Les Misérables

No-one's commented on this yet, so I think it's time to give it a look in and bring everyone to speed. After being on the go for about 30 years, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's stage musical based on Victor Hugo's novel, which started in Paris before becoming a hit in the West End then Broadway is FINALLY coming to the big screen. After years of rumoured directors (including Alan Parker, Bruce Beresford and Richard Attenborough) and false starts, it's found a director with Tom Hooper, who won the Best Director Oscar this year for The King's Speech. An ideal choice for a project of this magnitude, and a very good cast to it's name as well. Les Misérables is an epic musical and it sounds like a strong contender for next year's Oscars too.

The musical is set in Paris in the early 19th Century, and it's main character is Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who is released from prison after 19 years, and is wishing to redeem himself. But, he is held back from making a new life for himself by the scornful Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), who released Valjean on parole. After a few years, Valjean has become Monsieur Madeleine and is working in a factory where he becomes involved with poor worker Fantine (Anne Hathaway), but M. Madeleine finds his path crossing again with Javert.



Filming is set to start in January 2012 in London, and is already down for a release date of December 7th 2012. It's got a good cast, and we all know Jackman is a good showman and can belt out a tune or two, (it'll be this and the upcoming The Greatest Showman on Earth that'll bring out the best in Jackman). Russell Crowe has been itching to do a musical for years, and he had his own band called 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. More on this as it comes.