Meron joins ALW'S Really Useful Group as a consultant

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 11:37am

https://deadline.com/2023/05/neil-meron-andrew-lloyd-webber-really-useful-group-consultant-1235375438/

EXCLUSIVE: Neil Meron, a force behind bring live events to television including such musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar, Annie and The Sound of Music, has joined Andrew Lloyd Webber’s London-based Really Useful Group as a consultant, Lloyd Webber announced today. 

An acclaimed film, television and theater producer, Meron will work closely with RUG’s Licensing and Production team to identify and develop new opportunities for Lloyd Webber’s IP across North America, including mining talent and building new relationships with film companies, networks, streamers, dance companies and new media.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 11:53am

Interesting.

The failure of BAD CINDERELLA and CATS may be an indicator to Andrew that he needs an additional mind in his producing operation, with both JOSEPH and EVITA revivals on the way (though I don't know how much of a producing stake ALW has in the latter), plus the JOSEPH film and of course the very real and definitely-happening SUNSET BLVD film.

Meron is someone who is established and respected enough that perhaps ALW will listen –– more so than Ken Davenport, who previously held a role like this.

Updated On: 5/22/23 at 11:53 AM

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 12:29pm

Predictions:

• They will act on The Show Must Go On, that NBC murder mystery series set behind the scenes of a fictional live broadcast of Phantom, to prime the pump for bringing back the current London version erroneously billed as the "Brilliant Original."
• The JCS remake that never happened eventually resulted in an NBC Live special. I predict Joseph and possibly Sunset Boulevard will also go that route.

Meron primarily does TV. That's what he's there for.

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 12:37pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "Predictions:

• They will act onThe Show Must Go On, that NBC murder mystery series set behind the scenes of a fictional live broadcast ofPhantom, to prime the pump for bringing back the current London version erroneously billed as the "Brilliant Original."
• TheJCSremake that never happened eventually resulted in an NBC Live special. I predictJosephand possiblySunset Boulevardwill also go that route.

Meron primarily does TV. That's what he's there for."

 

 

He's pretty well-rounded across the board in TV, film, and theatre. I love your predictions and am curious what the actual outcomes will be with Meron on board. With Amazon and Chu attached to Joseph, that will more than likely stay the same... a Prime Video original film. But Sunset on the other hand... I foresee another revival or expediting the film remake... it's such a film-centric piece I don't think it would go the live TV musical route.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 12:47pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "With both JOSEPH and EVITA revivals on the way..."

There's a Joseph revival on the way? I thought the Toronto production closing with no transfer announcement and Jac Yarrow being cast in Old Friends, that the Joseph revival isn't happening now.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 12:59pm

I’m happy for Neil. I’m a fan of some of his work. In particular the 1997 Cinderella, the 1999 Annie, The Chicago movie, Hairspray (I prefer the 2016 NBC version over the 2007 movie), A Raisin in the Sun and 2003 The Music Man. The Sound of Music, The Wiz and Peter Pan weren’t bad either.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 3:08pm

Odd pairing but ALW obviously needs an advisor-help on projects moving forward most likely for TV and film. Broadway?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 5:18pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "With Amazon and Chu attached to Joseph, that will more than likely stay the same... a Prime Video original film. But Sunset on the other hand... I foresee another revival or expediting the film remake... it's such a film-centric piece I don't think it would go the live TV musical route."

I'll concede your point on the latter, but Joseph is something else again. It's currently following the same trajectory as the proposed JCS remake.

(For those who don't remember, fresh off the success of Moulin Rouge!, Craig Pearce -- Baz Luhrmann's writing partner -- got a solo development deal at Universal back in 2001 and did several drafts on a JCS remake. Some time afterward, I wanna say 5-7 years later, the same remake was specifically announced as part of Marc Platt's development slate at Universal along with a Wicked film, and he toyed with bringing in Marc Webb, fresh off (500) Days of Summer, to direct. That never happened, and the last anyone heard of it, Baz Luhrmann had a sit-down with TR and ALW just before ALW went under the knife and dropped his prostate. There was some lip service paid in the announcements of the NBC Live venture that the film remake was still on the table, but no one has talked about it since, and Marc Platt was an exec producer on the broadcast, likely to satisfy whatever terms tied him to a film version.)

In Joseph's case, we have heard about this first as an animated feature for Elton John's boutique film studio that never happened, and now as a post-Wicked project for Jon Chu that hinges entirely on Wicked being a success. It may not be immediate, or under Meron's current involvement, but I predict this eventually boils down to a live TV musical without too much trouble.

Updated On: 5/22/23 at 05:18 PM

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 5/22/23 at 11:20pm

Well I do hope that this brings a refocusing to Webber   
 

- the long awaited sunset movie. (I was talking with Glenn Close at the Phantom closing party about it. She says yes it’s still on. “But slowly.  Slowly. Slowly. Slowly”. 
- a Joseph revival (i really hoped the Toronto would transfer 

- some better topics for musicals. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/23/23 at 12:26am

Theatrefanboy1 said: "- the long awaited sunset movie. (I was talking with Glenn Close at the Phantom closing party about it. She says yes it’s still on. “But slowly. Slowly. Slowly. Slowly”."

Glenn can say this is "happening" as long as she wants, but it's up to Paramount (which controls the rights) and the producers, and will require them to get a VERY big star for Joe if they want any kind of financing. She is not a sales commodity on her own, and she's also 76 years old, in an industry where agism and sexism still exist. Attracting a famous costar and financing is an issue when your director is Rob Ashford making his film debut, and your Norma is now 20 years too old for the part. I wish they had just filmed this on stage and put it to bed.

Wait 10-15 years, then give me Gaga in a Pablo Larrain version of this musical. Or a dubbed Cate Blanchett today.