I can't imagine Hugh Jackman taking time off films right after his Oscar nod for LES MIS and the raves he got for PRISONERS. I agree with Kad that given the mess that the pre-production has been so far, this will probably never come to pass. I do hope he comes back to Broadway in a new show while he's up for the kind of showmanship he displayed in his two other Broadway turns.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I hope they find anothr star who will play the role. I was really very much looking forward to a new Schwartz musical. Who could play Houdini instead. Justin Timberlake? Justin Bieber (Just joking) at least small he is. Who is famous and talented enough to get the part?
The producers couldn't expect Hugh Jackman to hold open his busy schedule from anytime fall 2014 to 2018 say for when this musical just might be ready. This is what happens when you contract your 'star' while the show is still in development, the same happneed with Spiderman with Alan Cumming. I agree with Kad I cannot now see this happening.
I'd be very surprised if this show ever gets off the ground. Who are they gonna find that has more star power than Jackman?
"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
The thing about Hugh Jackman is there's no one who can replace him on Broadway. He is a HUGE star who is also a great showman and he actually sells tickets and wins awards/raves from critics. I can't think of anyone at all, save for maybe Nathan Lane who is obviously not competing for roles with Hugh Jackman,who'd fit the bill. Look at what happened at the PAL JOEY revival when Jackman wasn't cast/turned it down.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I hope he finds the right vehicle for a return to Broadway soon. I know he has said in the past that he prefers new material to revivals, but I still hope he does ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY with rumored K. Chenoweth. Who wouldn't want to be "stranded again" with Hugh?
Oh hopefully, after all half of the score and a part of the book is finished, I beliueve, so it would be a shame to drop that. Interesting to know who will play the title role. Does it really has t be a Hollywood Star? Maybe they could use a Broadway star as well. I the musical is good, they don´t need a big name.
Ives has been attached for a while, I believe a bit after Sorkin left at the beginning of the year. I remember reading about it in news articles months back and was surprised it was never announced. Interesting that it is now.
>>>>Interesting that the original star/writers (Hugh Jackman, Aaron Sorkin, Danny Elfman) are now entirely replaced.<<<
Aaron Sorkin was not the original bookwriter -- I think it was Kurt Andersen? Also, add the names of Tony Yazbek and Glenn Slater to the list of those who had worked on the project before the current creative team.