Variety clues us in to Jekyll & Hyde movie frontrunners

So you've seen Hugh Jackman perform this role, have you? It irritates me when people get in a huff over things like this. This shouldn't have even been a Broadway show, let alone be turned into a movie.

Wasn't Scarlett being considered for The Sound of Music on the West End? Plus there's this from a few days ago.

http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/060127/0107650.html

Film & Television Stars Give Extraordinary Performances on Rhino Records' "Unexpected Dreams"
Friday January 27, 1:00 pm ET

LOS ANGELES, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 27, 2006 -- Who wouldn't want Hollywood's biggest stars to sing them to sleep? Some of the most surprising voices in Hollywood, accompanied by musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, lend their talents to a new album, "Unexpected Dreams: Songs from the Stars," to be released by Rhino Records on March 28. It's the perfect soundtrack for quiet evenings at home, with your children...or without them.

The CD features 14 spellbinding tunes by composers including Elton John, Billy Joel, Sade, Bob Dylan and Lennon/McCartney, beautifully sung and lushly orchestrated. A portion of the proceeds will benefit "Music Matters," the Los Angeles Philharmonic's music education programs. The album was jointly conceived and produced by Wayne Baruch, Charles F. Gayton and Eric Vetro.

"Unexpected Dreams" includes the following tracks:

-- Scarlett Johansson -- "Summertime" (George & Ira Gershwin)
-- Ewan McGregor -- "The Sweetest Gift" (Sade)
-- Taraji P. Henson -- "In My Daughter's Eyes" (James T. Slater)
-- Jennifer Garner -- "My Heart Is So Full of You" (Frank Loesser)
-- Jeremy Irons -- "To Make You Feel My Love" (Bob Dylan)
-- John Stamos -- "Goodnight My Angel" (Billy Joel)
-- Lucy Lawless -- "Little Child" (Eric Vetro/Alan Rich)
-- Marissa Jaret Winokur -- "The Wish Song" (Eric Vetro/Steven Shore)
-- Eric McCormack -- "The Greatest Discovery" (Elton John/Bernie Taupin)
-- Victor Garber -- "No One Is Alone" (Stephen Sondheim)
-- Julia Louis-Dreyfus -- "The Nightshift" (Brad Hall)
-- Nia Vardalos -- "Golden Slumbers" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
-- John C. Reilly -- "Lullaby In Ragtime" (Sylvia Fine)
-- Teri Hatcher -- "Goodnight" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)

Scarlett is a pretty smouldering actress, as long as she can sing it, I think she's a good choice.

Would Scarlett be Lucy or Emma???

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"Also, he is already infinitely better than most of the replacement Jekyll/Hydes from Broadway (Hasselhoff anyone?)."

Rob Evan anyone?

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Yes, I would much rather see Hugh Jackman as J&H than a reprise of David Hasselhoff's performance.

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Well, I think he could do better than the material. Anyway, why the heck would Hollywood make a movie of this when movie musicals are already on the edge? Wouldn't they choose something that's actually...oh, I don't know...good and successful?

I think they should include everything from the concept recording. I saw it in Denver on the pre-Broadway tour and most if not all of the music from the concept recording was in the show. I think they destroyed it when it went to Broadway. I mean, who's idea was it to take out "Bring on the Men" and replace it with that wretched song? Thank goodness Bring on the men had been put back in by the time the Broadway tour got back to Denver.

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Updated On: 2/3/06 at 12:03 PM

As I stated in my original post "he is already infinitely better than most of the replacement Jekyll/Hydes from Broadway". I used the word most specifically because of Robert Evan.

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Yes, Scarlett sings. She'd be a fine choice (as Lucy)

They may be being considered, but the actor's are not attached.

Jackman has been "considered" for everything - Sunset Blvd (which we found out he is NOT in negotiations with) and Jekyll and at one point he was name-dropped for Sweeney Todd, I believe.

The *only* certain thing about Jackman and movie musicals is that he signed a non-exclusive contract with Disney to do two non-original musicals and one original musical for them.

Someone over at the Webber foundation dropped the names of Glenn Close, Ewan McGregor, and Hugh Jackman for SUNSET BLVD. We found out no one except for Close was ever approached. They put the big names out there to draw attention to their project so that other big names will become interested.

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Interesting.... just remember, this is still in it's embryonic stage. The price tag on this caliber of talent not to mention retooling the entire show, could pay for a small island in the South Pacific.

Yet, I am quite sure it will be necessary to get a mega name at least for Jekyll, who is, after all, the main focus of this baby.

In all honesty, it surely didn't fly with Hasslehoff and I'm not sure that that ghost may not haunt this project regardless who/ what they bring to it. While I hope I am wrong, I wonder how much positive interest this will generate the second time around.

Wishing Frank & co. all the best with this.

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