Bedtime Stories and Hairspray director Adam Shankman has signed on to develop and produce a long-gestating remake of Bye Bye Birdie at Columbia Pictures, says The Hollywood Reporter.
Shankman will join Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher, who will produce via their Red Wagon, as producers. Jennifer Gibgot, Shankman’s partner in Offspring Entertainment, will executive produce.
A stage favorite for the past half-century, “Birdie” centers on Conrad Birdie, a popular singer whose character is based loosely on Elvis Presley. He’s about to be shipped off to the army, but as part of a publicity stunt, he agrees to one last encounter with a fan before he goes to war.
The 1958 musical has had several screen adaptations, including an Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke version in 1963 and a television movie starring Jason Alexander in 1995.
Shankman recently lined up two projects, coming on to direct Bob: The Musical for Disney and Sinbad for Columbia.
