Jonathan
Larson
broadway.com
May 7 2004
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Looks like Rent,
the hit Broadway musical, will finally be hitting the big screen. Warner Bros.
Pictures has acquired feature rights to the Jonathan Larson show from Miramax
Films and has hired Chris Columbus to write and direct the film version,
according to Variety.
Miramax and Tribeca Films acquired the film rights to Jonathan Larson's Rent
in 1996, but the company did not make serious plans for the movie until 2001
when reports surfaced that director Spike Lee was in discussions to helm the Rent
film. Lee began auditioning people (Justin Timberlake and Raśl Esparza were
among those rumored to be in contention for the male roles), but months into the
casting process Miramax nixed the project reportedly due to budgetary issues.
Under this new arrangement with Warner Bros., Miramax will still keep the right
of first refusal for co-financing and distribution on the film. If Miramax signs
on to distribute the Rent movie, it would handle foreign rights, with
Warner Bros. in charge of the domestic distribution.
Columbus is best known for directing family-friendly fare, in particular the two Home Alone movies and the first two installments of the Harry Potter series. However he first gained attention as a screenwriter in the mid-1980s, penning scripts for Gremlins, Goonies and Young Sherlock Homes. He was credited as both writer and director on two previous films, Only the Lonely and Nine Months.
Columbus and his 1492 Films will produce Rent with Tribeca. No timetable was reported for production on the film.