Glenn Close To Reprise ‘Sunset Boulevard’ Role Again, This Time For Cinema | Film News

Sunset Boulevard Palace Theatre Produced by Paul Blake and Mike Bosner; Produced by special arrangement with Really Useful Group Book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton; Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton; Based on the film by Billy Wilder; Musical Director: Kristen Blodgette Directed by Lonny Price General Manager: The Charlotte Wilcox Company; Company Manager: Penny Daulton Production Manager: Juniper Street Productions; Production Stage Manager: Timothy Semon Casting: Tara Rubin Casting; Press Representative: DKC/O&M; Advertising: Serino/Coyne Cast Glenn Close Norma Desmond Siobhan Dillon Broadway debut Betty Schaefer Fred Johanson Broadway debut Max von Mayerling Michael Xavier Broadway debut Joe Gillis Nancy Anderson Ensemble Mackenzie Bell Ensemble Preston Truman Boyd Artie Green Barry Busby Ensemble Britney Coleman Broadway debut Ensemble Julian R. Decker Ensemble Anissa Felix Ensemble Drew Foster Ensemble David Hess Ensemble Brittney Johnson Ensemble Katie Ladner Broadway debut Ensemble Stephanie Martignetti Ensemble Lauralyn McClelland Ensemble T. Oliver Reid Ensemble Lance Roberts Ensemble Stephanie Rothenberg Ensemble Graham Rowat Ensemble Paul Schoeffler Cecil B. DeMille Andy Taylor Sheldrake Sean Thompson Broadway debut Ensemble Matt Wall Ensemble Jim Walton Manfred Swings: Mackenzie Bell and Barry Busby

 

Having just reprised the lead role in the West End and Broadway productions of Sunset Boulevard after over 20 years, Glenn Close is to yet again become Norma Desmond, this time in the film adaptation of the musical, headed by Paramount.

 

Sunset Boulevard was based on Billy Wilder‘s 1950 Academy Award-winning film of the same name. Reimagined by writers Don Black and Christopher Hampton, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the story has enjoyed great success on stages over the world, and over the years.

 

The production follows Norma Desmond, a faded silent movie star obsessed with her former glory days. Deluded, she employs young screenwriter Joe Gillis to resurrect her career in a retelling of Greek tragedy Salome. She’s far too old for the role, lacks a male lead, and has produced an incoherent script, but is intent on having a spectacular return. Norma’s desperation and delusion descends further into complete madness and paranoia.

 

Glenn Close has enjoyed four runs as Norma; Los Angeles (1993), Broadway (1994), West End (2016), and again Broadway (2017). Close’s return to the role has been welcomed with great critical acclaim, and is said to equal, if not better, the original runs which earned her a Tony Award in 1995.

 

Close certainly seems favoured by Andrew Lloyd Webber over original West End lead (and overall theatre legend) Patti Lupone, who was dismissed from the show’s Broadway premiere without warning.

 

Though itself based on a film, Webber’s Sunset Boulevard has never seen the big screen. The adaptation has been attempted many times over the years, with plenty of stars attached by 2006, including Liza Minnelli, Meryl Streep, and Barbra Streisand. Back in 2008, Webber remained hopeful that a film would one day be made. In 2011, he expressed the desire for Madonna to lead, but after seeing her in Evita, I’m glad that didn’t materialise.

 

It seems Webber’s plans are almost coming through, announcing that a filming of Close on stage could be the answer, in 2011. Instead, we’re getting one better with a full on adaptation. Perhaps it is Paramount we have to thank, for changing their reluctance to negotiations that Webber spoke of in 2013.

 

There are plenty more details to be released on the project once Close finalises a deal. However, TV auteur Ryan Murphy has been attached to direct the adaptation. Production is expected to start in January, so I imagine news will be made fairly quickly.

 

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