Pardon me? In one of those weird twists of Hollywood casting (and crewing?), Variety reports that a well-regarded director (Jon Favreau) is the frontrunner to helm a beloved property (the cinematic adaptation of hit musical Jersey Boys) in a combination that just doesn’t make one goddamn lick of sense. Favs? A musical? Wha-what? While the Iron Man and Iron Man 2 helmer certainly knows how to juggle a lot of big pieces in his productions, I can’t say that I ever thought song-and-dance numbers would be one of them, and I sure as hell can’t say I am sold on this idea.
The Tony and Grammy-winning hit musical Jersey Boys (originally produced by Dodger Theatricals, written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, directed by Des McAnuff, with music by Four Seasons member Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe) was officially announced back in January, with Hugo scribe John Logan set to adapt it. The musical centers on the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and their incredible rise to fame in the 1960s, and it’s one of those rare “historical” musicals that’s just as much fun for fans of the original group as it is for newbies.
The film will reportedly use “much of the music to the stage play,” to which I say both “hurray!” and “uh, well, duh.” Classic Four Seasons and Valli songs featured in the show include “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Sunday Kind of Love,” “Stay,” “Beggin,” “Walk Like a Man,” and “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).”
GK Films’ Graham King and Tim Headington are producing, with Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio serving as executive producers.