Hello Dolly Film Remake Idea

[BwayLB]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:07am

After over 50 years since Barbara Streisand played Dolly Levi on the big screen, i feel like it's time Hello Dolly had a remake. This time, we need an actress who is accurate in terms of age to be a widow. Even though i prefer the stage veteran, a remake feels overdue. Here are my Top 5 choices for Dolly

1) Bete Midler (of course)

2) Betty Buckley (she was wonderful in the national tour)

3) Meryl Streep (Granny Triple Threat)

4) Audra McDonald (She was beautiful as Grace in 1999 Disney Annie. So why not another colorblind role)

5) Andrea Martin

[KFC1991]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:10am

BwayLB said: "After over 50 years since Barbara Streisand played Dolly Levi on the big screen, i feel like it's time Hello Dolly had a remake. This time, we need an actress who is accurate in terms of age to be a widow. Even though i prefer the stage veteran, a remake feels overdue. Here are my Top 5 choices for Dolly

1) Bete Midler (of course)

2) Betty Buckley (she was wonderful in the national tour)

3) Meryl Streep (Granny Triple Threat)

4) Audra McDonald (She was beautiful as Grace in 1999 Disney Annie. So why not another colorblind role)

5) Andrea Martin"

I dunno might be nice to see some indigenous and or trans on this list. Just a thought. 

[NameGreg]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:15am

I fear the only one of those actresses that a studio might get behind is Streep, and even then I’m not sure if they’d go for her.

I’d be happy to see a remake of Hello Dolly. The original didn’t really do it right. Hopefully whoever they get next time isn’t in their twenties.

Updated On: 3/29/21 at 10:15 AM

[BwayLB]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:17am

^ Do not get me wrong. I liked the firsr movie and Ms. Streisand's singing was good enough for me.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:19am

NameGreg said: "I fear the only one of those actresses that a studio might get behind is Streep, and even then I’m not sure if they’d go for her.

I’d be happy to see a remake of Hello Dolly. The original didn’t really do it right. Hopefully whoever they get next time isn’t in their twenties."

 

...or damn near 80. Dolly Levi is supposed to be a middle aged woman in her mid 40s - mid 50s...

 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:27am

And I would want Rob Marshall, Adam Shakeman, Susan Stroman, Debbie Alan or Casey Nicolaw to direct.

[NameGreg]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:48am

CarlosAlberto said: "NameGreg said: "I fear the only one of those actresses that a studio might get behind is Streep, and even then I’m not sure if they’d go for her.

I’d be happy to see a remake of Hello Dolly. The original didn’t really do it right. Hopefully whoever they get next time isn’t in their twenties."



...or damn near80.Dolly Levi is supposed to be a middle aged woman in her mid 40s - mid 50s...

"

No disagreement here, I think she’s often cast way too old. While you can get away with that onstage, an elderly Dolly would look very distracting on film. That’s part of why I don’t think they’d really go for Streep.

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 10:54am

There's no need for a big screen remake, but there could easily be a television movie, or a recorded stage performance. I think Hello, Dolly! is so innately theatrical (the buck-and-wing around the orchestra pit comes to mind) that it won't translate well to screen. Also, it's a farce, and farce just doesn't work as well on screen as onstage, though I've never understood why. Maybe timing is too important to the joke, and tempos change from night to night, depending on the audience? 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 11:05am

Even though personally I really like the underrated original 1969 film with Barbra Streisand, I wouldn't mind a new made for TV version with Catherine Zeta Jones or any other talented actor in that age range.

But I think a new film version of Camelot directed and co-written by Guillermo del Toro that changes Alan Jay Lerner's flawed book for the better and to star Dan Stevens and Sierra Boggess as King Arthur and Queen Guinevere respectfully would be my dream movie musical.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 11:56am

Whoever produces a remake will probably shoehorn a song written by Lin Manuel Miranda or The Lopezes to make it relevant to today’s audience. ETA: I honestly think Scott Rudin should’ve had the last revival filmed to be sold to a streaming service... 

Updated On: 3/29/21 at 11:56 AM

[BwayLB]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 12:01pm

^ I would only want it if its in the end credits

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 12:28pm

Latifah.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 12:31pm

Kathryn Hahn would be a great Dolly. I agree it would be better as a streaming service premiere.

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 12:39pm

I always thought Reba McEntire would have been an amazing Dolly Levi.

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 2:01pm

Musical Master said: "Even though personally I really like the underrated original 1969 film with Barbra Streisand, I wouldn't mind a newmade for TV version with Catherine Zeta Jones or any other talented actor in that age range.

But I think a new film versionof Camelotdirected and co-written by Guillermo del Toro that changes Alan Jay Lerner's flawed book for the better and to star Dan Stevens and Sierra Boggess as King Arthur and Queen Guinevere respectfully would be my dream movie musical."

I think the original is underrated, too. I don't think the book of Camelot can really be fixed (you've got to organize your rewrites around the established score), but Camelot is in no way a bad show. It's just flawed.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 2:30pm

Bettyboy72 said: "Kathryn Hahn would be a great Dolly. I agree it would be better as a streaming service premiere. "

Kathryn Hahn would be a glorious Dolly

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 3:10pm

How about Dolly Parton as Dolly. Finally

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 3:53pm

How about Melissa McCarthy.  Funny, the right age, larger than life, can look very glamorous.  Can Julia Roberts carry a tune??  Never done a musical, as i can recall.  She would be great in the role and if she can carry a tune...It is not like Dolly has hard songs to sing...she needs to carry a tune.

Christian Bale as Horace?

[NameGreg]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 3:56pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Whoever produces a remake will probably shoehorn a song written by Lin Manuel Miranda or The Lopezes to make it relevant to today’s audience. ETA: I honestly think Scott Rudin should’ve had the last revival filmed to be sold to a streaming service..."

I mean literally every Broadway show should have a recording sold to a streaming service after closing, but that’s a whole other can of worms.

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 4:00pm

Saw Channing, Streisand (on screen) and Bette in Dolly- and though Barbra sang the heck out of that score- most of the characters are caricatures of real people- they seem silly and detached from reality to me. I don't think there is an audience for this type of silliness- with a major star who brings an audience to anything that she does- yes- that would be moderately successful- but there are so many other musicals with so much more heft- and more relevancy to contemporary life- than Hello, Dolly- WSS and Heights for example- and these types of musicals seem to me to have a better chance of success at the box office

Updated On: 3/29/21 at 04:00 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 4:23pm

Get your heads out of your you-know-wheres, please! Melissa McCarthy and to a lesser extent Meryl Streep are the only two people named in this thread so far who could even remotely get a greenlight for a feature film. And even then, you'd need other stars involved too and a studio that owed a favor to a director or producer and was ready to lose money. 

A film of the Midler stage production would have been different (different budget scale, different types of distributors bidding, etc). But obviously that did not happen.

Updated On: 3/29/21 at 04:23 PM

[msmp]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 4:25pm

Jarethan said: "How about Melissa McCarthy. Funny, the right age, larger than life, can look very glamorous. Can Julia Roberts carry a tune?? Never done a musical, as i can recall. Shewould be great in the role and if she can carry a tune...It is not like Dolly has hard songs to sing...she needs to carry a tune.

Christian Bale as Horace?"

1000% behind the Melissa McCarthy idea!

[George in DC]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 4:56pm

Melissa McCarthy as Dolly? I'm 1000% against it.

[nealb1]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 5:25pm

Bette Midler - unfortunately that opportunity has come and gone.  Would have been fantastic if the show had been filmed specifically for film like "Hamilton" was.

Betty B, Audra M, Andrea M - the average person has no idea who these ladies, and that's very unfortunate.  For movies, it's all about a name.
Meryl - she would be a good choice
 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/29/21 at 5:59pm

I am in the minority saying I enjoyed the original. It was a product of its time. It was directed by a Hollywood icon of its golden years. While not exactly a fan of Sreusand she is a great talent. Before the Parade Passes By stands out like a sore thumb as it was way over the top.The score was not cut to ribbons as many were.

The biggest problem is how to sell a musical about 60 years old to the public. Maybe the right star could sell it. Who knows.