Originally Posted By threeundertwo He was Dracula, and most recently he was Bard in the Hobbit. I hope he can sing, he'll be perfect.
Originally Posted By threeundertwo Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts. Kevin Kline as Maurice. It's like a dream team.
Originally Posted By JeffG When I saw the headline that Kevin Kline had joined the cast, I also thought it would be as Lumiere instead of Maurice. Interesting casting choice. I do wonder who they will get to play Lumiere, which is probably the showiest role. I hope they will consider casting Gary Beach, if he is available/willing. He was still playing the role in the stage production when I saw the show and was absolutely fantastic.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA If Hollywood history is any indicator, they won't use many (or any) cast members who have been in the Broadway version of the show. On occasion it happens - Stubby Kaye in 'Guys & Dolls,' Gwen Verdon in 'Damn Yankees,' But then, Audrey Hepburn gets chosen over Julie Andrews in 'My Fair Lady,' Natalie Wood gets chosen over Carol Lawrence in 'West Side Story,' -- heck, even Meryl Streep in 'Into the Woods' But Hollywood thinks they need 'stars' to make these movie musicals work.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>But Hollywood thinks they need 'stars' to make these movie musicals work.<< Wasn't the Rent movie done with most of the original cast, and reasonably successful? I guess many of them were fairly well known for theater folks, but they still didn't quite have the star power of a Hollywood name Other than that, it seems like most of the recent musicals have focused heavily on known names, with only one or two Broadway folks
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <So who's the ideal Lumiere?> <I vote Bill Murray.> Funny. He could probably handle the singing.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA RENT -- yes -- good example Ferret - of using cast from the Broadway show.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros The Producers also used much of the original cast (with a few Hollywood folks added in), but Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane were in the original cast and both were already household names by that point And isn't Bill Murray going to be in the live action Jungle Book? Not sure they'd want to use him twice
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA David Hyde-Pierce would be a good Lumiere Or even Kelsey Grammer - and he can sing!
Originally Posted By magic0214 I heard rumors that, with this being a musical, it will be more to the Broadway production, with Human Again, maybe even Home or Change in Me.
Originally Posted By JeffG I think that's a safe bet. The recent announcement that Alan Menken will be scoring the film even mentioned both Howard Ashman and Tim Rice as lyricists.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Hugh Jackman could do Lumiere, though he may be TOO "name" (or too much a "lead") for that part. Neil Patrick Harris could do it too - perhaps considered too young, but perhaps just because we still think of Jerry Orbach - Lumiere could be any age, really.
Originally Posted By velo How about Rene Auberjonois for Lumiere? For some reason, I always picture him in that role.
