Here come the post-La La Land musicals. And ironically, the first one is coming from the man who helped pluck the Best Picture Oscar from Damien Chazelle‘s film. Tarell Alvin McCraney, writer of the original play Moonlight was based on (In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue), is writing a live action musical for Disney titled Cyrano The Moor.
David Oyelowo (Selma) has signed on to star in the film, which will borrow from William Shakespeare‘s Othello and the French play Cyrano de Bergerac, telling the story of a large-nosed romantic who uses his linguistic skills to help another man win the affection of the woman he loves.
Oddly, Cyrano de Bergerac has already been adapted into a film once before: the 1987 comedy Roxanne, which starred Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah. One gets the feeling the tone of the new version might be a little different.
Disney are of course producing a long line of new musicals based on their own classic films right now, but this is their first “original” one for a long while and the first high profile musical to go into production after the success of La La Land, and likely won’t be the last.
Oyelowo will produce along with his wife, English actress Jessica Oyelowo, and Yoruba Saxon, who helped produce Oyelowo’s recent A United Kingdom.
Hollywood likes success, and when they see someone else have it, they copy it. Thus it’s really no surprise that the original writer of the most recent Best Picture winner is creating a film in the somewhat niche genre of a fellow Best Picture nominee. Hopefully Cyrano The Moor can contain the same magic both of those films gave us. Surely it will at least be more memorable than Roxanne, right?
#Peace.Love.CyranoTheMoor
