Academy Award winner Catherine Zeta-Jones will star in director Steven Soderbergh's first movie musical, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Cleo," a 3-D rock-n-roll musical about the life of Cleopatra, will feature music by Guided by Voices and a script by James Greer, who formerly played bass for the indie rock band. Zeta-Jones will star in the title role; Tony winner Hugh Jackman is currently in negotiations to play her lover, Marc Antony.
It goes on from there, but that's the gist. This is, to say the least, odd news. Casting Zeta-Jones and Jackman in a musical is perfectly logical--they are both exceptional singers and dancers, and really should do more musicals. But a rock musical about Cleopatra? Maybe, stranger things have worked--though not very many. But in 3-D? Why? Why Zeta-Jones as Cleopatra? She's a bit old for the role, and other than looking vaguely "foreign" to Hollywood eyes doesn't seem to be the right type--Cleopatra was more manipulative seducer than overwhelming sexpot. And why Steven Soderbergh? What connects him to musicals?
It isn't April 1, so can anyone figure out what the rationale behind this is? Will it actually get made? And if so, how on earth would it work?
1 comment:
Anyone remember that this was a running gag in the movie "Dreamgirls?" Jamie Fox wanted to star Beyonce in a rock musical Cleopatra, but she didn't want to be associated with it.
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