Will Dreamgirls be the next Chicago?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:24pm

As we all know movie-musicals haven't been doing to well since Chicago. With movies like The Producers, RENT, Phantom, Reefer Madness, and Once Upon A Mattress will Dreamgirls turn out like them or like Chicago?

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:31pm

Reefer Madness and Once... were one shot TV deals, I don't see how they compare to first run movies.

[SweMozArt]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:39pm

Having Beyonce and Jamie Foxx in it I'm sure it will do well commercially. I'm curious over how much phantom has earned in dvd sales. Movie musicals with good scores should be able to make a lot of money on dvd's in the longterm.

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:40pm

Chicago took good source material and translated it well to the screen. It was well directed, had a great screenplay and some fantastic performances.

Rent took decent source material and marred it with terrible direction and a screenplay that was mediocre at best, incomprehensible at worst.

Until Dreamgirls is actually released, no one really knows in which category it will fall.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:43pm

It's way too early too tell. Everyone was talking about Oscars for RENT and look how that turned out. Terrifying.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:43pm

The Oscar prediction websites: Oscarwatch.com, Incontention.com, Goldderby.com seem to all think DREAMGIRLS is very high on the list of potential Best Picture nominees.

We won't really know though until more test screenings start. Not that many people have actually seen the finished film yet.

[SweMozArt]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:45pm

Ok i deleted my earlier post. I did some research on the musical. Updated On: 10/19/06 at 01:45 PM

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 1:46pm

Huh?

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 3:00pm

Well in the sense of the movie helping the show (which the Chicago movie tremedously did for the show)... that won't happen cause Dreamgirls isnt on Broadway lol.

I doubt it will get as many Oscar nominations as people think it will, but it will be a big commercial success.

[Casey3]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 3:23pm

Seeing as the same guy who turned Chicago into a filmable script is both the writer AND director of DREAMGIRLS, there should be no doubt. Plus, his writing of Chicago earned 4 of its actors nominations with one of them winning. And his direction has led to nods for Ian McKellen and Laura Linney.

Here's an interesting question, though; Will Dreamgirls the MOVIE become as legendary in film as the SHOW did in theatre?

If so, forget CHICAGO. This may end up being up there with the musicals of the GOLDEN ERA.
Updated On: 10/19/06 at 03:23 PM

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:32pm

Carl Magnum - Even though they were one shot TV deals they still were flops in the ratings.

[ICEcreamAssassin]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:33pm

We have to wait until the movie comes out.. by the trailer looks beautiful.. and I trust Bill Condon .. after Gods And Monsters, Chicago..so we'll see... its such an interesting time in film.. next two years we have.. Hairspray, Sweeney Todd, Sunset Blvd ... lots of movie musicals being made.. and although Rent and Phantom weren't amazing films.. I own them and they are welcome in my library of movies next to into the woods, passion, JCS...

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:09pm

I think it will be the next Chicago.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:29pm

oscarwatch.com does not list a film in their predictions list until the film has been seen and is generating buzz. thus, their list is merely compiling all the possibilities thus far and ranks them according to where their buzz lies. once all possible films have been seen, their list becomes complete and is arranged according to how the buzz changes through award season.

the film has been seen and did generate great buzz, thus it is on their list. however, it is not at the top of the list. this could change once the film opens and more industry see it, generating more buzz or not.

I know someone who has seen it and they thought it was incredible.

[Paulyd]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:32pm

i think this will probably sweep at the Golden Globes. They seem to more kind to musicals (Evita is a prime example) but may struggle oscar time, simply because there are a lot of strong movies already being slated for oscar glory next year.

Its still early to predict yet, as no one has seen. I for one cant wait to see it, but i think over here in the UK we have to wait until the end of January to see it.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:35pm

I don't know. HAIRSPRAY may do better than DREAMGIRLS, but for now, I think it will definitely do well.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:39pm

I have faith in Bill Condon. After Kinsey, Gods & Monsters, and Chicago - I have absolutely no qualms with anything he's done.

[jv92]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 7:23pm

I do think Dreamgirls will be as succesful as Chicago. Perhaps finacially, it will do even better. I don't think Condon or the film itself will win Oscars (I'm hoping for The Departed and think it has a chance), but certainly its editing, design, writing and even its cast all have changes of winning.

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 7:44pm

I think it will be the first Dreamgirls.

[jasonf]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 7:48pm

Watch the trailer -- they are NOT pushing this movie as a musical! If you didn't know it was, that trailer gives NO indication that it is a musical at all - the music shown is completely organic, so while you might get it's about a musical group, the fact that it's a musical will be a shock to many which will translate into negative feelings for some...

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 8:12pm

jasonf why are you so negative?
it's common knowledge dreamgirls is a movie with singing in it.
they showed more singing and dancing in this trailer than the original theatrical trailer used to promote chicago and i didn't hear anyone complaining about that film.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 8:19pm

Marquise took the words out of my mouth. I was gonna say just remember that they used hardly any singing and dancing to promote Chicago. But yeah from the looks of the trailer they are making it look like the only songs are the ones performed by the group or by James Early. Which is fine. Cause if you remember one of the few clips of singing used to promote Chicago was Velma's stage performance of All That Jazz....same marketing idea. Get those who know it based on name and get those who don't know its a musical based on the names in it.

[phantom8019]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 8:57pm

The fact of the matter is Chicago grossed $170 million domestic, and most of those people who saw it knew quite well that they were seeing a musical. The fact is it had great reviews and great marketing.

Rent and The Producers... mixed to terrible reviews and terrible marketing.

Phantom: not really a flop (budget, $70 million but worldwide gross $154 million; factor in CD and DVD sales, there is some money there). Add to the fact this also had very bad reviews.

Lastly, a lot of movies are flopping lately. It is not a great time for Hollywood. Good reviews and Oscars help. As I said, only Chicago had that.
Updated On: 10/19/06 at 08:57 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:05pm

Dreamgirls will do well.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:10pm

True, the show isn't currently on Broadway, but if the movie does well it could certainly spark a revival of the show, especially if Jennifer Hudson does well in the movie and is as interested as she seems to be in Broadway, that could be a selling point. I highly doubt Beyonce would do a show on Broadway, though it's not impossible. Look at Usher.