Variety reports that film director and choreographer Adam Shankman will both helm and choreograph a film adaptation of Broadway musical ROCK OF AGES for New Line Cinema.
Show creator Chris D'Arienzo has penned the adaptation while Carl Levin, Matt Weaver, Scott Prisand, Tobey Maguire and Jennifer Gibgot will produce. Filming begins next summer for a release in 2011.
Shankman tells Variety that he hopes to shoot the film in its proper setting of Los Angeles. Shankman revealed, "I'm thinking big, and absolutely am going to attempt to cast with movie stars. Now that musicals are working again, actors are much more open to it."
Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor and choreographer. He studied at the prestigious Juilliard School in NYC, and went on to dance in videos for Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson.
Shankman's directorial film work includes the feature-length films, 'The Wedding Planner' with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, 'A Walk to Remember' with Mandy Moore, 'Bringing Down the House' with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah, and a film adaption of the Tony Award musical, 'Hairspray', which starred John Travola. Shankman is currently working on a sequel to his 'Step-Up' and 'Step Up 2' dance movies, called 'Step-Up 3D'. He has been a guest judge and occasional choreographer on 'So You Think You Can Dance' since Season 3.
In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small-town girl met a big-city dreamer - and in L.A.'s most legendary rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the ‘80's. It's ROCK OF AGES, a hilarious, feel-good love story told through the hit songs of iconic rockers Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake, and many more. Don't miss this awesomely good time where big hair meets big dreams and the result totally wails. The show is written by Chris D'Arienzo, directed by Kristin Hanggi and choreographed by Kelly Devine.
ROCK OF AGES currently stars Constantine Maroulis, Kerry Butler, James Carpinello, Adam Dannheisser, Mitchell Jarvis, Tom Lenk, Michele Mais, Lauren Molina, Don Stephenson, Jenifer Foote, Ericka Hunter, Jeremy Jordan, Michael Minarik, Angel Reed, Matthew Stocke, Becca Tobin, Katherine Tokarz, Andre Ward and Jeremy Woodard.
Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com/ 212-307-4100 or in person at The Brooks Atkinson Box Office (256 West 47th Street).
