Adam Shankman To Direct & Produce ‘Madame Rose’ Biopic For HBO Films

[Will42]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:04pm

EXCLUSIVE: Rose Hovick has been called the ultimate stage mother, immortalized in the classic musical Gypsy: A Musical Fable, based on the memoirs of one of Hovick’s two performing daughters, Gypsy Rose Lee. Now HBO Films is looking to tell Hovick’s true story beyond the musical fable with Madame Rose, a movie in development, which has Adam Shankman (Hairspray) set to direct and executive produce.

Written by Tristine Skyler, Madame Rose is based on the life story of Hovick, the indomitable mother of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee and actress June Havoc, who would do anything to advance her daughters’ career in show business. Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot are executive producing via their company Offspring Entertainment. The project is expected to draw top talent for the title role, which has been played in Gypsy‘s stage productions and movie and TV adaptations by such actresses as Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Rosalind Russell, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Betty Buckley and Bette Midler. Skyler, repped by CAA, Echo Lake Management and James S. Adams, wrote the horror thriller Innocence, slated for a summer 2014 release. Shankman and Gibgot, repped by UTA and Bloom Hergott, are currently in preproduction on New Line’s Mean Moms, eyeing a summer start.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/03/adam-shankman-to-direct-produce-madame-rose-biopic-for-hbo-films/

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:16pm

Cool, it's like Wicked but with Gypsy.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:16pm

Neato!

[Claudia Draper]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:55pm

BARBRA's is DOA. Yet another project she lost to her psychosis, very sad

[emo_geek]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 6:05pm

I must admit. I recently purchased (added?) a HBO subscription and I am LOVING it. I have been delighted by variety of content. I look forward to this addition.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 6:11pm

That's awesome! I recently just read American Rose by Karen Abbott and found myself completely in awe of the entire family.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 6:52pm

I love this idea! Really looking forward to it.

And if it does well, I would love to see them tackle the real-life Anna Leonowens (or Anna Owens). She was a fascinating piece of work herself, who invented and reinvented herself, first in her own life, then in her book.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 7:22pm

Besty, I would love that! I love Anna Loewens stories (because I love THE KING & I). Even if half of the things I have read about her are true, she'd make for a hell of a movie starring Kate Winslet.
I like the idea of this a lot, but I dislike Shankman's work so much. This one will depend on casting for me. There's so many directions they could go with this, especially since it doesn't involve singing: Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, etc, etc, etc.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 10:15pm

I was thinking Cate Blanchett, too. I wonder if they will include Rose's bisexuality (or at least hint at it).

EDIT: I love the idea of Cherry Jones! I have a feeling they will go for a big name for Rose, and probably for Louise/Gypsy as well.

Updated On: 3/18/14 at 10:15 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:50pm

Cherry Jones! That'd be a hell of a movie. I can't imagine HBO betting on that though, they like big movie stars to lead their TV movies/miniseries as you mentioned. Great, now I will never get that thought off my mind. Toni Colette is someone else I'd love to see in the role.
I really hope they go for a bold script that doesn't stick too closely to GYPSY. I hadn't even thought about casting ideas for Louise/Gypsy and June Havoc...was there a real life Herbie?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 12:01am

For some reason when I heard about this today, I immediately thought Kate Winslet would be a fantastic Rose.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 12:05am

Don't hold your breath, kiddies. Just add this one to the list of 2 other announced HBO films as-yet-to-go-into-production. Add this one to the Bryan Singer directed bio on Bob Fosse titled FOSSE and the Sigourney Weaver led bio of Gypsy Rose Lee and her relationship with her son Erik Lee Preminger titled: MY G-STRING MOTHER (aka GYPSY & ME). Both of these mentioned projects have been announced, confirmed, pressed and folded years ago and still floating in limbo.

[SweeneyLovett]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 12:05am

This is a terrific idea! I'm sure every actress in Hollywood is willing to kill for this part. Sure, I'd like for there to finally be legitimately good film adaptation of the musical, but this is a nice consolation prize.

I can't wait to see how this turns out.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 10:01am

What a choice role for Loretta Swit!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 10:14am

You mean that woman who's had her face pulled so much that she can lick the back of her neck?

[Brick]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 10:57am

BrodyFosse, wasn't the FOSSE filmed just announced with the release of the new bio last fall?

I do think it's unlikely they'd be developing two different films about Gypsy Rose Lee, though. Or rather, that both end up being made.

And you can add to the list the Mae West film for Bette Midler, written by Harvey Fierstein.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 3:27pm

If you omit Rose's lesbianim and the specuation that she was a murderess you're missing all the juicy stuff.

When did Shankman get out of re-hab?

Herbie was not a real person but there were a few men and of course the mysterious baby-daddies.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 4:30pm

Jordan, Kate Winslet was also the first person that popped into my head, and I think because she has ties to HBO from Mildred Pierce there is definitely a possibility of her doing it, if this does go into production.