Welcome to Rumorville! Here you can learn about casting news that’s about to break in Hollywood. These speculations might be only rumors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t follow the trail all the way to the audition room.
“Hamilton”
Will the mega-hit musical “Hamilton” get its shot on the big screen? Signs are currently pointing to yes. According to the Wall Street Journal, the hip-hop musical will be making its way to a new type of theater with the original cast members as early as 2020. Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda announced in 2016 they had recorded a full version to be released at a later date, but that date has been up in the air now for a while. Now, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox are reportedly bidding to bring the original cast recording to theaters across the country. Of course, no further casting will be needed for this filmed version, but as the potential for an original film version still very much exists, that might not always be true for principal cast plus background, dancers, and more would be needed to fill in the expanded world when the story jumps from stage to screen. Bethany Knox from Telsey + Company was in charge of casting all productions of the show thus far, so it would make sense she would stay on board when the time comes for an actual movie version.
“Frasier”
Those tossed salads and scrambled eggs are calling again for Kelsey Grammer, who is reportedly missing his career-defining character, Frasier Crane. The actor is reportedly putting out feelers at CBS for a revival of the 11-season farce comedy “Frasier.” The revival would likely feature Crane in a new city, likely San Francisco, California, as the final season concluded. Grammer may be optimistic, but this would be a tough show to put together, even with Frasier in a new city, since the death of Marty Crane actor John Mahoney (as well as Eddie’s portrayer, Moose), but CBS has been leaning into revivals, especially for its fall TV season. Keep an eye out for Jeff Greenberg’s door if the announcement goes through, as it would make sense he’ll return for casting.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”
Speaking of reboots, the long-overdue rumor has come to light that the hit Joss Whedon supernatural series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” may return to the airwaves. According to Deadline, a reboot is in development at Fox 21 TV Studios, the cable and streaming division of 20th Century Fox TV, with “Midnight, Texas” creator Monica Owusu-Breen tapped as head writer. The reboot is looking to be a little bit more diverse than the original, according to sources, and will aim to cast a Black slayer. Whedon is about to make his TV return with the HBO series “The Nevers,” but a return is now officially a possibility, with frequent Whedon collaborator Anya Colloff likely running casting.
“Dreamgirls”
While “Dreamgirls” tears up the West End, an exploratory Broadway casting notice has made an appearance. Sonia Friedman Productions, who is currently producing the show in London, and director Casey Nicholaw are attached to the new notice, which calls for auditions for seven principal roles, including the Dreamgirls themselves, with dates to be announced either later this year or next year. This is not the first time casting notices for a Broadway run have appeared—notices also popped up last year without any resolution or further action. While the news hasn’t been made official yet, the return of “Dreamgirls” seems imminent, especially considering it’s been more than three decades since its only Broadway revival.
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