Sweeney Todd, Company, Assassins Film/TV Musicals in the works

SWEENEY TODD is a go. I'm not familiar with those others being turned into films. I do know that HAIRSPRAY will most likely start filming this year and be released around the same time as THE PRODUCERS and possibly RENT. At this time PIPPIN is also being discussed as a film along with INTO THE WOODS.
Musicals are back, kids. Let's enjoy 'em while we got 'em.

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Updated On: 6/23/04 at 03:44 PM

INTO THE WOODS has been in talks for years. When the revival ended, the film was on hold.

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I also heard talk about Guys and Dolls and Damn Yankees.

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DAMN YANKEES was the other one. That's definately a go, also.

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I am a HUGE Bernadette fan and a HUGE Sweeney fan....but I don't think Bernadette would do well playing Mrs. Lovett.

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yes, but not on film. Those are two entirely seperate things. While Mrs. Peters can pack the broadway houses, she can not do the same with the movie houses.

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I remember those three specifically being mentioned since I am a big Sondheim fan.

Personally, I think Merrily and Saturday Night would fare better on film then they did on stage

The last thing I heard is that Sweeney Todd is on hold until its prospective director, Sam Mendes, gets around to it. His next project (is it filming now?) is a war movie, I think, and he's also tied to a number ofother movies. So who knows.

I've never heard of plans for Company and Assassins to be made into films, but they don't seem very well-suited for it. They aren't just non-linear; they're Cubist. And Assassins is causing enough controversey when it's confinfed to New York.

As for Into the Woods...I would love to see Bernadette Peters playing the Witch once again. Frankly, I don't care if she isn't a big name and the studios shouldn't either. Into the Woods has plenty of well-known names- Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and not one, but two Prince Charmings. In other words, it is its own marketing so it doesn't need a big-name star as urgently as other musicals might. It's easy to market it as a fractured fairy tale.

Sweeney, on the other hand, might require a big name in one of the two leads. It's not exactly an easy sell on its own- can you imagine some movie marketing department trying to figure out how to sell "a cannibalism musical"? Oy. But I have no idea what big star would be well suited to play Sweeney or Lovett. Perhaps Victor Garber now that he has Alias fame?

Just because I have a one-track mind, I'd love to see Peters play Mrs. Lovett, as well. She's the right age (though she doesn't look it), and no one doubts her vocal or comedy chops. I think she'd be a hoot in the role.

Glenn?.....I think she might need to stick to "A Little Night Music".....she's not HUGE box office draw anyway.

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I think I'd have to go with Liza on "Sunset Boulevard".

I know its not gonna happen in a million years, but if only Patti and George could do the Sweeney movie. I think probably Neil Patrick Harris will be Tobias.

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Awwwww...poor Patti.

I thought she played Mrs. Lovett very well in the NY and SF concerts, just needs to work on her accent a little.

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i think kathy bates would make a awsome mrs. lovett if it were made into a movie!!!! what do you guys think??