Soderbergh Fits Cleopatra Musical Into Busy Schedule
Back in 2005 when Steven Soderbergh wrote the forward for a book about lo-fi band Guided by Voices, he asked author/band member James Greer to write a rock opera for him that he hoped would star Catherine Zeta-Jones as Cleopatra.
It sounds like a joke, but apparently Soderbergh is ready to roll on the project and he’s not only hoping Catherine Zeta-Jones will play the queen, but that Hugh Jackman will play her lover, Marc Antony. Oh, and it’s also supposed to be in 3-D.
Greer not only contributed the script, but Guided by Voices will provide the music for the film budgeted at $30 million.
Soderbergh’s Che is on the verge of being released in the US to be followed by the Matt Damon starring The Informant. After that, Soderbergh is set to work on the low-budget The Girlfriend Experience with porn star Sasha Grey and then perhaps Cleo. Don’t forget he’s also got the Richard LaGravanese Liberace script on tap with Michael Douglas as the flamboyant piano player and Matt Damon as the companion who sued him for palimony.
Say what you want about Soderbergh. He’s not exactly predictable.
Source: Variety
Filed under: Development, News
Tags: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cleo, Guided by Voices, Hugh Jackman, James Greer, Liberace, Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Richard LaGravanese, Sasha Grey, Steven Soderbergh, The Girlfriend Experience, The Informant
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Huh. Nope, not April 1st.
Uh, wow. Not the Soderbergh news I was expecting.
It’s like he’s saying to himself “hmmm…what can I do that no one would expect.”
Rumors of this one have been kicking around for a while, but it was news to me. Had I heard it before I wouldn’t have believed it.
I would hope that they would dump the 3D jazz.
But, other than that…
STEVEN SODERBURGH and CZJ???
I’d be heaven…
CZJ can sing and dance beautifully. She’d be the perfect CLEOPATRA.
Unless, of course, someone asked me…
And Hugh Jackman. Don’t forget Hugh Jackman in all of this. An extremely talented actor and singer.
The 3-D jazz is more icing on the strange cake, though I have to believe it won’t be a distraction and there will be plenty of opportunity to see it in 2D.
Hugh is a multi-talented guy. So many people knew him from just the X-Men movies, they were surprised when he turned up in Oklahoma.
He’s the only guy I would think could pull this off.
Everyone knows I’m totally in the tank for Soderbergh so I’m on board no matter what.