LES MISERABLES - THE MOTION PICTURE is finally back on track!

[sabrelady]

"Also, how funny would Patti have been as Eva's mother?"

Only if Patti was allowed to channel the Mother from Carrie!

"i'm just doing an after the fact abortion doll, kinda like your singing!!!"

[jdtp12]

Don't be silly! Bieber is already going for Gavroche.

[sabrelady]

He could still make a pretty good Fannette. (for a little while longer anyway ;d)

[jo]

I agree that the three major roles will probably be Valjean, Javert, and Fantine. I am guessing that the 4th one could either be Thenardier or Enjolras.

Re Thenardier, I hope Michael Ball can be considered for the movie role, as he was a hilarious Count Fosco in The Woman in White and has done exceedingly well as Edna in Hairspray ( he won an Olivier for his portrayal). He has the pipes for any of the male lead roles. Michael was also the first Marius in the original cast at the Barbican in London. He has appeared in a film called England My England where he portrayed English composer Henry Purcell, so there is some experience facing movie cameras.

[Muhlethaler]

I will keep saying this: Kate Winslet as Fantine, please.

[adamgreer]

Because of how difficult they are to sing, I assumed that Valjean and Javert would not be cast with stars, but rather "unknown" (to the general public, anyway) performers.

The Thenardiers seems easy enough to star cast, as they're not that difficult to sing. I also think Marius and Eponine could easily be cast with "pop stars", much as I loathe the thought of another Nick Jonas type as Marius.

Winslet would be a good choice for Fantine. Also, what about Gwyneth Paltrow? She might be more of a singer than Winslet is (though to be honest, I've never heard Winslet sing).

[themysteriousgrowl]

I don't think there's any way in hell at all whatsoever even a little bit that this movie would be made without a name in either the Valjean or Javert role (and most likely, there will be in both of them). While it's always the theatergoer's hope that we'll get a cast of amazing unknowns in film adaptations (or at least very film-adept MT actors) due to the difficult of the music, I feel compelled to set context aright with four words: "Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd."

[Muhlethaler]

Kate Winslet singing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vId_4r925o

[ClapYo'Hands]

Alan Rickman as Javert!

[jimmycurry01]

Kate Winslet does have a very sweet voice. I bought that terrible version of A Christmas Carol a few years back just so I could own her music video in the special features section. She might be able to pull off Fantine.

[jdtp12]

What about Hugh Jackman as possibly Javert? He is a big name and he has a pretty great voice. Not sure how it would handle this score, but its just a thought..

[themysteriousgrowl]

Gee... personally, I find him a bit to, uh... "clean-looking" for the role... or maybe just too classically handsome. I dunno. Totally subjective, maybe my own prejudice.

But I could see some producers thinking he's a good idea.

[LizzieCurry]

Jackman was offered the role of Javert in the Australian revival tour (back in 1998ish), but turned it down to work on his film career.

[jo]

In 1998 Hugh Jackman was introduced to international audiences via RNT's OKLAHOMA!, which in turn led to his first appearance as Wolverine in the first XMEN movie. It was in the concert tribute to Cameron Mackintosh ( Hey, Mr. Producer!) that he first sang Oh What A Beautiful Morning, as CM helped bring this particular stage revival to London.

But he has come back to the theatre a number of times since then ( The Boy from Oz on Broadway and in Australia, A Steady Rain). He has even sang the role of Billy Bigelow in the Carnegie Hall concert of Carousel. Not to forget that he has performed in a sung-through stage musical, Sunset Boulevard( singing and acting out songs and recitatives alike), in his early career. Interestingly, he is the only big Hollywood name at the moment who has performed regularly in both films and musical theatre.

If he is offered either Javert or even Valjean and the movie musical version of Les Mis starts filming in mid-2011, there is another movie project that might interfere with his schedule. It is called Darren Aronofsky's THE WOLVERINE

[jo]

Also, the film medium is different from performing onstage. You will need actors who can act on the big screen, and the roles of Valjean, Javert, and Fantine will need proven film actors who can also sing. It is likely that the sung-through format may give way to more dialog in the movie version. And the singing will more likely take place in a recording studio, where it has a chance to come out better than directly onstage.

I agree about Sweeney Todd - it came out better than expected for me because Johnny Depp did the role justice and his lack of musical theatre experience did not in the least affect my appreciation of his portrayal.

Russell Crowe is another actor that could be considered for either Valjean or Javert. Can he sing -- rock music - LOL! But isn't that where Gerard Butler came from? It would be great casting if they can have the duo of Hugh and Russell in the movie, in either role. They have the physicality and the acting talent for the roles. Hugh is a proven singer in musical theatre ...and maybe Russell can pull it off.

[Sally]

I'll be all right with whoever is cast as the leads so long as they can do justice to the score--unlike the leads in the Phantom of the Opera film. It *might* have been easier to follow than the stage musical, but some of the singing made me cringe.

[Rydia]

haha yes Alan Rickman for Javert would be awesome.

I'm thinking they'll try like Lea Michelle for Eponine?

[jasonf]

I was thinking I could see them trying Sasha Baron Cohen or (I hope not) Will Ferrell for Thernadier. That's a plum role for an established comedian who can sing. I would guess the "kids" would be unknowns, with the stars being ValJean, Javert, Thernardier, and Fantine. Of course the ads will play up Fantine HUGELY and those who don't know will be shocked Kate Winslet took a role where she dies 45 minutes into it.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Susan Boyle as Mme. Thenardier?

[hottieho13]

" "I just hope it's not another Phantom of the Opera or Rent."

I love both of those movies xD

I really, really don't want this to happen, and I am a HUGE Les Misérables fan. I think if it did though, there would be a good chance Ramin Karimloo would be in it (Even though he's too old already). I don't know why, I just do..."


Ramin Karimloo wouldn't be too old to play Enjolras,he's only 32-ish and oh my goodness he is a babe!the film can have anyone else (even nick jonas or justin beaver)in it as long as Ramin is in it!

[TheatreFan4]

I seem them signing Nick Jonas for Marius.

[hottieho13]

"I seem them signing Nick Jonas for Marius."

Seriously?! he's playing Marius in the movie version?I hope they stick his voice in auto-tune or something to make his voice sound stronger.I saw the concert version this week and he wasn't bad.At least not Vanessa Hudgens in Rent bad.....

[ClapYo'Hands]

"Ramin Karimloo wouldn't be too old to play Enjolras,he's only 32-ish and oh my goodness he is a babe!the film can have anyone else (even nick jonas or justin beaver)in it as long as Ramin is in it!"

Enjolras is supposed to be about 19...

[jdtp12]

Yea, I could definitely see them signing Jonas for star power, even though I wasn't a huge fan of his concert performance.

Also, anyone have any thoughts about what will be cut/turned into dialogue when this is made? I would hope something like this wouldn't change much, but there are bound to be some changes when its put on the screen.

[hottieho13]

"Enjolras is supposed to be about 19..."

Ramin can make it work!Mimi in Rent is supposed to be 19 and Rosario Dawson was like 24 or 26 at the time.

As much as i like Lea Michelle I don't really want her to be Eponine,plus I thought she was going to play Elphaba in the movie version of Wicked around that time.

[jo]

And what about Marion Cotillard as Fantine?

She's French, an Oscar-winning actress ( as Edith Piaf), and she can sing!