Les Miz may be a big name all on its own, but it's not a hot property the way it was 20 years ago. They run the risk of another Phantom of the Opera movie if they think they can trade on the title alone.
They need bankable, recognizable names to bring people to the multiplexes, whether they're movie stars, rock stars, or reality TV stars (God forbid).
The point is that it won't amount to more than a period art film without them.
EDIT: And I guarantee that if Cameron MacIntosh wants Alfie Boe in the lead, he'd better put up most of the financing for it himself. No major movie studio would back a 3.5 hour, movie musical with a cast of hundreds and a no-name in the lead. Not these days. Remember Webber put up the money himself for Phantom, so he didn't have to answer to Q ratings with his casting choices.
They could probably get away with ONE central character (even Valjean) being a relative unknown as long as they surrounded that person with recognizable stars (see Hairspray, Dreamgirls, Little Shop, etc.).
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Updated On: 3/26/11 at 02:37 PM