edonline
10-01-2004, 09:17 AM
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=filmNews&storyID=6384777
Revolution Studios Writing 'Rent' Check
Fri Oct 1, 2004 12:33 AM ET
By Liza Foreman
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Revolution Studios is the newest studio to take on the challenge of adapting the long-running Broadway musical "Rent" for the big screen.
Joe Roth's Sony-based company is to begin filming the project, with Chris Columbus at the helm, during the first quarter of next year. The film is set for a holiday 2005 release.
With book, music and lyrics by the late Jonathan Larson, "Rent," loosely inspired by Puccini's opera "La Boheme," tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to survive in New York's East Village. The musical, which won four Tonys in 1996, including best musical, has been adapted for the screen by Columbus and Stephen Chbosky.
The musical originally was optioned for the screen by Miramax Films, which at one point explored the possibility of making the film with Spike Lee in the director's chair.
When Columbus became involved in the project this year, film rights were acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures, where Columbus' 1492 production company is headquartered. At the time, Miramax retained rights of first refusal for co-financing and distribution of the film.
Now that the project has moved to Revolution, Miramax no longer retains those rights.
"Rent" marks the second collaboration between Revolution and Columbus, who brought the project to the studio. Revolution recently finished production on "Christmas With the Kranks," an adaptation of John Grisham's best seller "Skipping Christmas," which was directed by Roth. Columbus wrote the screenplay and produced the holiday comedy, which stars Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis and will be released by Sony Pictures on Nov. 24th.
Columbus and Roth also worked together on "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" when Roth headed 20th Century Fox.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Revolution Studios Writing 'Rent' Check
Fri Oct 1, 2004 12:33 AM ET
By Liza Foreman
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Revolution Studios is the newest studio to take on the challenge of adapting the long-running Broadway musical "Rent" for the big screen.
Joe Roth's Sony-based company is to begin filming the project, with Chris Columbus at the helm, during the first quarter of next year. The film is set for a holiday 2005 release.
With book, music and lyrics by the late Jonathan Larson, "Rent," loosely inspired by Puccini's opera "La Boheme," tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to survive in New York's East Village. The musical, which won four Tonys in 1996, including best musical, has been adapted for the screen by Columbus and Stephen Chbosky.
The musical originally was optioned for the screen by Miramax Films, which at one point explored the possibility of making the film with Spike Lee in the director's chair.
When Columbus became involved in the project this year, film rights were acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures, where Columbus' 1492 production company is headquartered. At the time, Miramax retained rights of first refusal for co-financing and distribution of the film.
Now that the project has moved to Revolution, Miramax no longer retains those rights.
"Rent" marks the second collaboration between Revolution and Columbus, who brought the project to the studio. Revolution recently finished production on "Christmas With the Kranks," an adaptation of John Grisham's best seller "Skipping Christmas," which was directed by Roth. Columbus wrote the screenplay and produced the holiday comedy, which stars Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis and will be released by Sony Pictures on Nov. 24th.
Columbus and Roth also worked together on "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" when Roth headed 20th Century Fox.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter