Director Craig Brewer knows his way around music-centered flicks. He broke out with rapper tale “Hustle & Flow,” brought swamp stomping blues to the big screen with “Black Snake Moan” and made the kids fight for their right to dance in the “Footloose” remake. And now he’s going back to the golden era of pop for another music movie.
Variety reports that Brewer has signed to direct the developing redo of MGM‘s “The Idolmaker.” A project once eyed by Ryan Gosling, the remake of Taylor Hackford‘s lesser known 1980 film is a biopic of music producer and promoter Bob Marcucci, who managed ’50s rock’n’roll stars like Frankie Avalon and Fabian before burning out. And Brewer will have some familiar talent helping him out with his “Black Snake Moan” star Justin Timberlake lending his producing powers, though he won’t be starring in the effort.
No word yet on who is working on the script or where this is in MGM’s pipeline, but it looks like they are continuing to move the ball up the field.