Director Cuts Loose From Footloose Remake
Paramount Pictures
That Footloose remake is looking less and less like a High School Musical sequel.
First Zac Efron bailed. Now his HSM director, Kenny Ortega, who was set to helm the Footloose remake, is high-stepping away after having issues about the tone and budget of the dance flick, according to Variety.
The move comes just days before Ortega's next directing project, the behind-the-scenes Michael Jackson concert film This Is It, hits theaters.
"Coming off of the extraordinary project, Michael Jackson's This Is It, director Kenny Ortega has decided it is premature for him to commit to his next film and will not be moving forward with Footloose as previously reported," Paramount Pictures said in a statement to E! News. Neither the studio nor Ortega would comment on the reason behind his exit.
Production on the film is still set to commence in March, with Chace Crawford and Julianne Hough reprising the famed lead roles once played by Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer.
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Need some high-stepping hoofers? Check out our Dancing With the Stars Season Nine gallery.
Derek Hough: Dancing Partner Needs to Loosen Up
ABC/CRAIG SJODIN
There's at least one person out there who thinks politico Tom DeLay has an actual chance of going far in Dancing With the Stars.
"Some people who you think are going to do great, you see them and you think, Wow, they're not as good as I thought," professional hoofer Derek Hough says. "Or some people, like Tom DeLay, might come out here and rock everyone's world."
Oh, really? Read on for Hough's explanation...
Update
Julianne & Chace: Footloose Dance Partners?
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Update: Have Julianne Hough supporters been a little too enthusiastic in claiming she’s the Footloose top choice? I’m now being told that while the filmmakers certainly consider her among their favorites, they’re hoping she’ll be able to improve on her acting skills before the cameras start rolling.
Fingers crossed for ya, Julianne!
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Chace Crawford is pretty darn close to having one hot country gal by his side.
Sources tell me that Dancing With the Stars hoofer and rising country music singer Julianne Hough is finally in negotiations to star opposite People magazine's Hottest Bachelor in the upcoming remake of Footloose...
Exclusive
Kyra Sedgwick: Kevin Bacon Gave Chace Crawford Footloose Pointers
The Kobal Collection / Getty Images, Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
While we don't yet know who will play Chace Crawford's love interest in the upcoming Footloose remake, we do know he has some big shoes to fill.
At a brunch event for Trop50 and The Juice, Kyra Sedgwick opened up about what her hubby, original Ren Kevin Bacon, thought of the casting.
"We met him at the [White House] Correspondents' Dinner and our daughter's a big fan," she told E! News. "We were like, 'If he's good enough for her, he's good enough for us.' "
More importantly, Bacon imparted a little wisdom on the Gossip Girl star.
"Kevin said good luck and gave him a couple of thoughts, but I can't remember what they were. Something about wearing really tight jeans and Herbert Ross saying to him, when he was doing the final dance scene, 'These aren't tight enough!' So he kind of warned Chace about it, 'You're gonna have to wear really tight jeans. Just so ya know.' "
Several of Crawford's GG castmates were equally as amused...
Julianne Hough: Just Steps Away From Footloose?
Denise Truscello/Getty Images
Guess who loves Julianne Hough?
Kenny Ortega, the director of the upcoming remake of Footloose.
Nope, the Dancing With the Stars hoofer and country singer hasn't landed the female lead opposite Chace Crawford yet, but...
Exclusive
Miley May Cut Footloose; Chace Definitely Will
The Kobal Collection/Getty Images, John Shearer/Getty Images, AP Photo/Matt Sayles
Not everybody can star in Footloose, but they certainly seem to be trying.
On the same day that Paramount finally confirmed what we've been telling you for weeks—that Chace Crawford would headline the remake of the song-and-dance extravaganza—Miley Cyrus has surfaced as the latest hot young thing being considered for the leading-lady role.
"They've expressed interest in Miley for the part," a source close to the tween queen said.
A source close to the production further added that Cyrus "is definitely in the mix."
As it stands, that mix currently includes Hayden Panettiere, Amanda Bynes and Dancing With the Stars pro Julianne Hough, all of whom have auditioned in recent weeks for the part of Ariel Moore, the independent daughter of a preacher man, originated in the 1984 classic by Lori Singer.
No Stars Yet, but Footloose Gets a Date
Paramount Pictures; Jean Shearer/Getty Images; Jean Baptiste Lacroix
That's one less Footloose mystery to worry about. The remake doesn't have Zac Efron, or any other teen idol—yet—but it does have a date.
The dance flick will bop into theaters June 18, 2010, the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations noted on its site today. Its competition will be the presumably formidable Toy Story 3.
As reported by E! Online's Marc Malkin, Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford and Dancing With the Stars' Derek Hough have been in talks for roles. Crawford's considered the odds-on-favorite to replace Efron, who opted out of becoming all-new Kevin Bacon. Hough, who starred in the London stage version of Footloose, told Malkin he'd "met with people," but declined to say if he, too, were up for Bacon's Ren.
Heroes' Hayden Panettiere has auditioned for a non-Ren role, per Malkin. Hough's DWTS colleague (and sister) Julianne Hough is also said to be a leading leading-lady candidate.
The original Footloose was a sleeper hit in the winter of 1984.
Exclusive
Derek Hough: Dancing With Footloose
Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images
Derek Hough could be adding movie star to his resume.
The Dancing With the Stars pro confirms that he could be waltzing into the upcoming Footloose remake.
"I haven't auditioned, but I've met with the people," Hough told me yesterday.
As I've reported, Chace Crawford is the leading contender to star as Ren, the small-town dancing rebel played in the movie by Kevin Bacon.
Hough declined to say if he's up for Ren, but he certainly knows the part...
Exclusive
Hayden Panettiere: Wants to Footloose With Chace Crawford
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Chace Crawford could be playing footsies with Hayden Panettiere.
The Heroes starlet has auditioned for director Kenny Ortega's updated remake of the classic '80s flick Footloose.
Panettiere, my source says, recently sang for filmmakers (the new Footloose is being turned into a full-blown musical à la the Broadway version). "They were really impressed," the insider gushes. "No one realized what a good singer she is."
Exclusive
Chace Crawford: Footloose Tripped Up by Gossip?
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Things are apparently getting really close for Chace Crawford and the Footloose remake.
How close?
I'm told the latest negotiations have gotten down to the nitty-gritty of scheduling.
A source reports that Crawford is intent on starring in the movie, but the television show that has made him a star, Gossip Girl, may be getting in his dancing way.
Exclusive
Julianne Hough: Footloose and Fancies Filming With Christina Aguilera
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images for AMA; Denise Truscello/Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
It sounds like Christina Aguilera could be getting ready for her big movie-screen close-up!
Here's what we're told is going down with our favorite "Dirrty" pop singer: Xtina is interested in possibly starring in Burlesque, a Screen Gems movie about a modern-day burlesque dancer, according to sources.
Though it's still not clear how far along talks may be and if Aguilera has even read for the part, here are the current details...
Chace Under Siege by Fawning Footloose Fans
The Kobal Collection / Getty Images, Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
We have to apologize to Chace Crawford.
Ever since we broke the news that the Gossip Girl star is gunning to replace Zac Efron in the Footloose remake, the poor guy has been hounded more than ever on the streets of New York City by teenybopper fans.
That's usually no big whoop, except...
The Big Picture
All Growed Up Guess Zac has officially adopted the smoldering look, 'cause we haven't seen a smile in weeks
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