Variety is reporting that teen-throb and star of Disney's first three "High School Musical" films Zac Efron is in negotiations to re-team with 17 Again director Burr Steers on an adaptation of the novel "The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud." The film looks to be the next project for Efron, who just bailed out of Paramount's Footloose remake.
Former "Good Morning America" executive producer Ben Sherwood wrote the book, about a caretaker at a cemetery who manages to have weekly meetings with a younger brother whose accidental death he feels was his fault. Marc Platt is producer, and while Efron's deal is still being negotiated, Steers is set and has already begun working a script originally written by Craig Pearce, with James Schamus and Lewis Colick are turning in drafts.
Production will begin in July reports Variety. Click here for full story.
Hollywood news website The Wrap had reported earlier this week that Zac Efron dropped out of Paramount's planned remake of "Footloose," in what seems an apparent effort to push his career beyond fame as just a cute song-and-dance man.
Efron told the studio last week that he did not want to do another musical at this point in his career, according to a senior member of the production team who spoke with The Wrap.
Paramount commented, in a statement to The Wrap that, "Footloose is a project we've longed to see re-booted for a new generation. While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise. Their fresh take on the film will undoubtedly be filled with the same kind of breakout performances that we've come to expect from them."
To read the full article at TheWrap.com click here.
Efron was to play Kevin Bacon's original role of Ren McCormack, "the rebellious newcomer in a town where dancing has been banned."
The new film Footloose will be expanded into a "full-blown movie musical" from the earlier film with songs. Footloose also starred Lori Singer and John Lithgow. It was originally written by Dean Pitchford and directed by Herbert Ross. A Broadway musical version of Footloose was previously staged in 1998.
Efron's other credits include "The Replacements," "Heist," "Summerland", "High School Musical 2" and "High School Musical 3."
The Hairspray film, co-starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah and more was released on July 20th, 2007.
Photo Credit: Sarah DeBoer/Retna Ltd.
