Hollywood has long been trying to bring the life story of Janis Joplin to the big screen, with actresses as varied as Pink, Zooey Deschanel, and Renee Zellweger all named as potential players to take on the part of the rock ‘n roll icon. The most interesting movie that never happened would’ve seen Fernando Meirelles direct Amy Adams as the legendary musician, but it too never managed to get in front of the camera. Quite a few years ago, another project was announced, one that would see “Martha Marcy May Marlene” helmer Sean Durkin direct stage star and actress Nina Arianda in a movie about Janis Joplin, with a planned production start of spring 2013. As you might guess, it also never got out of the gate. But the movie is still alive, with a compelling new actress slotted to lead.
Michelle Williams is the latest to want to get wild, entering early negotiations to star in Durkin’s “Joplin.” The movie will be based on the book “Love, Janis” and perhaps mostly importantly, retains the involvement of producer Peter Newman (“The Squid And The Whale,” “Blue In The Face“) who has the rights to the songs by Joplin and her band Big Brother And The Holding Company, the David Dalton biography “Piece Of My Heart,” plus hours of interviews and three of her appearances on “The Dick Cavett Show.”
As we’ve learned in the past, it’s best not to get your hopes up just yet, and this project is still a way off, with Williams shooting “The Greatest Showman On Earth” with Hugh Jackman next. So until then, if you need your fill on Joplin, it’s worth tracking down Amy Berg‘s solid and illuminating documentary “Janis: Little Girl Blue.” [Variety]
