RIALTO CHATTER: Ramis Mentions 'Groundhog Day' Musical Movement to MTV

MTV Movies Blog revealed the news that "Groundhog Day" is still being discussed as coming to the stage as a musical comedy according to its original director Harold Ramis.

"Groundhog Day" starred Bill Murray as a bitter and sarcastic news weatherman who is forced to relive February 2nd over and over again until he opens his heart and mind and convinces Andie MacDowell to fall in love with him. 

Ramis told the MTV blog that the musical is in early development. Danny Rubin, who wrote the screenplay (with major contributions from Ramis) has been working on the book stated Ramis.

Stephen Sondheim was also mentioned as having an interest in working on the project by Ramis, but during a recent stop on his somewhat unofficial, but ongoing Town Hall style discussion tour with Frank Rich in San Francisco, Sondheim announced he had "very recently abandoned the idea of adapting the film Ground Hog Day into a musical." So any reporting on Sondheim being involved would be simply a hopeful rumor at this point.

On a more positive note, Ramis also mentioned that frequent Sondheim collaborator and acclaimed stage writer/director James Lapine contacted him about possibly making the project happen, so at the very least creative hands are reaching out.

To read the entire Ramis/MTV chat click here.