Spike Lee's Next Film Will Be a Musical About Viagra
Spike Lee’s next project is definitely a film that I wasn’t expecting from him. It’s a movie musical that tells the origin story of Viagra, Pfizer’s erectile dysfunction drug.
The film is based on David Kushner’s Esquire article titled “All Rise: The Untold Story of the Guys Who Launched Viagra” and Entertainment One is producing the film which Lee will direct from a script that he wrote with Kwame Kwei-Armah. Lee said in a statement:
“First And Foremost,I Thank Ms. Jacquelyn Shelton Lee. I Thank My Late Mother For As She Would Say Taking “My Narrow,Rusty Behind” Dragging,Kickin’ And Screamin’ To The Movies When I Wuz A Nappy Headed Kid Growing Up In Da Streets Of Da People’s Republic Of Brooklyn. I Did Not Want To See Corny People Singin’ And Dancin’. I Instead Wanted To Play With My Friends On Da Block,Stoop Ball, Stick Ball, Punch Ball, Soft Ball, Basketball, 2 Hand Touch, Tackle Football, Coco Leevio, Johnny On Da Pony, Hot, Peas And Butter, Crack Top, Down Da Sewer And Of Course-Booty’s Up. All The Great New York City Street Games That Might Be Sadly Lost Forever. My Father, Bill Lee, Jazz/Folk Bassist,Composer HATED HollyWeird Movies, Henceforth And What Not, Me Being The Eldest Of 5 Children I Became Mommy’s Movie Date. She Was A Cinefile. Thank You Lawdy She Didn’t Listen To My Ongoing Complaints About Musicals. So Finally Going Into My 4th Decade As A Filmmaker I Will Be Directing An DANCIN’,ALL SINGIN’ MUSICAL Spike Lee Joint And I Can’t Wait. My Moms Has Been Waiting TOO!!! And Dats Da Rodgers And Hammerstein Truth, Ruth.”
There’s no doubt that this is going to make for an interesting movie and I’m curious to see how Lee brings this story to life in the form of a musical. The movie will feature original songs and music written by Stew Stewart and Heidi Rodewald, who are behind the Tony-winning musical Passing Strange.
If you’re interested in reading the article that the film will be based on, you can read it here.
Source: Variety