stevenvdb
Aug 18th, 2008, 03:23:15 AM
:::jaw hits floor:::
Sky Movies to co-finance remake of cult 1975 musical in bid to extend prodigious fan base
Owen Gibson, media correspondent
The Guardian,
Wednesday August 13 2008
More than 30 years after they introduced the public to a "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania", the makers of The Rocky Horror Picture Show have reunited to do the time warp one more time.
Sky Movies yesterday confirmed it would co-finance a remake of the cult 1975 musical starring Tim Curry that still draws a full house of fans dressed as characters from the film to late night screenings. The original kitsch parody of science fiction and horror, which cost $1.2m (£630,000) to make and has taken more than $140m at the box office, is the longest running cinematic theatrical release of all time. The new version, financed by Sky and MTV in the US, will be overseen by the original film's executive producer, Lou Adler.
Adler said: "Our hope has always been that each new endeavour will expose new audiences to Rocky Horror and expand its fan base, so here we go again, with a new cast, believing that the remake will add to the phenomenon."
Richard O'Brien, who wrote the original stage show on which the film was based and starred in the movie, will co-produce the remake.
The project is the first time that Sky Movies has directly financed a feature film. In return, it will premiere the film on its own channels. Ian Lewis, director at Sky Movies, said that the film would retain elements of the original while "updating it for the 21st century". The director and cast have yet to be decided.
Remakes of cult favourites have become common in Hollywood in recent years but the hit rate has been patchy.
Sky Movies to co-finance remake of cult 1975 musical in bid to extend prodigious fan base
Owen Gibson, media correspondent
The Guardian,
Wednesday August 13 2008
More than 30 years after they introduced the public to a "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania", the makers of The Rocky Horror Picture Show have reunited to do the time warp one more time.
Sky Movies yesterday confirmed it would co-finance a remake of the cult 1975 musical starring Tim Curry that still draws a full house of fans dressed as characters from the film to late night screenings. The original kitsch parody of science fiction and horror, which cost $1.2m (£630,000) to make and has taken more than $140m at the box office, is the longest running cinematic theatrical release of all time. The new version, financed by Sky and MTV in the US, will be overseen by the original film's executive producer, Lou Adler.
Adler said: "Our hope has always been that each new endeavour will expose new audiences to Rocky Horror and expand its fan base, so here we go again, with a new cast, believing that the remake will add to the phenomenon."
Richard O'Brien, who wrote the original stage show on which the film was based and starred in the movie, will co-produce the remake.
The project is the first time that Sky Movies has directly financed a feature film. In return, it will premiere the film on its own channels. Ian Lewis, director at Sky Movies, said that the film would retain elements of the original while "updating it for the 21st century". The director and cast have yet to be decided.
Remakes of cult favourites have become common in Hollywood in recent years but the hit rate has been patchy.