Variety, Playbill and other websites are reporting on what could turn out to be Marion Cotillard’s follow-up project on La Vie en Rose: a film version of ‘Nine’, based on the Tony Award-winning musical.

The Weinstein Co. is in talks with Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Javier Bardem to star in the musical. Marshall, who wanted to set his cast early to custom-fit the roles to the strengths of each performer, is also courting Sophia Loren and his “Chicago” star Catherine Zeta-Jones. Marshall will produce and choreograph with John DeLuca, his partner in Lucamar Prods.

Bardem just got the offer to play director Guido Contini, who experiences a creative and personal crisis as he tries to balance all the women in his life. That includes his wife, mistress, his film-star muse, agent and even his mother. Raul Julia originated the role onstage, and Antonio Banderas played it in the revival. The musical was inspired by the Fellini film “8 ½.” Cruz is in talks to play Carla, Contini’s mistress, while Cotillard is to play his wife, Louisa. Although they have not yet committed, Zeta-Jones is being courted to play the director’s muse, and Loren his mother, who appears as a ghost.

Michael Tolkin is adapting the script, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, the composer and lyricist of the original production. Mario Fratti adapted the original Broadway production; Arthur Kopit wrote the book. TWC acquired rights from Kopit and Yeston, who will be exec producers.

The combination of the sexy subject matter, and the fact Marshall is making his first musical since directing “Chicago” for Harvey Weinstein at Miramax, has made the four female roles enticing to many actresses with vocal and dancing ability.

Apparently they aim at a shooting start next March and a theatrical release for December 08. Rob Marshall told Playbill.com more about the casting process:

We’ve seen probably every feature-film actress in Hollywood for the women. We’re casting in New York, in Los Angeles, in London, in Paris and in Rome, so it’s been a huge undertaking — and we’re still doing it. Sometimes, there are real surprises. It’s just like casting ‘Chicago’ because we don’t know what film actors can sing. Sometimes there will be a surprise, and sometimes they’ll be a disappointment for someone you really love as an actor and they just can’t sing it.

This certainly sounds like an exciting project and I hope it turns out to be true that Marion will be part of it!

August 20, 2007

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Posted by Mia • Filed In News & Rumours