The false rumor that Slumdog Millionaire’s Danny Boyle would direct the next James Bond movie dominated the news cycle today, but the Academy Award winner is the talk of the town for another high-profile gig. It may sound far-fetched, but numerous sources tell EW that Boyle is talking to Sony Pictures about helming the studio’s remake of the musical My Fair Lady, which already has a screenplay by actor-writer Emma Thompson. In fact, one source says that Boyle’s interest in Lady has prevented him from working on the teen-assassin project Hanna, from screenwriter Seth Lockheed, which Boyle has been developing for a while. Both Sony and Boyle’s reps declined comment.
Whether he would actually do My Fair Lady or not is another matter, but Boyle has never been one to follow the rules. His indie edge might be just the jolt the staid Eliza Doolittle could use. You never know, the results could be loverly….
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WHY????? the original is the best
I think this could be fantastic; I read an interview with Emma Thompson where she mentioned the project and her hopes that Hugh Laurie would be cast as Henry Higgens…which only adds to my level of excitement!
Maybe if Hugh Laurie is Prof. Higgins and….what am I talking about!? I will shun this like Dwight Schrute.
Another update? Remake? Why don’t they just bring it back to Broadway? I hope Danny keeps his indie edge. He’s at the top now. Danny, don’t do the big budget over the top musical, please don’t.
This is the worst idea ever. Boyle is awesome. Musicals suck.
MDK, don’t diss musicals, they’re amazing.
hugh laurie would make a nice henry higgins. but i have two words for you in regards to eliza doolittle….
anne hathaway.
i want it.
Honestly?
He’s a good director, yes.
but a musical is different than a bollywood indie.
don’t touch a classic and expect gold to pop out. please don’t.
Shannon, musicals are crap. Why would I watch movie where characters randomly break into choreographed song and dance? It’s stupid.
I don’t know about this. I love Danny Boyle since ‘Shallow Grave’ & I love ‘My Fair Lady.’ However, the two don’t seem to belong together. On the other hand, I found the movie version kinda blah, so he might be able to add some life this time around. I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
“musicals are crap. Why would I watch movie where characters randomly break into choreographed song and dance?”
It’s called fantasy, you dope.
It’s a perfect choice. His movies are full of music and visual magic….what better choice is there? Look how boring all the recent musicals have been…I think it’s a great idea.
Mark, “It’s called fantasy, you dope.” Good call buddy, way to prove your point…actually I’d much rather watch a narrative “fantasy” film like LOTR where actors stay in character rather than prancing around and singing a song. Musicals are the worst genre of film in the history of cinema.
I’m all for Boyle doing a musical, but does he have to touch a beloved classic like “My Fair Lady”? Why not try something original, or adapt a good stage show that hasn’t been brought to the big screen yet?
“Would’nt it be lovley” indeed if Hugh Laurie was Henry Higgens! But who could be Eliza?
“actually I’d much rather watch a narrative ‘fantasy’ film like LOTR where actors stay in character rather than prancing around and singing a song.”
That’s your choice and you’re entitled. But just so you know, actors in musicals technically ARE staying “in character” — in most cases, the characters resort to song as way to express heightened emotions that they couldn’t express in mere words. It’s a very different kind of fantasy than any sci-fi or action-adventure, but it’s no less legitimate.
“Musicals are the worst genre of film in the history of cinema.”
Again, that’s your opinion, buddy. Otherwise, why are there so many that have won major awards (“The Sound Of Music”), have been critically acclaimed and considered classics (“Singin’ In The Rain”), or have done well at the box office (“Hairspray,” “Mamma Mia”)?
I don’t think a classic like my fair lady should be remade at all. Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn were both excellent and I don’t think a modern remake could live up to the standard they set.
I read the producers have talked to Keira Knightley about playing Eliza. Keira sings in her upcoming film “The Edge of Love.”
Wasn’t Keira Knightley in line to play Eliza?
Whoops, didn’t see your post there Doug, lol
I don’t understand why people want to remake what is already a fantastic movie musical. They’re all just setting themselves up for spectatcular failure.
I agree with everyone who thinks this movie shouldn’t be remade. Its a classic which stands the test of time. It doesn’t seem old or outdated and the performances are outstanding. I heard they are even going to use the same exact songs in the remake. So what’s the point? If you want to remake an old move musical re-make West Side Story. THAT musical is outdated. Leave My fair Lady alone!
I can’t believe they want to remake this! What is the point? Unless they cast Julie Andrews as Eliza and use a spectacular amount of CGI to make her look young, I don’t think anyone could do this part justice. I bet they’ll cast Colin Firth as Henry. He plays pretentious so well. Gotta love the Firth.
This is a bad idea.
No remake please. Thank you.
Correct me if I am wrong, but is this the project that I heard was going to have not just Knightley as Dolittle, but *Daniel Day-Lewis* as Higgins? That was the thing that took it from “not now not ever” to “er.. what? Guess I’ll have to watch it now” for me…
Keira Knightly is already signed on to play Eliza. She is already taking singing and dancing lessons. There have been rumors from Daniel Craig to Daniel Day Lewis to play Higgins. I have talked to the Producers and they told me that when a Director is signed on then the Director will choose who will play Higgins. I was told that Colin Firth is high up on their list as a possible Higgins. I think Firth would be great as Higgins. He looks the part, there is the correct age difference between him and Knightly, he has singing experience in Mamma Mia and The Importance of Being Earnest, and he is the best in the business as the brooding upper-class English gentlemen.
At first I was apprehensive about a remake of My Fair Lady (its a classic movie), but I saw that Emma Thompson has written the screenplay and that makes me feel better about it and if Keira Knightley stars in it, it won’t be so bad.
Stop re-making classics movies.
Make something new and original. And good.
My first reaction to this is “NOOOO!” No one could ever come close to Audrey and Rex. I would be afraid that they would cast big names with little singing talent (sorry, Colin Firth cannot sing very well)I don’t know about Keira. Then there would be the HUGE budget (the costumes! The Ascot scene!!) Why remake it at all and have it be a huge disappointment? Many times big name actors do not mean a good movie.
After the Oscars, is it too much to hope for Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.