Steven Soderbergh Plans 3-D Cleopatra Musical with Guided by Voices
Well what do you know, more 3-D news today, although in this case it’s coming from the unlikeliest of sources. Word on the street is that indie film maverick Steven Soderbergh is developing a 3-D movie based on the story of Egyptian queen Cleopatra. He supposedly has Catherine Zeta-Jones in mind to play the lead, with Hugh Jackman as her lover Marc Antony. But here’s where it gets even weirder: the movie is also going to be a rock n roll musical, with music provided by indie rock gods Guided by Voices! What the–???
Variety reports that the movie is called simply Cleo, and will be budgeted at $30 million. Former GBV bassist and author James Greer wrote the script. Wow. Soderbergh has always been one for experimentation, but this is pretty crazy even for him. The use of 3-D is especially surprising; clearly he’s comfortable with using new technology, but it just seems way too gimmicky for someone like him. At any rate, we’ve now got one more acclaimed filmmaker trying to figure out the potential that this medium might hold. I’m very curious to see what comes of this oddball project.
Comments (3)
3-D movies show no potential at all. Period. It’s a gimmicky waste of time that really doesn’t offer that much more to a movie. If 3-D becomes mainstream, I will stop watching movies.
Posted by twilightfox008 on October 24th, 20083-D or not, a rock opera with Guided by Voices sounds too good to be true. If this becomes a reality, it should be interesting.
Posted by Nuno on October 24th, 2008Wait, so is GBV going to perform/write the songs, or just Greer? This sounds batshit insane—so I’m totally stoked. If it actually happens. GBV are one of my favorite bands.
Posted by Joel on October 26th, 2008Leave a Reply