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Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Infuses New Kenny Ortega Project
by Ethan Anderton
October 26, 2010
Source: Deadline
After the concert documentary This Is It chronicled the making of what would have been the farewell tour for Michael Jackson, it seemed like Hollywood was done exploiting focusing on the King of Pop in motion pictures. However, Deadline has word on a new project inspired by one of Jackson's most praised works. Apparently a company called Real Effects Entertainment has been shopping around a film package with a story fashioned around the hit song Thriller, which is also largely considered the best music video of all-time. In addition, This Is It director Kenny Ortega is attached to direct from a script by The Break-Up writer Jeremy Garelick.
One of the first music videos to feature a story complete with direction by famed filmmaker John Landis, the full music video for Thriller was essentially a short film that happened to have a killer soundtrack for the walking undead to groove along with in perfect choreography. So how will this transfer to the big screen? Well, the plot is being kept under tight wraps for now, but apparently it delves into the folklore of the song and involves Vincent Price (who provides infamous voiceover and evil laughter in the song) and the town in which the master of horror grew up.
GK Films (the company behind The Town) is working to acquire the project, but it's completely contingent on cooperation with Jackson's estate (which apparently isn't a problem at all, because his siblings always loved capitalizing on his fame in life and now in death. In addition, Fox 2000, Mandate/Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment are all involved in closing the expensive rights deal while the film itself is budgeted at just under $50 million. On a side note, apparently Ivan Reitman and Tom Pollock are looking to do a film based on Jackson's younger years. While I'm all for Jackson being immortalized through his masterful albums and music videos, it's far too soon to be making films like this. Are you interested in a Thriller inspired film?
11 Comments
1
Not no, but hell no.
Venom on Oct 26, 2010
2
Yeah.....I think it's too soon, and honestly---just bad taste. Give it a rest with him for a while. He's made you enough money already to last every one a good, long while.
Will on Oct 26, 2010
3
Wow, they are lootin that corpse like it was this was a diablo/fallout/rpg game... Seriously, producers, STOP IT.
TheBoomShaka on Oct 27, 2010
4
If MJ had stayed married to Lisa Marie Presley, then perhaps his estate would be handled w/the same smart, patient, long-term approach as her father's has been for so many years. Instead, everyone is selling him out every which way and while it may seem exciting for the short term, the public may get sick of it all too quickly.
Gabby L. on Oct 27, 2010
5
give it some time first and it will do ok.........
Jericho on Oct 27, 2010
7
DAMN THEM! I HOPE KENNY ORTEGA BURNS IN HELL WHILE ON EARTH! THEN IN HELL AGAIN!
Ray on Oct 27, 2010
8
I think I had read that Jackson talked to Ortega before he died about using Thriller and another video Jackson did called Ghosts and doing a Halloween inspired work. I don't know if Jackson was talking about a full length movie though, but if anyone knows what Jackson had in mind it would be Ortega.
Tom on Oct 27, 2010
9
Kenny Ortega and every last of these producers should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. Looting off the late MJ. Makes me sick....
Conrad The Great on Oct 27, 2010
10
Uh... his estate is managed by Branca, not his siblings!
cookie on Oct 28, 2010
11
If it was about a character that on Halloween night he would sneak into kids bedrooms and 'play' with them saying he was Peter Pan. When the parents came in he would just throw bundles of money at them then moonwalk out the window. And Gabby, I think the only reason Jacko married Lisa Marie was so he could get his hands on the Elvis estate, remember he hung out with Paul McCartney so he could get the rights to the Beatles tunes. Thriller was the music video to end all music videos, how many synchronised dance farces do you need to see to know that? Also the overproduction of his songs ruined pop music. I'd actually like to see a film where he goes to Afghanistan and stops the war just by singing and touching people with his Jesus hands.
Crapola on Oct 28, 2010
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