John Travolta and Queen Latifah to star in 'Hairspray' remake

**muchlove** · March 3rd, 2006, 04:37 PM

New Line Cinema has made pay-or-play deals with John Travolta and Queen Latifah to star in the Adam Shankman-directed musical Hairspray, which will begin production in Baltimore and Toronto in September. Variety says Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producing.

Travolta will play downtrodden housewife Edna Turnblad and Latifah takes on the role of Motormouth Maybelle, a civil rights activist and dance show host in the 1962-set musical.

The film is set for a summer 2007 release.

A nationwide search is on to find a fresh face for the lead, Tracy Turnblad, a chubby teen played by Ricki Lake in John Waters' original film and by Marissa Jaret Winokur in the Tony-winning stage musical.

Open calls have already been held in New York, Atlanta and Chicago, with other cities planned, including Baltimore.

Travolta's deal ended a tug of war for his fall slot between New Line and Fox/New Regency, which had been trying to secure him to play J.R. Ewing in Dallas. Travolta is still eager to play that role, but the film will have to be pushed back if that is to happen.

Shankman, who is also choreographing, will begin rehearsals in the summer. Leslie Dixon wrote the script and Marc Shaiman wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics with Scott Wittman.

Shaiman and Wittman, who won Tony Awards for score for the Broadway musical, will write several additional songs for the movie, and the singing and dancing for Travolta's character will be greatly expanded beyond what was done onstage.

Latifah reunites with her Bringing Down the House helmer Shankman, as well as Zadan and Meron, who executive produced Chicago. Once again, she's got a role that will display her vocal prowess, the producers said.

comingsoon.net

**hello** · March 3rd, 2006, 04:42 PM

It will suck. Nothing further.

**AliceInWonderland** · March 3rd, 2006, 04:43 PM

When are they gonna come outta the closet?

**Laurent** · March 3rd, 2006, 04:44 PM

I assumed Travolta would be tapped to play Tracy's boyfriend Link. Instead he's playing the obese mom!

**007mommy** · March 3rd, 2006, 05:06 PM

no no no please no...leave the original alone!!!

**Lobelia** · March 3rd, 2006, 05:31 PM

Now you all KNOW who was an extra in the original, right?

**LynnieD** · March 3rd, 2006, 06:19 PM

Bunch of Queens in Hairspray??? NO WAY!!!

**Bellatheball** · March 3rd, 2006, 06:24 PM

I'm con-fu-said. What does Hairspray have to do with Scientology?

**Keebleralves** · March 3rd, 2006, 06:25 PM

I dont think John Travolta should be in any movies remakes or whatever that concern HAIR especailly not after those bad hair plugs he just got.

**NoDayButToday** · March 3rd, 2006, 06:31 PM

I'm sorry, but this is the best freaking news ever. Travolta playing Edna? AWESOME! I'll see it no problem. The music is good too

**Daphne** · March 3rd, 2006, 07:15 PM

Does there need to be another Hairspray? I think the Waters' one is great.

**tulip** · March 4th, 2006, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Daphne

Does there need to be another Hairspray? I think the Waters' one is great.

ITA -- the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread: "Why?"

**CherryDarling** · March 5th, 2006, 12:29 AM

???????????

Ooooooooooooook. Should be strange mix there.

**SVZ** · March 5th, 2006, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by Lobelia

Now you all KNOW who was an extra in the original, right?

was it a crazy fuckwit who's done everything?

**NoDayButToday** · March 5th, 2006, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by Daphne

Does there need to be another Hairspray? I think the Waters' one is great.

There's a Broadway musical that they made of the movie a few years back. It's hugely successful and I think there's just as much a market for a musical of that as there was for a Chicago or The Producers (which yeah, musicals aren't always the biggest blockbusters, but they usually get decent video sales and there's a good number of Broadway fans who would like to see it). To me, it's a totally separate thing than just remaking the movie.