After delivering the 14 Oscar-nominated song and dance drama, LA LA LAND, word around the old Hollywood water cooler is that studios are ready to go to the matresses for director Damien Chazelle's next feature film, BABYLON. As you know, things can get rather competitive when a hot, new script is being shopped to potential buyers, and that goes double for when a proven filmmaker is ready to put a price tag on their latest work. According to Deadline, Lionsgate, the studio that distributed Chazelle's LA LA LAND, are the frontrunner for the filmmaker's new project, which now has Emma Stone being eyed for a lead role.
Little is known about Chazelle's BABYLON thus far, beyond that it's "an original drama set in period Hollywood at a shifting moment when the business was turning from silents to talkes." For at time, those digging into the scant details of the project believed it to be another musical, though recent developments have that theory being debunked.
Obviously, Hollywood is hungry for original works, seeing as sequels, reboots and spinoffs are dominating the theater cycle like Dwayne Johnson crushes a nine course meal on Cheat Day. With production being handled by Olivia Hamilton, Matt Plouffe, Marc Platt and Tobey Maguire, BABYLON is expected to be a fresh and exciting endeavor for studio's looking to bring a bit of that old timey Hollywood magic to the big screen. No pressure, Chazelle. No pressure at all, good buddy. You just do you.
Up next for Stone is a role in director Ruben Fleischer's ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP, in which the MANIAC actress will reprise her role as Wichita from the 2009 original. Joining Stone for the zombie-related action comedy sequel are returning stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Abigail Breslin, with Zoey Deutch, Bill Murray and Rosario Dawson also expected to star. Meanwhile, Stone is also set to portray the Dalmatian-napping villain, Cruella de Vil, for CRUELLA, a feature film destined for a Disney+ debut in December of 2020. While her dance card is never short of partners, here's hoping that Stone can carve out enough time to join Chazelle for BABYLON.