The King of Rock 'n' Roll is getting the big screen treatment. Writer-director John Scheinfeld has been tapped by RLF Victor Productions to direct Fame & Fortune, an adaptation of Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business, the 2007 biography by former Presley bodyguard Sonny West and biographer Marshall Terrill.
The project will begin casting in late fall with an eye on a 2012 theatrical release, which would coincide with the 35th anniversary of Presley's death. Elvis appeared in 27 movies in the 1960s, but his life story has never been the subject of a big-screen biopic.
Presley, however, has been the subject of telefilms, including the Jonathan Rhys Meyers-starring Elvis (2005) and a 1979 project by the same title that starred Kurt Russell and was directed by John Carpenter.
Biopics about several other chart-topping stars of Presley’s era have made for box office gold (and critical praise) in recent years, including Ray (2004) about Ray Charles and Walk the Line (2005) about Johnny Cash.
Scheinfeld wrote and produced the documentaries Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) and The U.S. vs. John Lennon. He also executive produced the Showtime documentary Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of 'Smile' and the PBS documentary Rosemary Clooney: Girl Singer.
The Fame & Fortune script comes from RLF Victor Productions president Cindy Friedlander, Michael Schlau and West. Todd Slater will executive produce.Scheinfeld is represented by Gersh and attorney Linda Lichter. Gersh is packaging Fame & Fortune.
Sooo hoping for a great movie that will reach both the public and the critics. But the ususal question is clouding my hopes, who will play our man!? ... Really liked Kurt Russel in Carpenters film in -79.
Doesn't Sonny want to make a movie based on his first book on Elvis?? You know the one...the 1977 "Elvis What Happened" "Three Of His Closest Companions Tell A Shocking Bizarre Story" Part of the description of the book was:
'Brooding. Violent. Obsessed with death. Strung out. Sexually driven. This is the other side of Elvis -- according to the three men who lived with him through it all' Sonny must have decided that a movie based on that book wouldn't make him very much money. Could that be why Sonny changed his story some 30 years later with his second book about his 'dear friend?' Could it be that Sonny is still all about how much money he can make for himself? No way will I ever pay money to see any movie that is based on a book written by Sonny West.
Sounds like a "straight to DVD" bargain bucket special to me. Can't wait to see the premier on "True movies" at 3am, one weekday morning.
we don't need this. time and again its proven no one can do justice to Elvis. His talent and style just can't be 'acted' although kurt came close and the 80's series wasn't too bad. we need a decent anthology on dvd... heck its been so long its due out on blu-ray now!
ELVIS >>> can play him self havent you heard he is ALIVE lol. all of you are correct about this good and bad, I hate sonny and thought of him making money
Please no more movies with actors playing Elvis. Never liked any of them. How about an ELvis Anthology DVD set instead?
Movies are only interesting to people when there is a dramatizing aspect to it. So beware that Elvis might be depicted again in a way acknowledging the common negative view. And Sonny being on top of it we might expect it all the more. Yet, let's hope that they try to capture the outstanding performances Elvis gave all through his life and the decisive influence he had on modern music. It is interesting to read that more and more artists acknowledge his influence on them, while the general public is still holding on to the negative image created by the establishment and the media. It would be great if they could corporate some original footage! Oh no, I just remembered . . . royalties etc. So we will have to look at some actor who will fail in putting down a valid performance as the King.