Universal Eyes AMERICAN IDIOT Film; Mayer to Direct?

Though Universal Pictures has chosen not to produce an IN THE HEIGHTS film, the studio has its sights set on another Broadway hit: Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT.

According to Deadline.com, Dustin Lance Black ('Milk' and TV's 'Big Love') may be called upon to write the script, and Michael Mayer - the Tony Award-winning director of SPRING AWAKENING as well as AMERICAN IDIOT's director - is in talks direct the film as well.

AMERICAN IDIOT began preview performances on March 24, 2010 and opened on Broadway to critical acclaim on April 20, 2010, following its world premiere, twice extended, limited engagement at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre (September 4, 2009 - Sunday, November 15, 2009). The show garnered the 2011 GRAMMY® Award for "Best Musical Show Album," two 2010 Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a record 10 Broadwayworld.com Fan Choice Awards and the show was honored with Actors' Equity Association's Award for "Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity and Equal Opportunity on Broadway."

AMERICAN IDIOT tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for meaning in a post 9-11 world leads them on an exhilarating journey.

Based on Green Day's groundbreaking rock opera American Idiot, Billie Joe Armstrong and the band collaborate with one of the theatre's most acclaimed creative teams, led by the Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award-winning composer and orchestrator Tom Kitt, and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Steven Hoggett, to bring this explosive, iconic album to the stage.

AMERICAN IDIOT currently stars Van Hughes as Johnny, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong as St. Jimmy, David Larsen as Tunny, Justin Guarini as Will, Rebecca Naomi Jones as Whatsername, Libby Winters as The Extraordinary Girl and Jeanna de Waal as Heather. The cast also features Krystina Alabado, Declan Bennett, Jennifer Bowles, Andrew Call, Gerard Canonico, Miguel Cervantes, P.J. Griffith, Brian CharLes Johnson, Jason Kappus, Lorin Latarro, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Leslie McDonel, Chase Peacock, Wallace Smith, Ben Thompson, Alysha Umphress, Aspen Vincent and Mikey Winslow.