Terminator Salvation director McG, who got his start behind the camera on music videos, is in talks to direct and produce a film adaptation of the Tony-winning rock musical Spring Awakening. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s developing the project with original book andlyrics writer Steven Sater, who worked with musician Duncan Sheik to create the reimagining of Frank Wedekind’s controversial 1891 play. The story centers on a bevy of male and female students coming of age, and explores homosexuality, S&M, loss of virginity, masturbation, and suicidal tendencies.
Apr 14
2009
09:52 AM ET
McG developing feature film version of Tony-winning musical 'Spring Awakening'
- Comments 38
- Add comment
Fantastic! The music is gorgeous, and everyone I know that’s seen the show has simply raved. It definately has youth appeal, but an adult sophistication, so should produce broad appeal in the theaters.
I LOVED Spring Awakening when I saw it in NYC 2 years ago – but I’m not entirely convinced how the story will translate to film. I’ll hope for the best, but I just don’t think the narrative will flow on screen the right way.
Oh God, please say it isn’t so. While I’m already certain that Spring Awakening, a musical that I love, won’t translate well to film, having someone like McG direct it will ensure that it becomes a laughingstock. I don’t approve. At all.
Everything DOES NOT have to be made into a movie. Leave Spring Awakening the way it is….
I love Spring Awakening, but this is how you know Hollywood has run out of good, original ideas…
YES, everything Does have to be made into a movie, but I’m worried that this one may not translate well.
this had to be made into a moving. it’s no longer running on broadway. how else will the rest of the world get to experience it?
God, I can’t even imagine what they’ll do to Spring Awakening to make it mainstream enough for movie viewers. They’ll probably change the setting to modern day, change all the characters’ names and get Zac Efron to play Melchior. Ugh.
This could be a disaster or it could be really good. Hope they don’t screw it up too much.
LOVED this show. Saw it twice – Once on Broadway and once in LA. I couldn’t believe that it was cancelled on Broadway. I just love the Music. I am looking forward to a Movie and hoping it isn’t butchered along the way. I hope it isn’t rushed out and is really thought out well.
This was bound to happen.
Spring Awakening is a wonderful show, partly because it’s amazing staging, etc. If they keep that aspect of it, the starkness, etc, I think it could be great. Maybe like how they did with Chicago, weaving in and out of traditional film narrative and the theatrical musical numbers!
I just hope they’re careful with the casting – Spring Awakening can stand on it’s own, it doesn’t need to be stocked with the popular tweens of today. Bring back some of the stage cast? I’m sure Hunter Parrish or Jon Groff would be ready and willing for Melchior!
Kill me now. No Seriously just do it. Why McG is payed to make films is totally beyond me. If he cant use CGI or Digital film to make his movies he just cant get it done. And really do you think an 1891 period piece about Sexual discovery is going to look good with a bunch of CGI or choppy digital hand held shooting?! I say again kill me before I can witness such a slaying of an awesome musical!
This makes me really nervous. Part of what made the play so great was it’s unique stage design. Instead of elaborate sets and costumes, they just went with lights, and blocking to keep it fresh and entertaining. I loved that. It’s definitely the most creative show I’ve seen.
I can’t see how they’re going to translate that to film. I assume they’ll maybe get rid of some of those aspects, and that will ruin it.
But, I’m not totally disappointed about McG. Sure, his movies aren’t exactly gems, but he does produce Chuck, which gives me hope that he might be smarter than his movies suggest.
people thought Chicago wouldn’t work as a movie and it turned out to be beautiful and fabulous and darkly compelling, just like the stage show was. The medium does not, and cannot, dictate the quality of the art.
I wrote a blog entry on this earlier today (http://leeraloo.wordpress.com/) but I’ll say it here too: McG is an awful choice of director. He’d probably cast Zac Efron as Melchior and Cameron Diaz as Wendla, and in the end he’d have Germany blow up. I want someone who has experience in small, emotional indie films helming this. Maybe David Gordon Green, who’s directed small films like “All the Real Girls” and “Snow Angels,” as well as bigger studio films, like “Pineapple Express.” He’d be pretty good for this gig.