LATEST NEWS

Universal Ready to Turn 'American Idiot' Musical Into a Feature Film

by Ethan Anderton
April 13, 2011
Source: Deadline

In case you weren't aware, rock band Green Day had their chart-topping album American Idiot turned into a successful Broadway musical of the same name. Using songs from the album, the musical tells is a coming-of-age story about three small-town guys forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Now Deadline reports Universal is turning the musical into a feature film and they're already talking to Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar for writing Milk, to write the script. In addition, Michael Mayer, the man who directed the stage run of the musical (open until April 24th) is set to direct.

Here's a taste of the Broadway cast performing the song Holiday:

It seems so strange to hear these rock songs belted out in Broadway fashion, but I've heard the musical is actually quite good. And for those Green Day fans who may not be comfortable with lead singer Billie Joe Amstrong not singing these tunes, it's expected he'll be brought in to play the drug dealer St. Jimmy, a cameo which he has made several times on Broadway.

And with an amazing writer like Dustin Lance Black behind the script, I feel like this could be something great to see in theaters. Universal has quite interested in musicals as of late. Aside from bringing Mamma Mia! to the big screen, they're also working on feature film versions of Les Miserables with Tom Hooper directing and the gestating adaptation of Wicked. Hopefully everyone likes a good musical! Thoughts?

Filed under Development, Movie News

From around the web: