'Grittier' OLIVER! Reboot Headed to the Big Screen Soon?

Film, glorious film! According to the Daily Mail, a "grittier" big screen version of Lionel Bart's OLIVER! will likely go into production next year, via Cameron Mackintosh and Working Title Films.

BroadwayWorld reported last winter that a reboot of the 1960 musical was in the works, with Tony- and Olivier-winning choregrapher Matthew Bourne on the creative team.

OLIVER!, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, is based upon the novel OLIVER TWIST by Charles Dickens, which follows a boy who runs away from an orphanage and joins a group of pickpockets. It premiered in the West End in 1960, enjoying a long run, a successful Broadway production in 1963 and further tours and revivals. Major London revivals played in the late '70s, mid-'90s and late '00s -- all of which were produced by Mackintosh.

The first film adaptation, directed by Carol Reed, debuted in 1968 and won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Music/Score and Best Art Direction/Set Decoration. OLIVER! starred Mark Lester as Oliver, Jack Wild as The Artful Dodger, Ron Moody as Fagin and Shani Wallis as Nancy.

Among Mackintosh's producing credits are LES MISERABLES, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, MARY POPPINS, MISS SAIGON and CATS.