Thomas Kail, For Some Reason, Is Remaking FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:01pm

Why?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:22pm

Good luck finding a Tevye.

[Globefan]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:24pm

I think he could make a great film.  

Updated On: 5/28/20 at 03:24 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:27pm

I get the feeling that this will be released as a double-feature with Streisand’s Gypsy

Until I hear that it’s begun shooting I’m not even going to get into any deep dives of “why?”

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:32pm

I'll tell you.....I don't know.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:36pm

I am really surprised by this announcement, since I think that the film version of Fiddler may be the best musical adaptation of a Broadway musical ever.  It was well reviewed at the time, and I believe its stature has grown over time.  If you are going to remake a Broadway musical, I can't help thinking that it would be better to remake something that was a flop in its first iteration, e.g., Rent, Mame, Man of La Mancha, ALNM, or has not aged well, e.g., Oklahoma or TKAI; or, you'd better have a great concept that veers away from the original film.  Since the movie version of Fiddler is just about perfect (Norma Crane was 'meh' and Molly Picon was a little too Borscht Belt, if enjoyable), it makes no sense.  I actually like the movie more than there staged version (and I saw it with a pre-ad-libbing Zero Mostel, among other times).

That said, if it turns out to be as good as the original, I will happily plunk down my money to see it.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 3:52pm

Globefan wrote: I think he could do it right 

I can't imagine improving upon Norman Jewison's movie adaptation. Curious as to what Globefan felt was done wrong in the 1971 version...

 

Updated On: 5/28/20 at 03:52 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:00pm

CATSNYrevival said: "Good luck finding aTevye."

Just plop Ben platt in as Motel it’ll probably sell.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:05pm

Is Mandy Patinkin too old to play Tevye? Maybe. Do I still want to see him to do it? Yes!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:07pm

Hugh Jackman is in talks as is Bette Midler.

[Tag]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:11pm

I LOVE this comment on the Deadline article:
"How are they going to do this with a diverse cast?"

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:13pm

MichelleCraig said: "Globefan wrote: I think he could do it right

I can't imagine improving upon Norman Jewison's movie adaptation. Curious as to what OP felt was done wrong in the 1971version?"

I did not take Globefan to be saying it was "wrong" but that Kail could do right by it. I never question why an uber-talented person wants to take a crack at one of the greatest properties in the art form, especially when he already has one of the others in his portfolio. Why? Because he can. A fresh take does not imply that the now-antique take needs improving. 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:17pm

^^ You're right. That could have been Globefan's meaning...

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:26pm

Is Thomas Kail Jewish? Not that it matters (and I know Norman Jewison wasn't Jewish either), but I didn't peg him for the director that would want to do Fiddler.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:32pm

Tag said: "I LOVE this comment on the Deadline article:
"How are they going to do this with a diverse cast?""

LOLOLOLOL
If we don't get a wheelchair-bound blind Iranian trans actress with alopecia as Golde, I'm OFFICIALLY boycotting this film.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:37pm

In Yiddish, perhaps?

 

My nana will be verklempt!

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:55pm

Literally nobody was asking for this. I'm curious to see what they might to do justify its existence. Otherwise, I'm annoyed that his directing the "film version of Hamilton" is now considered a film credit, with bragging rights of the $75 million purchase.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 4:57pm

I'm with Jarethan-- I always thought the FIDDLER film was one of the greatest stage to film musicals ever done. I first saw it in Israel in 1971 in its original  3+ hour length. I was shocked to discover that most theaters in the US only aired a shortened version on its first release. Thank God the film generally available today is the glorious full-length version. 

I can't for the life of me imagine that there is a groundswell of demand from the gen z-ers for a remake of this classic.

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 5:30pm

I dont think people were asking fir a new West Side Story film, but we are getting one.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 5:30pm

He's so brilliant, can't wait. 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 5:46pm

I have not seen Fiddler on the Roof before but I’m intrigued by Kail directing this since In the Heights was a Latino Fiddler on the Roof. Makes sense to me

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 5:49pm

Dustin Hoffman and Barbra- would be a smash.

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 5:59pm

At least with West Side Story, I can SORTA understand some of the rationale... In most cases, the cast was dubbed by others (sometimes badly), ethnicities were "fixed" with sometimes terribly obvious make-up, some additions to make it more "hip" were kinda cringe-worthy even at the time, etc etc etc. 

 

But this? No idea what the reasoning would be. (nor have they attempted to give any, aside from "it's still relevant today"

[gypsy101]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 6:21pm

the why is obviously because he’s the acclaimed director of Hamilton

also the original film is an overlong snoozefest

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 5/28/20 at 6:25pm

MichelleCraig said: "Globefan wrote: I think he could do it right

I can't imagine improving upon Norman Jewison's movie adaptation. Curious as to what Globefanfelt was done wrong in the 1971version..."

I love the film, but they took out a LOT of the humor in the earlier part of the story which took away some of the feeling of devastation in the second part. The beautiful emotional roller coaster effect, I call it, that is so artfully written into the stage version.