Breaking News: Movie Musical Version of SUNSET BOULEVARD in the Works! Glenn Close to Star?

By: Jan. 04, 2016
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Norma's coming back to the big screen! As BroadwayWorld previously announced, Glenn Close will star as Norma Desmond in SUNSET BOULEVARD, presented by English National Opera (ENO) and the GradeLinnit Company, this coming spring. Now, writer Christopher Hampton revealed that a movie version of the musical is in the works, according to the Evening Standard. He told ES: "In fact we are looking down the line to make a movie of it later. When we first did Sunset Boulevard it was somehow still too close to the original. Now you have to ask yourself and find a director who would ask 'What is there about this story that was made so perfectly in 1950 that justified me doing it again?' "

As for whether Close will star, he added: "It is not my decision but as far as I'm concerned that is what I'm thinking. We've just had a series of talks with Paramount so everything is in place and hopefully we can get it done while Glenn is in London."

Click here to read the full article.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, SUNSET BOULEVARD is produced by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd and is based on the original Paramount film by Billy Wilder. Lonny Price will direct the strictly limited run of 43 performances at ENO's London Coliseum which begins on 1 April 2016 with press night on 4 April 2016 at 7.30pm and final performance on 7 May 2016.

The full ENO orchestra will appear on stage alongside the cast in this semi-staged production. Further casting is to be announced. Glenn Close, making her West End debut as well as her first reprisal of the role for UK audiences, plays faded silent movie star Norma Desmond, for which she has previously won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and a Dramalogue Award for the Broadway production directed by Trevor Nunn.

In her mansion on SUNSET BOULEVARD, faded, silent-screen goddess, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screen writer, Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive world. Persuaded to work on Norma's 'masterpiece', a film script that she believes will put her back in front of the cameras, he is seduced by her and her luxurious life-style. Joe becomes entrapped in a claustrophobic world until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free with dramatic consequences.

For tickets and more information, visit www.eno.org.



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