Efron/Ortega's 'Footloose' remake fast-tracked at Paramount

[ALIASd]

Posted: Mon., Oct. 27, 2008, 9:00pm PT

Paramount fast-tracks 'Footloose'

Zac Efron close to mid-seven-figure salary deal

Efron

Sollett
By Michael Fleming
Variety

After watching Zac Efron and director Kenny Ortega deliver a $42 million opening weekend for "High School Musical 3," Paramount Pictures has fast-tracked "Footloose" hoping to get the film ready for Efron and Ortega to start production next spring.

The studio has brought on "Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist" director Peter Sollett to rewrite the Jon Hartmere script and hired Craig Zadan and Neil Meron to join Dylan Sellars as producer.

Unlike "HSM3," "Footloose" will aim for an older teen and adult demo. Efron is just about set in a deal that will pay him a mid-seven-figure salary and give him script approval.

Zadan and Meron are established producers of musicals "Chicago" and "Hairspray" the latter of which was Efron’s first feature. Zadan also was a producer of the original 1984 "Footloose." They join Sellers, who has put two years of work into the musical with Ortega.

While Sollett rewrites the Hartmere script, the studio is working on new songs that will complement some of the memorable original tunes. Though the Herb Ross-directed film wasn’t a musical, screenwriter Dean Pitchford wrote lyrics for songs that included the Kenny Loggins title song as well as "Let’s Hear It for the Boy," "Almost Paradise" and "Holding Out for a Hero." At least some of those tunes are expected to be in the new movie.

"Footloose" spawned one of the biggest-selling soundtracks of its era and made a star of Kevin Bacon.

Paramount fast-tracks 'Footloose' - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

'HSM's Zac Efron to star in 'Footloose' remake - 7/10/07

'HSM's Zac Efron to star in 'Footloose' remake

[Dustysage]

This sounds interesting. Footloose was such a great film. I'm not quite sure that it is already time to revive it, but I'm always happy to see new musicals getting made for the big screen.

[sir clinksalot]

Was Footloose really a musical though??? It's been awhile since I've seen it, but I don't remember a whole lot of "Musical" numbers, just dancing.

[Xharryb]

Originally Posted by sir clinksalot

Was Footloose really a musical though??? It's been awhile since I've seen it, but I don't remember a whole lot of "Musical" numbers, just dancing.

No, the original was not a traditional musical. This new version will be though. Personally, I'm not at all interested in this new version.

[Angie_Duke]

Originally Posted by Xharryb

No, the original was not a traditional musical. This new version will be though. Personally, I'm not at all interested in this new version.

I very much dislike it when people refer to the original Footloose as a musical in any sense. None of the songs are sung on camera by any of the characters, let alone advancing the plot or helping to tell the story. They were just good background music that could also stand on their own as great songs (2 of which were nominated for Academy Awards and its those two plus "I'm Free" that are my personal favorites). I'm not interested in this remake either because the original was very much a product of its time (which wasn't that long ago even if it's now almost 25 years) and already alot of fun with a message that doesn't really age. Even if this new film version works as a documentation of the stage adaptation like The Producers, I doubt it will either improve or be equal to the original.

[redrocker]

There already is a musical version of "Footloose"..it was made a while ago and on Broadway (My college has done it as well) so they are adapting that version for the new film. The musical is actually pretty good but i was hoping they wouldn't put it on film..just leave it for theater instead

[ALIASd]

Originally Posted by redrocker

so they are adapting that version for the new film. The musical is actually pretty good but i was hoping they wouldn't put it on film..just leave it for theater instead

There is no mention in either this or the original article from last year that this new film will be adapation of the Broadway musical. They do mention new songs, a new script and that 'Footloose' will be turned into a movie musical rather than remaking a movie that had music in it.

The Kevin Bacon cameo rumors have yet to begin and sadly Chris Penn did not live to see this new version of one of his biggest films.