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Word on the street is that old Clint “Jazz Hands” Eastwood is considering a movie adaptation of Jersey Boys as his next film. The growling, 82-year-old republican might not be the first director who comes to mind when you think “musicals,” but let’s not forget, he did sing the theme song to Gran Torino. I like to think Jersey Boys will be the world’s first “Gookbox Musical.” In that it will be about Clint Eastwood boxing gooks (his words).
Word has spread around Hollywood that the legendary filmmaker has set his sights on an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Jersey Boys. Multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Eastwood is in talks with production entity GK Films and Warner Bros. to take on the high-profile project, though neither the studio nor the production company or Eastwood’s reps would confirm the negotiations.
Based on the mega-hit Tony-winning musical, the story chronicles the rise of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and the group’s eventual breakup.
Eastwood, whose most recent film as director was 2011’s J. Edgar (he starred in and produced but did not direct September’s Trouble With the Curve), has long been looking to bring A Star Is Born back to the big screen. Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding is the current choice to star, but that project is having difficulty casting a male lead, with a number of stars passing (Sean Penn’s name being the latest to surface).
Insiders say Eastwood would look to direct Jersey Boys, then follow with Star Is Born. [THR]
With a style that’s the antithesis of OCD tinkerers like David Fincher or Stanley Kubrick, Clint Eastwood is notorious for shooting movies quickly, to the point that he’s been known to shoot shots the actors thought were rehearsals, and then move onto the next one without doing another take. In Gran Torino in particular, where he was working with a bunch of first-time Hmong actors, the actors would go from looking seasoned in one scene to looking like complete amateurs in others, I’m assuming because old Eastwood didn’t feel like doing more than three takes. It’ll be interesting to see how that style plays on the set of musical, and by that I mean I can’t wait for him to accuse his actors of being “light in the loafers” and make theater kids cry. I think I’d rather see the making-of than the actual movie.
Above: “Squint Eastwood,” a tribute to Clint Eastwood’s confused reaction shots.
