The man who directed the Best Picture winner and feel good movie/bromance of the year will now bring you one of the most depressing stories ever brought to stage and screen.
Tom Hooper, director of THE KING’S SPEECH, has been tapped by Universal to direct his version of LES MISERABLES. There have been many past incarnations, but Hooper’s film would be a full-on musical version of the story based on Cameron Mackintosh’s play. Mackintosh is producing and Bill Nicholson has written the script. The studio wants to start production before the end of the year somewhere in Europe.
I remember seeing the Broadway play, and while it was excellent, I walked out of that theater so depressed. I think of musical movies and RENT, CHICAGO, MAMA MIA and GREASE come to mind. The question is…would this be a movie that people would want to see in theaters, or with rising ticket prices and the world hardships, would audiences choose something a tad more…upbeat instead?