Greenlit means a project is officially a go, so all you have to do is follow these leads to stay up to date. You never know where you’ll find an opportunity to land an audition!
“Rugrats”
With recent revivals of popular animated series like “Animaniacs!,” “Rocko’s Modern Life,” “Daria,” and more, millennials have no shortage of childhood favorites to revisit, and another big series can be added to that list. The hit Nickelodeon cartoon “Rugrats” will be the latest series to receive a relaunch. The network and Paramount Pictures have given a 26-episode order for an animated revival, as well as a live-action and CGI movie featuring the characters from the celebrated 90s cartoon. Original creators Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain will all return as executive producers. The movie is expected to be released in 2020, and the airdate for the series is expected to be released in the coming months. There’s no word yet about who, if any, of the original voice cast will return, or if series CDs Barbara Wright and Maryanne Dacey will do the staffing, but with a series and movie, there will likely be plenty of voice and live-action parts for new characters.
“Tick, Tick...Boom!”
The world already knows Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has quickly become one of the arts’ most influential names since the debut of “Hamilton.” Miranda has already been actively working in film, writing the score for Disney’s “Moana,” starring in the upcoming “Mary Poppins Returns,” and finally getting the movie adaptation of his debut musical “In the Heights” off the ground. Now, Miranda will wear yet another hat to direct the upcoming film adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s “Tick, Tick...Boom!”, the semi-autobiographical musical about an aspiring composer in early 1990s New York City. There’s no one attached yet to cast the project, but since he has collaborated with Telsey + Company on both of his stage shows, he might turn to them for his film directorial debut.
“Cats”
Circle the date on your calendar: we’re getting a little bit closer to the Jellicle Ball. Big casting news for the upcoming film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” was announced last week, as it seems the production is going for some major names to fill the fursuits. Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, Taylor Swift, and Sir Ian McKellen have all been tapped to join the “Cats” film cast. Hudson will play Grizabella, but it’s yet to be announced who the other three stars will play. Although this is on track to be a superstar-filled cast, to fill non-leads, background, and more, Hooper will likely turn to frequent collaborator Nina Gold.
“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”
The pants have traveled far and wide and now have sights set on the Great White Way. A musical adaptation of the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (and its 2008 sequel) starring Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, and Alexis Bledel is slated to begin production after Blue Spruce Productions acquired the rights from Warner Bros. It’s still early in the process so there is no guarantee the much-anticipated project will make it to the stage, but keep an eye out for workshops and developments, especially with Broadway favourite musical CDs Tara Rubin and Telsey + Company.
“All Day & A Night”
Netflix continues to add an exciting array of films to its upcoming lineup. According to Deadline, Ashton Sanders will join Jeffrey Wright to star in the upcoming drama “All Day & A Night,” written and directed by Joe Robert Cole of “Black Panther.” Sanders will play Jah, a young man who committed a homicide and is facing a relentless prison sentence. The film is scheduled to begin filming on July 30 so keep your eyes open for casting notices soon.
“How to Build a Girl”
The upcoming Beanie Feldstein coming-of-age comedy “How to Build a Girl” is now off the ground. The flick, which will star Feldstein, Alfie Allen, Paddy Considine, and more, has found a home in the U.K., with Lionsgate distributing. Feldstein will play Johanna Morrigan, a smart, opinionated, and overweight teenager who seeks to make a name for herself, and does so by reinventing herself as Dolly Wilde, a rock music critic. The shoot for the film is apparently underway, so watch the door of casting director Shaheen Baig.
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