Friday, October 4, 2024

Nick Jonas Quietly Filming “Jersey Boys” in Cleveland for Peacock, Hoping for a Disney “Hamilton” Type Success

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Much as we love Clint Eastwood, his film version of “Jersey Boys” was not a success.

Ever since its disappointing run in 2014, the whole “Jersey Boys” gang has wanted a re-do. A do-over. And now they’re getting one.

“Jersey Boys,” the Tony winning musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons , is very quietly in production in Cleveland. The original Broadway director, Des McAnuff, is getting his shot. Nick Jonas is playing Frankie Valli. Graham King, who produced the show on Broadway, is producer.

As “Jersey Boys” was a Universal Production on Broadway and on screen, NBC’s streaming Peacock will be the venue. Peacock just announced a $400 million TV version of “The Exorcist,” bringing back Ellen Burstyn (but not Linda Blair). So they’re spreading colorful wings, opening up the piggy bank to try and compete with Disney Plus and the like.

For McAnuff, this will be a chance to reclaim “Jersey Boys” gold with Emmys and SAG Awards, if not Golden Globes (well, not GG’s if the streamer rolls this November). Peacock sees this as a chance to grab that Disney “Hamilton” glitz that came with the streaming from a theater version of that Tony winner.

Nick Jonas will make a great Frankie Valli, by the way. He has the chops to pull it off.

 

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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