Shankman set to Rock

If in your office betting pool about which Broadway musical was going to make it to the big screen next, you put your money on ROCK OF AGES, prepare to buy yourself a new coffee maker. Adam Shankman, the man behind the recent film adaptation of HAIRSPRAY, has just signed on to do the same for ROCK OF AGES, a musical that even I can appreciate due to its totally boss track list.

The play features a love story set to the ‘80s sounds of Journey, Twisted Sister, Joan Jett, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar and more. Shankman is excited about the project, and has adopted a “go big or go home” mentality about it, due to the fact that he thinks he’s going to be able to reach a wider audience thanks to the tunes of the play.

“I had the best time of my life making ‘Hairspray’ and badly wanted another musical, and when I watched ‘Rock of Ages,’ I was struck by the fact that not only had much of the audience seen it more than once, every guy in the audience knew the words to the songs. What an extraordinary opportunity to open the genre to an audience that otherwise wouldn’t go see a musical.”

“I’m thinking big, and absolutely am going to attempt to cast with movie stars. Now that musicals are working again, actors are much more open to it.”

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Hugh Jackman as Jon Bon Jovi. Yup. Just so long as it’s not Mark Wahlberg. Production begins on ROCK OF AGES next summer, with a 2011 release date in mind, so long as New Line clears all the music rights with the respective artists in time.