Follow MovieBlips on Twitter
Jazz Singer: Whitaker Plans Armstrong Biopic
At The Movies - Film News and Reviews —
Forest Whitaker, jazz man.
Variety reports that Forest Whitaker is planning to direct and star in What a Wonderful World, a biography of influential jazz trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong. Ron Bass is writing the script. Oscar Cohen, executive of the Armstrong estate and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation are cooperating and getting producer credits.
Filming is expected to begin in Louisiana this summer. That’s not just because of the plentiful tax credits LA’s been offering to attract film biz–Armstrong was born in New Orleans. He grew up in poverty and got into enough ...
Julie Taymor Adds More Gender-Bending to Shakespeare. Trade Roughage 10/08/08
SpoutBlog —
Julie Taymor is directing a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, which will star plenty of Oscar-caliber performers, including Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, Djimon Hounsou and possibly Geoffrey Rush (Also: Russell Brand as the jester, Trinculo!). Taymor’s version should be interesting considering her postmodern take on the Bard’s Titus Andronicus for her film debut, and she’s already revealed one twist by casting Mirren in the lead, as a gender-reversed “Prospera”. But I bet it still won’t out-arthouse Peter Greenaway’s film version of the play. ...
Forest Whitaker to Direct and Star in Louis Armstrong Biopic
Film Junk —
... Looks like Forest Whitaker could very well be bidding for Oscar contention once again next year with an upcoming biopic that should be a great role for him. Variety reports that Whitaker has signed on to star as jazz legend Louis Armstrong in What a Wonderful World. The movie will start with Armstrong’s early years in New Orleans and then from there chronicle his rise to fame. ...
Forest Whitaker Lives In ‘A Wonderful World’
MTV Movies Blog —
... There are movies that have the whiff of “multiple Oscar nominee” before they even begin shooting — and this is one of them. According to Variety, Forrest Whitaker is set to direct and star in “What a Wonderful World,” a biopic of the legendary Louis Armstrong — and he’s doing it for Paris-based Legende, the production company behind last year’s Oscar favorite, “La Vie en Rose.” ...
Forest Whitaker To Star And Direct Louis Armstrong Biopic, 'What A Wonderful World'
:: The Playlist :: —
Wait, another Louis Armstrong biopic on the way? You'll recall that Charles S. Dutton and indie director John Sayles just announced they'd be doing a mini-series of the renowned American jazz trumpeter/singer for HBO. Well, Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker is planning on doing his own, feature-film length version of Armstrong's life called (naturally) "What a Wonderful World," according to Variety. The film is the first big-screen production of Armstrong's life that's been approved by the jazz man's ...
Tidbits: Bumper Edition
FlicksNews.net —
Matt Lucas Joins Astro Boy Forest Whitaker To Play Louis Armstrong, Will Also Direct Tom Thumb Being Revamped By Kevin Lima The Crazies Getting A Remake Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter Join Alice In Wonderland Brandon Routh Cast In Unthinkable Bram Stroker's Dracula To Get A Sequel Watchmen Video Diary: Dr Manhattan 28 Months Later gets a director? David Cronenberg In Talks to Direct The Matarese Circle, Denzel Washington To Star Zack and ...
Whitaker to direct Louis Armstrong biopic
The Screening Log —
Forest Whitaker is set to direct and star in “What a Wonderful World,” a biopic based on the life of Louis Armstrong, according to Variety. The trade says the film will kick off during the musician’s impoverished early years in New Orleans and primarily chronicle his career as a trumpet virtuoso and improvisational singer. Whitaker will direct a script by Ronald Bass, screenwriter of “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” "Armstrong left a monumental mark on our lives and our culture," Whitaker told Variety. This is not the first time Whitaker will take on a Jazz project. In 1988, the ...
Best Batch of Links for 10/10
We Are Movie Geeks —
Get caught up on the week’s news in one fell swoop.
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:”";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ...
