobbs/Rodrigo Garcia, The Wife/Björn Runge), and the sequel to one of her biggest hits (101 Dalmations) was directed by someone who had never done live-action. Ashford will also have an experienced DP, editor, designers, and other personnel surrounding him, and a first-time director ain't gonna have final cut.

With all due respect to one of our finest living actresses, she might be able to get a prestige film financed, but she doesn't run the show. The financial optics are MUCH different than Leo DiCaprio or Scarlett Johansson or Tom Hanks. Look at her recent box office track record: she peaked 20 years ago (not counting Guardians of the Galaxy and her TV series Damages).

Her dedication to this project is admirable, and sort of meta considering the plot of the show. But I really do hope it happens, and I hope it's great...whether it makes $50 or $50 million!

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 6:39pm

SweetLips22 said: "If Ms Close is doing this, why not Ms Streisand--a much better sell [and voice]."

 

As much as I like Streisand, I would not pay to see her in this. For me, she just isn't right for the role. And iI think Close's vocals fit the character.

 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 6:54pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Paramount has no comment because this is nonsense.

Also, Glenn Close would never allow a newbie film director to helm this. This has been a passion project for her for 2 decades. She’s smart enough to connect established names on this project, not someone learning on the job on HER project. "

 

OR Maybe Rob Ashford has the best cinematic concept for the material. Look to Rob Marshall getting the CHICAGO gig as an example. Though I’ve never been a big fan of Ashfords work, it’s also worth pointing out he had some big successes in London directing some pretty major movie stars in non musical plays like ANNA CHRISTIE and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at The Donmar Warehouse. It’s not inconceivable to think Glenn Close would want to work with him. 

Updated On: 3/1/19 at 06:54 PM

[Impossible2]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 6:58pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Paramount has no comment because this is nonsense.

Also, Glenn Close would never allow a newbie film director to helm this. This has been a passion project for her for 2 decades. She’s smart enough to connect established names on this project, not someone learning on the job on HER project."

The delusion is real...

[Stanton3]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 8:25pm

In 1994 They should have filmed a stage performance and released that!  However they should cast all the people that played Joe and Norma.  The men can be in the "Lady's Paying" number and the women in the number "Eternal Youth is worth a little suffering"

 

[bk]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 9:32pm

As I've said elsewhere, anyone who believes this is, well, insert a word here.

Lloyd Webber has been doing this crap for YEARS - it all emanates from his publicity department and NONE of it is real or happening, which is why it says: "Paramount had no comment."  But people will be duped by this BS every time it happens.  I mean, Streisand got about six years of publicity out of her Gypsy BS, which was never going to happen.

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 3/1/19 at 9:38pm

uncaged------I agree, a little. My first hearing of the 2 main songs was via Barbra and ran around playing them to all who would listen.

I want those songs to blast off the roof not croaked with emotion.

Babs dressed in all that drag would mask who she is and let her reveal the Norma within.

I am all for an ancient recluse, now certainly approaching dementia, reliving her forgotten glory days, even with an ex husband as her servant--now THAT'S kinky[on his part].

I wish they would bring Ms Streisand in for a test---yer! like that's gonna happen !

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 10:36am

SweetLips22 said: "uncaged------I agree, a little. My first hearing of the 2 main songs was via Barbra and ran around playing them to all who would listen.

I want those songs to blast off the roof not croaked with emotion.

Babs dressed in all that drag would mask who she is and let her reveal the Norma within.

I am all for an ancient recluse, now certainly approaching dementia, reliving her forgotten glory days, even with an ex husband as her servant--now THAT'S kinky[on his part].

I wish they would bring Ms Streisand in for a test---yer! like that's gonna happen !"

 

I have to admit that I got really lost interest in Streisand as a film actress in serious films after The Prince of Tides, in which I thought she was terrible; and I have never recovered.  Essentially, I find that she is too 'stiff' in dramas.  The Prince of Tides is one of my favorite books ever, and I hated most everything about the movie, especially her performance (I saw too much acting and could not be made to believe that any psychiatrist would have inch-long nails), and direction.  The movie was a tragedy, but she spent too much time highlighting the beauty of coastal SC; a little was required, a lot was too much.

On the other hand, I have loved her in the most trivial comedic movies.  think her personality comes through loud and clear, and is so natural.  I even loved her in Meet the Fockers and The Guilt Trip; she is just so damned good at comedy.

Since Sunset Blvd is a heavy drama, I just question whether she would be believable or appear to be acting too much.  Also, since she looks older than Close, I think it'd be even more of a challenge to make the role believable, unless they film her the same way they did Lucy in Mame, which got major lambasting when the movie was released (among other lambasting).

I also think that, if they are going to hire someone too old to play Norma, they should allow Close to star.  Even if she is not box office, she does have 7 Oscar nominations, and gave a legendary performance on stage.  She has also demonstrated, more than anyone I can think of, the ability to be both over-the-top and incredibly subtle in her acting.  

Now, I have to admit that I do have doubts because of her age, and have ofter wondered if Cate Blanchett of Kate Winslet could sing.  Would they give the role to Michelle Pfeiffer, who certainly once could sing terrifically.  Delay the role another few years and then it won't be quite so awful if they don't cast Close.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 10:56am

I am all for an ancient recluse, now certainly approaching dementia, reliving her forgotten glory days, even with an ex husband as her servant--now THAT'S kinky[on his part].

You ARE aware Norma Desmond is 50 years old in SUNSET BLVD.  Most actresses were within this age bracket when they played the role in the 1990s.   Even Glenn made note of her age discrepancy when asked recently on The View about this potential film adaptation.  

Updated On: 3/2/19 at 10:56 AM

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 11:01am

I am inclined to agree with BK. This a whole lot of excitement over nothing. RUG has been putting out similar stories about Webber projects for years, and few have come to fruition. I'm willing to bet October will come and go without a single frame of Sunset being committed to celluloid.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 11:05am

I absolutely agree with you.  While I do think that SB could make an excellent movie in the right hands (IMO it is LW's best score), I fell like we have been down this road soooooo many times.  I think they blew their chances not filming the past revival.

Updated On: 3/2/19 at 11:05 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 11:39am

Random thought, but Daniel Radcliffe as Joe???

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 11:52am

Call_me_jorge said: "Random thought, but Daniel Radcliffe as Joe???"

Norma Desmond had no children.   Opposite 60-ish year old Glenn Close, Radcliffe reads “teenager.”  

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 11:54am

How about Jake Gyllenhaal as Joe?

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 12:12pm

Jake Gyllenhaal could do it. I was also thinking Taron Egereton could do it as well.

Maybe Anthony Warlow as Max?

[Tag]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 12:41pm

Patrick Wilson.

[Niles Silvers]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 12:49pm

It's not the age issue, but I've never thought of Close as the Norma character.  Gloria Swanson had a certain vulnerability behind the outward fierceness, plus the vestiges of a great beauty.  While a handsome woman, Close resembles more of an old drag queen, something that might work on stage but not on film.  Someone mentioned Michelle Pfeiffer - pretty much perfect, maybe paired with an actor with rough trade edginess -Tom Hardy?  Now that's something I would like to see.  And of course, in the movies, you really don't have to worry about the voices - everything can be fixed.  

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 3:41pm

I am aware BrodyFosse123 that ND is supposed to be 50 but as the original was in black and white and very darkish in overall tone, she looked NO particular age. Like all male/female actors of that era they all looked, partly because of the formality of their clothes, much older.

So back to my words of aging/dementia. My Norma is struggling with it all, as well as delusion, and when someone like Joe[Jake would be wonderful] appears, her house becomes her own movie set and her girlish seduction of him is pure silent movie over acting.

I am surrounded by 'Normas' daily--must teach them some of those songs.

Even though Glen might look like an old drag queen as someone said above, if she is the one to do this then so be it.

[Stanton3]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 8:08pm

Anybody but Bradley Cooper

 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/2/19 at 8:20pm

Ugh.

Can’t we just have the original black and white film left in peace?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 3/3/19 at 10:37am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "

Ugh.

Can’t we just have the original black and white film left in peace?"

While I don't believe this movie will ever be made, least of all featuring Glenn Close, this remains one of the most juvenile responses to me.

Does a remake cause an original film to disappear in any way? No. Does a remake somehow take away meaning from the original? No. Does a remake cause people to forget the original or tarnish our view of that original film? No.

Is it possible that a remake will cause people to want to review the original or see it for the first time? Yes. Is it possible that a remake will rekindle interest in the original? Yes.

How does a remake of a film, in any way, disrupt the "peace" of the original? The only thing a remake could possibly do is point out to the general public that an original version does exist, and that it might be worth watching.