Weinstein Company Loses Rights to PIPPIN Movie

Back in 2014, reports began to circulate that The Weinstein Company would bring Pippin to the big screen, with the help of producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Now according to Deadline, TWC has officially lost the rights to the film amidst the company's recent bankruptcy filings.

Mike Flemeing Jr. writes: "When no real forward progress was made that had been stipulated in the deal, authors Schwartz and Hirson seized on the inactivity as way to recapture the rights, similar to what happened on In The Heights." Director Rob Marshall reportedly has his eye on the project.

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Pippin is a 1972 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto. The musical uses the premise of a mysterious performance troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance.

The protagonist Pippin and his father Charlemagne are characters derived from two real-life individuals of the early Middle Ages, though the plot is fictional and presents no historical accuracy regarding either. The show was partially financed by Motown Records.

Ben Vereen and Patina Miller won Tony Awards for their portrayals of the Leading Player in the original Broadway production and the 2013 revival, respectively, making them the first two actors of different sexes to win a Tony for the same role.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos