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star2ballie

Damn Yankees movie announced!!

http://broadwayworld.com/article/Carrey_and_Gyllenhaal_to_Star_in_Big_Screen_Damn_Yankees_Zadan_Meron_New_Line_to_Produce_20090226

Again, the text for anyone who is lazy Wink

BroadwayWorld.com wrote:
Carrey and Gyllenhaal to Star in Big Screen Damn Yankees; Zadan, Meron & New Line to Produce

Thursday, February 26, 2009; Posted: 11:02 PM - by BWW News Desk

Variety.com is reporting that New Line Cinema and the top notch producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have selected their next musical film project, a contemporized version of the classic musical Damn Yankees.

Starring in the film will be Jim Carrey as the Devil, and Jake Gyllenhaal as Boyd, both making their musical debuts. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are set to write the script.

They tell Variety that "The trick is finding a balance that retains the show's classic tunes like "(You Gotta Have) Heart" and "Whatever Lola Wants," while injecting a contemporary feel on a musical that is firmly rooted in the 1950s. The intention is to get a script from Ganz and Mandel before meeting directors, and actresses who'll want to play Lola."

Damn Yankees has music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and is based on Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant." It is the story of Joe Boyd, the ultimate baseball fan, who sells his soul to the Devil for the chance to help his team win the pennant race against the Yankees. The Devil is aided by the sexy Lola, who seduces a now younger, physically transformed Joe, but ultimately helps him outsmart the Devil and return to his beloved wife.

Zadan and Meron have collaborated on countless successful projects including the recent "Hairspray" film, the made for television "A Raisin in the Sun", the Oscar winning film "Chicago", and a recent collaboration with Lifetime on the film "Living Proof" featuring Rene Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr. and Bernadette Peters.

This past winter they released "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

In 2007 they were honored with the Hollywood Film Festival's producers of the year award.

Last year the talented producing duo were honored by the The Casting Society of America with career achievement awards at the 24th Annual Artios Awards.

CBS has greenlit a dramatic pilot produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "Back," from Zadan and Meron's Storyline Entertainment, centers on a man "who disappeared in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- but who suddenly shows up, eight years later. The pilot follows the man as he reconnects with his family and adjusts to a world that has dramatically changed".

Zadan and Meron will also be producing the upcoming series Drop Dead Diva for Lifetime Television, a spirited new comedic drama series that puts a uniquely compelling twist on the age-old battle between brains and beauty.



Thoughts??
RainbowJude

DAMN YANKEES: Contemporary Remake of Classic Musical

And of course, there is a thread on the Damn Yankees board about this - where it belongs.

Later days
David
star2ballie

Sorry.
shakalakababy

Hmmm...could be good.

In all honesty i'm not sure how I feel about jim carrey.

but i love me some jake
actor

ew Jim Carrey?? He is such an annoying, bad actor. He plays everthing the same and is just an over-acting clown.
Robinflamingo

actor wrote:
ew Jim Carrey?? He is such an annoying, bad actor. He plays everthing the same and is just an over-acting clown.


Apparently you never saw The Majestic, with Carrey and Martin Landau (who was nominated for an Oscar for the film.) Carrey can act. He just usually sticks to his schtick because it makes him money.

I actually like the casting. I just wish Jerry Lewis wasn't too old and unhealthy to reprise his take on the devil.

Sutton as Lola? Please, God, not Cheno.

And Allie? Thanks for bringing it HERE, since I would have never noticed it on the DOA Damn Yankees board. Razz
thegirlfromack

Jim Carrey and Jake G???

Yikes... can either sing? Is the show going to be almost entirely dubbed? I don't know what to think of it quite honestly...

So they're not going to use the original 1950's score... but the same songs to make it more accessable to audiences of today? Okay...

The more I'm thinking of Jim Carrey as the devil, the more I get annoyed... he's just an annoying actor. d'oh!
Robinflamingo

Would everyone who is unsure of Jim Carrey's acting ability please go rent "The Majestic" tonight. Report back here tomorrow.
Gwen

thegirlfromack wrote:
Jim Carrey and Jake G???

Yikes... can either sing? Is the show going to be almost entirely dubbed? I don't know what to think of it quite honestly...


Jim Carrey can carry a tune; I know that much. (If you've ever listened through the credits of A Series of Unfortunate Events he does a short little song in Captain Sham's voice. I don't know about his real voice, but his singing there didn't sound too bad.)
Salome

Jim Carrey? hes good but not as Applegate!
I would have preferred Kelsey Grammer or Steve Carrell.
Monsieur D'Arque

Jim was on the short-list to play Pirelli for Sweeney Todd, according to several sources from a few years ago.
Robinflamingo

Salome wrote:
Jim Carrey? hes good but not as Applegate!
I would have preferred Kelsey Grammer or Steve Carrell.


Steve Carrell would be a great choice.
Set_Buildin_Dad

I moved the topic to the Damn Yankees forum where it will hang around longer than on the social page.

I think Carrey will be Ok as Applegate, but it will sure be tough to top Ray Walston's original performance. I interested to see who they will cast as Lola this time around. Any thoughts? I'd like to see Anne Hathaway take a crack at it. I also hope they include "The Game" this time around. That is one of the funniest parts of the show and it was excised from the original movie.
wicked_diva

Robinflamingo wrote:
Salome wrote:
Jim Carrey? hes good but not as Applegate!
I would have preferred Kelsey Grammer or Steve Carrell.


Steve Carrell would be a great choice.

I second Kelsey Grammer. I just do not see Jim Carrey in this. The only things I've ever liked him in are Eternal Sunshine and The Majestic. But you have to know he's going to try to shtick this up. Which I hate.

Anne Hathaway might be an interesting choice, if they're going for movie people, but I think I see her more as a Gloria.
Jman383

Oh Anne is totally Gloria. As for Lola... I dunno why, but Megan Mullally came to mind... despite the fact she's getting a bit old.
GungaDin

If Gyllenhaal is Boyd, then maybe Beyonce as Lola? Or one of the gals from the upcoming NINE movie (Fergie? Kate Hudson?)
star2ballie

if she could sing better, i'd say scarlett johannson. but alas she cain't.
star2ballie

or what about jane krakowski? i heard good things about her lola @ encores!
GungaDin

[quote="star2ballie"]or what about jane krakowski? i heard good things about her lola @ encores![/quote]

Yeah, but you gotta get a "name" movie star who can sing, for that role. There are quite a few around who can. It's just a matter of:

- availability
- interest in doing it; and
- chemistry w/ Gyllenhaal.
Monsieur D'Arque

Krakowski's had a rather large star turn on NBC's 30 Rock. She's no top-liner, but she's big enough now that a secondary lead (and face it, Lola's "Best Supporting Actress" bait) is not out of the question.
GungaDin

[quote="Monsieur D'Arque"]Krakowski's had a rather large star turn on NBC's 30 Rock. She's no top-liner, but she's big enough now that a secondary lead (and face it, Lola's "Best Supporting Actress" bait) is not out of the question.[/quote]

I bet in the new version, they are going to bump up the role to lead stature. Try BEDAZZLED.
Jman383

How about Melora Hardin as Lola?
thegirlfromack

Jman383 wrote:
How about Melora Hardin as Lola?


too old. She's beautiful... but 42. Idk.

What about Rachel McAdams? I don't know much about her singing... but maybe?
Set_Buildin_Dad

My daughter suggested Vanessa Williams. She's a little old but:
1. She's a bona fide star.
2. She still looks dynamite.
3. She has a great singing voice.
4. She was great on Broadway.
Salome

I'd say Krakowski would be perfect!

I'd love to see Paul Sorvino as benny.
star2ballie

Monsieur D'Arque wrote:
Krakowski's had a rather large star turn on NBC's 30 Rock. She's no top-liner, but she's big enough now that a secondary lead (and face it, Lola's "Best Supporting Actress" bait) is not out of the question.


Yeah, I'm thinkin' she's a big enough star...I mean obv. Carrey and Gyllenhaal are the big stars...I think she'd be perfect.
theAGCentertainer

I am officially horrified! is no one else completely disappointed that theyre basically rewriting it. i love movie musicals & i would love for them to come back into popularity as they were in the 40s & 50s but not at the cost of only making it good enough to sell. i adore this show & i'll be so disappointed to see it ruined. i dont hate carrey but i dont feel he has the subtlety to play applegate & can gyllenhaal even sing?? that part has got to be an amazing tenor & i really cant believe gyllenhaal would really hide that all this long. i am extremely frightened. krakowski is wonderful but to be honest she is just not physically built for lola (& yes i know she was in the revival, that doesnt mean it was right. look for pictures!).... oh lord may the theatre gods have mercy on us!

btw i loved the idea of kelsey grammar as applegate but hes getting on in years as well. i always would have loved to see robert preston of the music man do the the role.
Mama Rose

Quote:
but to be honest she is just not physically built for lola



why not?
mantarnia

Gwen wrote:
thegirlfromack wrote:
Jim Carrey and Jake G???

Yikes... can either sing? Is the show going to be almost entirely dubbed? I don't know what to think of it quite honestly...


Jim Carrey can carry a tune; I know that much. (If you've ever listened through the credits of A Series of Unfortunate Events he does a short little song in Captain Sham's voice. I don't know about his real voice, but his singing there didn't sound too bad.)


He also does a reasonable job of "Cuban Pete" in "The Mask" (yes it is really him singing).
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