I'm not sure if this is the best or the worst thing I've ever heard, but they're going to make a movie of Les Mis. Directed by Tom Hooper of The King's Speech, and starring Hugh Jackman and Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe as Javert. I also heard a rumor that Anne Hathaway was in talks to play Fantine, which is strange. She could certainly do Cosette, but I don't think Fantine is in her vocal range. But let's just hope they don't cast Nick Jonas as Marius (though I'd bet $1,000,000 that they will).

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

Oooooooooh...I'm so torn.

On the one hand, I LOVED The King's Speech and think that the director will do a great job of bringing it to life onscreen.

On the other hand...I ADORE Les Mis, but I will readily admit it's not everyone's cup of tea. When it gets down to it, it's pretty much three hours of straight singing. I went with my dad to see a touring company production of it and he looked at me wide-eyed at intermission and said, "You didn't tell me it was going to be all singing." XD So in order to cater to an audience, they might end up cutting a lot of the music, much like Tim Burton did with Sweeney Todd. And that would a) distort the story, b) cut some of the most beautiful music from the film and c) make Les Mis purists sad. Add that to the fact that all my favorites are now too old to reprise their roles onscreen (Lea Salonga as Eponine, Michael Ball as Marius) and I'm not quite sure what to think.

However, Johnny's Fan, I completely agree with your selections for Madame Thenardier. They'll probably end up casting Lea Michele as Eponine, though, given her fame. I enjoy Glee, but I don't think she's Eponine material!

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

Casting update! Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter have both been confirmed, as Fantine and Madame Thenardier respectively! I'm disappointed with the choice of Anne Hathaway--I knew it wouldn't happen, but I was still secretly hoping for them to take a chance and put Lea Salonga in the role of Fantine, since she did it in the 25th Anniversary Concert (which was not nearly as good as the 10th Anniversary Concert, which I have on VHS tape! )

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I know nothing at all about the storyline, all I know is Hugh Jackman will be in it, so that means I'm seein it! I swear that man could get me to watch anything....plus I get to hear him sing some more!

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Wed Killian Jones (Captain Hook) 4/20/13

I like her in general, but I honestly don't see how Anne Hathaway is going to pull off a convincing Fantine. Hurray for Helena Bodham Carter, though!! Now let's see if Johnny Depp will play Thenardier. Okay, so maybe that's unrealistic but... hm... can Timothy Spall sing?

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http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/eddie-r ... iserables/

We have a Marius. Easily the best news I've heard about the movie yet because.....he can sing!


Okay, so I've refrained from posting about this because I have very mixed feelings on this. I understand that film is different from theatre. I do. And that they want to draw in new crowds and make lots of money, yadda yadda.

So I'm okay with Hugh Jackman. At least he's done some theatre and can sing.

Russel Crowe? Can he even sing? I'm just disappointed in that. Javert is my favorite character. So I'm worried.

Anne Hathaway actually doesn't disturb me that much. I know she can sing and I think she's a generally good actress, so she's okay.

Helena Bonham-Carter.....sigh. I knew, I just knew from the beginning that somehow she would end up as Madame Thenardier. Because that role is "unconventional" and that means OMG HELENA SHOULD DO IT BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT. I guess I've just gotten so sick of her being typecast. And even though Mme Thenardier is a different sort of character from her usual, I feel like because it's HBC it will become her usual.


This. There's a reason Les Mis is the longest running show. It's amazing and wonderful and people go to see it. Those same people would go see the movie if it was done right (half at least will probably go out of curiosity.) And if they enjoy it, then they will tell other people and it can be a money maker. I don't see why they feel the need to mess up stories and casting just so they can "make more money."

And while it sounds like I'm ranting, I'm not. (Okay, I am a little bit.) I am reserving judgement on it. It could turn out to be a wonderful movie. But I am judging one thing: 3-D. I hate 3D anyway, and as one person has said, "If you want to see it in 3D, just go to the theatre." You know, with live people. In 3D.

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going on a journey through my old claims

First of all, at Marius

Second of all, I didn't think of that with Helena. Now I have this horrible image of Mrs. Lovett as Mme Thenardier.

Third of all, I was about to say "Nooo! Phantom is the longest running show!!" But I googled it and Les Mis is indeed the longest running musical... on the West End. (Phantom's still got Broadway, though. )

Fourth of all, I'm think I'm going to cut that quote about 3-D out of a titanium sheet, embed it in stone, and enshrine it in gold. Truer words were never spoken.

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I'm double posting, but to sum up the apparent cast:

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean
Russell Crowe as Javert
Eddie Redmayne as Marius
Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier
Helena Bodham Carter as Mme Thenardier
Anne Hathaway as Fantine
Amanda Seyfried as Cosette
Taylor Swift as Eponine

Am I the only one who feels nauseous right now at all these famous names? Some of them are good actors who fit the roles well, some of them are grossly unqualified, some of them might do okay. But take them all together: 7 out of 8 are better or just as well known for their celebrity as their acting. It's kind of disgusting.

Actually, this was as reported by Huffington Post, but I almost wonder if it isn't a prank. I'm not sure if denial is setting in or if this is as crazy as it sounds.

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You know, this almost had a chance. I was thinking "maybe" until I saw Anne Hathaway, which sealed it for me as a "no," and then Amanda Seyfried too? Those are my two least favourite actresses of all time; they make me nauseous, as Taur so nicely phrased it. And since when is Taylor Swift an actress? Ugh, not impressed by this.

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- married fingon fingolfinion 6/4/13 -
~art credit~

No, Broadway World posted it too so I'm pretty sure it's legitimate. At least, Taylor Swift and Amanda Seyfried have been offered the roles, whether or not they accept is still up in the air.

Skitty, she isn't. Taylor Swift can sing fun songs about boys who cheat on her, but she is not qualified to act out the dream role of millions of girls of an unfortunate girl in love with a boy who is part of a band of revolutionaries. NO. SHE IS NOT. SHE IS NOT AN ACTRESS. SHE CANNOT DO IT.


You know how I said I was reserving judgement? I AM JUDGING. TAYLOR SWIFT SHOULD NOT BE HERE.


Maybe she'll surprise me. I don't know. But I'm highly doubtful.


Me too. I was hoping for at least a few unknowns, like Eponine and Marius and Fantine could all have been unkowns. And the Thenardiers too. Eddie and Aaron are not as well known, I guess they'll have to suffice.


OH OH! But you're missing someone! Aaron Tviet as Enjolras! And guess what guys? He's a Broadway actor! Someone who actually KNOWS how to act AND sing! I'm so happy. I don't even care if he's never done roles like it before, he is actually a theatre person so he automatically makes me thrilled. Because this cast. This cast. It is painful to look at. Eddie and Aaron make me squee, the rest make me... But I still will have to go see it, because I want to make myself suffer like that want to have the authority to complain and moan to my heart's content.

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going on a journey through my old claims

That's exactly what I was thinking. There are probably millions of girls singing their hearts out in theater groups and chorus classes who want to play Eponine someday, and I bet 90% of them could do it better than Taylor Swift. And I guarantee you there are a least a dozen girls waiting tables in LA right now who could do a stellar job. Why, why, why wouldn't they give one of them a chance? The role of Eponine is so perfect for that. It's not a starring role-- they don't need a big name there, but the right actress can make you weep for her, and it really could of been someone's break through role. Actually, like you said, that goes for most of the characters from Les Mis.

Ah, I did forget about Enjolras. As much as I love a good Enjolras, and as terrific as it is that they actually deigned to cast a lowly theater actor, unless they rename it "Marius and Enjolras Try to Start A Revolution" there's no way he can make up for having to hear Taylor Swift sing "On My Own."

I do feel a little guilty for judging so harshly based on just the cast. But I don't see how any amount of great directing or cinematography or art direction can possibly save this film. These people are not miserable gutter snipes, criminals, prostitutes. They are celebrities. Hugh Jackman is going to be Hugh Jackman. Anne Hathaway is going to be Anne Hathaway. Helena Bodham Carter is going to be Helena Bodham Carter. Heck, even if Amanda Seyfried (who does have a pretty voice, I'll grudgingly admit) or Taylor Swift turn out not to be the enormous train wrecks I imagine they'll be, they'll still be Amanda Seyfried and Taylor Swift. At a certain point, even a great actor is eclipsed by their celebrity, and they can no longer portray someone else because they, themselves, are so well known. Have you ever seen a George Clooney film and forgotten that you were watching George Clooney? My point is, with all these famous people together, you can no longer call your film Les Misérables, the Miserable Ones. It is now Les Célébrités.

My rant's almost over. Just one more thing.

Here's how the cast should go:
Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe. The stars. The main roles have big names. Okay, I can deal with that.
Fantine: Someone with a great theater reputation, but who doesn't usually appear in films.
Cosette: Not a very nuanced role, just pick someone who beautiful and sincere with a gorgeous voice. But for God's sake, someone who's different and not a cookie-cutter starlet.
The Thenardiers: One of them gets to be famous, if you must. But not both.
Eponine: A total unknown. Of the millions of actresses in LA, one of them in perfect. Find her.
Marius: A rising star. They got that right, anyway.
Enjolras: A Broadway actor-- great!

I'm no good at picking names and specific people. But that's the gist of what the cast of a halfway decent film version of Les Mis could be. And not even in a perfect world where everyone truly gets cast according to talent and suitability. Sure, with a huge ensemble piece, you can pepper in some stars. Cast Anne Hathaway as Fantine. She shows up, sings her piece, and she's gone for the rest of the film. And congratulations, you've got Anne Hathaway fans into the movie theater. But, seriously, every single role has got to be filled by a famous person? To the point that you've cast Taylor Swift, who isn't even an actress?! Really?

I am so mad at Hollywood right now. That is all.
I yield the soapbox to the next outraged theater lover.

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

That's what I'm concerned about. I know a lot of people are excited about Helena being cast, but I can't be. I know she's a talented actress, but every time I think about it I just picture Mrs. Lovett telling Cosette to go get water from the well. I'm scared that she's going to take the eccentricity of Madame Thenardier and twist it a bit to get the crazy that she often is cast as. I won't be able to put my fears to rest until the movie actually comes out.

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going on a journey through my old claims

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*