It's been revealed that Marvel alum Chris Evans may be going from patriotic shield-slinger to pathological plant food for Greg Berlanti's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.
So far, the Berlanti-directed re-imagining has stars the likes of Scarlett Johansson (JOJO RABBIT, BLACK WIDOW) and Taron Egerton (ROCKETMAN, KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE) being eyed for the roles of Audrey and Seymour, respectively, with Billy Porter already signed to voice Audrey II, the venus flytrap-looking alien creator hellbent on world domination after consuming enough "food" to grow beyond its flower shop prison. To be clear, Johansson and Egerton have yet to sign on the dotted line, though Warner Bros. is hopeful that both with join the effort in bringing LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS to theaters once more for a spirited update of the classic musical.
According to THR, Evans will play the role of dentist Orin Scrivello, Audrey’s abusive and sadistic boyfriend who finds great pleasure of causing pain to those who dare to indulge his twisted oral fixations. In the 1986 original film from director Frank Oz, Steve Martin assumed the role of Orin Scrivello D.D.S., who portrayed the villain as a motorcyle-riding greaser whose interests included inciting spats of domestic abuse as well as operating on patients while under the influence of nitrous oxide (laughing gas).
Evans recently tweeted about his excitement for the upcoming project:
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS started out as a horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman in 1960. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman teamed up to turn the concept into a stage musical in 1982, and director Frank Oz brought the musical to the screen with a film released in 1986. The story goes a little something like this:
Meek flower shop assistant Seymour pines for co-worker Audrey. During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II, which feeds only on human flesh and blood. The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the previously struggling store. After Seymour feeds Audrey's boyfriend, Orin, to the plant after Orin's accidental death, he must come up with more bodies for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant.
Plans are to shoot the new adaptation, which Marc Platt, Sarah Schechter, and Berlanti are producing, this summer.