After years of hanging in film adaptation limbo, it finally looks like the Broadway smash "Jersey Boys" will make it onto movie screens, with director Clint Eastwood and producer Graham King finalizing the cast and production slated to start soon after the contracts are signed.
According to Variety, Eastwood and King are keen on hiring Broadway stars John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, and Michael Lomenda, all of whom have starred in productions of "Jersey Boys," alongside "Boardwalk Empire" alum Vincent Piazza, who has extensive stage experience.
"Jersey Boys" tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Young would play Frankie Valli, Bergen would play Bob Gaudio, Piazza would play Tommy Devito, and Lomenda would play Nick Massi.
King has been trying to make this movie since 2010, when he first secured the rights. He quickly hired Jon Favreau to direct, but Favreau and studio Warner Bros. couldn't see eye-to-eye when it came to the film's proposed budget, so the studio put it into turnaround. Eastwood, a director known for his fiscal responsibility and technical efficiency, came aboard later, intent on casting actors with proven stage experience in the pivotal roles. Genius screenwriter and playwright John Logan ("Skyfall," "Rango") wrote the script for the film.
Considering how quickly Eastwood makes movies, it's conceivable that this could be ready for next Christmas, where it has the hopes of being a surefire box office draw and a potential Oscar contender. The songs are already getting stuck in our heads...
[via Variety]
