Bill Condon to write and direct the movie musical DREAMGIRLS- Page 2

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 12:50pm

Why is it OK for male pop stars to be in the movie but not females?

How about Taye Diggs as C.C.? I initially thought Curtis, but I don't think he has the right intensity for that role...

Updated On: 1/11/05 at 12:50 PM

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 12:51pm

Beaver, I'd LOVE it if Billy did the film.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 12:58pm

URINETOWN isn't confirmed yet. Script issues.

Wow - I guess this is the first article to mention Conden is at helm. I thought this was already announced. He's been working on the script for two years already, since before CHICAGO I think.

[perfusion]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:03pm

I would love to see Billy Porter as Jimmy too, how could I forget him?
I don't mind female pop stars being in it just not Beyonce or Ashantee.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:27pm

YESssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!! This is the best news I've had all day (I've been having a lackluster one too) Let the speculation on who will play what roles begin again!! After all, we have been posting on our Dreamcasts for years and even on the old broadway.com boards.

Perfusion, I don't know why you say to keep Beyonce away from the role. I've said this before DEENA = BEYONCE & BEYONCE = DEENA.

Lemme show you my maf! DREAMGIRLS = STORY o' The Sumpremes...DIANA ROSS (lead singer of The Supremes) = DEENA JONES (lead singer of The Dreams)....Destiny's Child = The New Supremes....Therefore, BEYONCE = DEENA. So there lol. That makes sense, right?


So, lemme just post my Dreamcast (which hasn't changed much)


Deena = Beyonce Knowles (Even though I don't think she will take the role because of how she's percieved, she'd be a fool not to though)

Effie = Unknown (I used to say Jennifer Hudson, but you actually need someone who can really act as well as sing and I have no evidence that she can act yet. The studio can enhance the voice, but you really need more nuance to capture "Effie" on screen as opposed to just being able to belt to the heavens.

Lorell = Fantasia Barrino! I know a lot of people on here are not fans of hers, but she has a very distinctive voice. Lorrell needs that. Most of the Lorrell's I've heard have been able to belt really high, but the most memorable was Loretta. Yes, she originated the role but she also has a that shrill tone that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.


C.C. - Usher ( I know he won't take the role because it's too small for his ego, but he fits the role perfectly. He'd probably push to play Jimmy even though his voice is all wrong.

Jimmy/Curtis - Jamie Foxx would be an obvious choice to play Jimmy but I think he does better with less cartoonish roles (Colateral, Ray) So, I think that he should play Curtis instead. Plus his voice is smoother and fits Curtis more. If Jamie doesn't play Curtis, I vote for Norm Lewis. He's the best Curtis I've ever heard and this could be a really big breakout role for him.

They should definitly ask Loretta, Sheryl, and Jennifer to make cameos.


OKOK..I'm way too exited and I've written a lot, but I've gotta show as much excitement as the Renthead when the the talk of the Rent movie was going on.

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:40pm

Beav - she does seem a bit long-in-the-tooth for it. I would imagine the front-runner will be that American Idol girl who's been doing it around the country. Can't remember her name as I've never seen her.

[perfusion]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:43pm

TheTruth,darling I totally agree with you on all those choices,all but Beyonce,sorry darling.
I would love to see Sheryl(as Deena's mother in that one scene in Caddilac Car when she lets Deena go on the road ,what do you think?)Loretta & Jennifer in cameos.
I can't wait to see this movie, I've been waiting for this forever.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:46pm

I suppose this is good news, but I can't help but feel a bit ambivalent about it. In the last 20 years, I can remember at least a dozen announcements about a Dreamgirls film being on the horizon, being helmed by all sorts of directors and every R&B sensation to emerge in the past two decades (Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, most notably). So, assuming this is going to happen at some point, is Bill Condon really the best choice? Now, I know he's a fine screenwriter and I haven't seen Kinsey, yet, but nothing in the clips for it indicated to me that he has the kind of dynamic visual style that will be so crucial for this project.

I'm already getting flashbacks to when it was announced 20 years ago that Sir Richard Attenborough had been chosen to make the film of A Chorus Line -- like Condon, he was a hot, director just coming off of an Oscar-winning film (Gandhi) and looking for a follow-up project that would be completely different in style from his previous one...... an acclaimed historical biopic.
Yes, Condon wrote the script for "Chicago," but he didn't direct it and the stuff he has directed (Gods and Monsters, Kinsey) are small character studies, not dynamic, energetic films that employ fluid camerawork and a great visual flair. Perhaps he'll get a great DP and be fine, but I reserve judgment until I see the finished film.

Dreamgirls had the most cinematic staging of any show I've ever seen, where Bennett, Robin Wagner and Tharon Musser employed a whole filmmaker's bag of tricks -- jump cuts, fades, wipes, dissolves, even zooms (Effie's slowly closing pinspot in "I Am Changing") to achieve one of the most dazzling and breathlessly exciting, productions ever seen on the Broadway stage. There are 20 separate scenes in numerous locations (and even within a given location, Bennett did lightning fast cuts between action happenning on stage and backstage), spanning a seven year period -- a virtual movie on stage. The actual film has to somehow capture the dynamism and relentless pace of that or be doomed.

I wish Condon luck (I'm at least heartened that he saw the original production on stage, so he knows how daunting his task is) and hope he doesn't screw it up -- if ever a show cried out to be adapted to film, it was Dreamgirls and it has the potential to be a great one. But, film or no film, I'm much more interested in the status of the proposed Broadway revival of the show. Creative Battery (producers of Dame Edna and Elaine Stritch) was given the rights to do a revival nearly two years ago and so far -- Nothing. The Bennett estate needs to crack the whip and get this to happen in order to remind people (Condon and everyone else) of Bennett's and the show's genius and how inspiring a piece of theatre can be.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:58pm

Margo, I was curious as to who you think would've been a good choice instead of Condon? And also who you would cast in the movie? Thanx....You can pm me if you want.

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:00pm

Wonderful news indeed! And lets hope Condon has the heat to resist the inevitable insane Hollywood suggestions. Like Chicago, this movie has been talked about for every actress that seems even the least bit correct for the role: Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Oprah...I Shudder to recall.

My fear is that any actress who is "name" enough to be considered for Deena will not be satisfied playing that part. Everyone knows that Effie is THE part: She has all the best scenes, the best songs, and the audience loves her. Is Beyonce going to want to "Star" in this and then see an unknown perform "And I Am Telling You?" I think the only way to make this work is to cast four unknowns as The Dreams. Condon's comment about the Men being the box office names sees to be a great way to handle this. Male stars and female talents.

I can recall Whitney Houston discussing "Dreamgirls" as a posssible follow up to "The Bodyguard" because she was born to sing "And I Am Telling You". Those are the kinds of things that make me worry this could still be screwed up. Remember that "Little Shop of Horrors" had to come up with a happy ending to make it to the screen. Hollywood types might certainly insist that Effie needs to be pretty or that the star of the film sing the hit song. I am sure right now Julia Roberts agent is calling pitching her the perfect casting!

[Thetruth]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 12:48am

I don't think all the dreams should be unknowns. They need atleast one male star and one female star for this to work.

[sipos]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 1:01am

"jump cuts, fades, wipes, dissolves, even zooms (Effie's slowly closing pinspot in "I Am Changing") to achieve one of the most dazzling and breathlessly exciting, productions ever seen on the Broadway stage. There are 20 separate scenes in numerous locations (and even within a given location, Bennett did lightning fast cuts between action happenning on stage and backstage), spanning a seven year period -- a virtual movie on stage." -Margo

Friggin A. I regret not being in that audience more than any other show probably because I always heard about the staging. I'm more interested in a revival mounting too.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 1:14am

There's no doubt in my mind that Condon will consistently make wise decisions about this film. He could've pursued an adaptation of a less successful stage musical that most people would expect to be a rough transfer to the screen, but instead he's pursuing one that's a "cinematic" hit. That speaks for itself.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 5:24pm

I can't wait for this movie

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 5:44pm

Thank GOD this is back on track...
i'm not going to waste my time and speculate on who should play who
i think joel schumacher would have been a better choice of director, not so much because he directed "Phantom", but because he was directly involved with another movie about a black singing trio: "Sparkle" (1976).

[Thetruth]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 6:02pm

If that's the case, my vote would go to Robert Townsend (The Five Heartbeats)

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 7:04pm

Bill Condon has one thing that neither Schumacher nor Townsend has: The critical acclaim necessary for the press to receive the film without the preconceived notion that it will be a bomb. Updated On: 1/12/05 at 07:04 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 11:37pm

Bill Condon has A LOT more than one thing over Schumacher: Condon has talent, directorial skill, integrity, talent, vision, can draw wonderful performances from his actors, he is a versatile screenwriter....the list goes on and on.

I've loved everything Condon has done so far (and so has critics), and I'm ecstatic that he's doing DREAMGIRLS.